Osborne Village

from Winnipeg Renters Guide - December 31, 2021

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Osborne Village is a densely populated, well-traversed, artsy area of the city.

LIVE CLOSE TO EVERYTHING

DAWN PETER

Located right next to downtown Winnipeg, running south to Fort Rouge, Osborne Village is a densely populated, well-traversed, artsy area of the city. With Wellington Crescent on one side and the Donald Street Bridge on the other, the urban residents are highly mobile, street savvy and aware of their surroundings.

The Village hosts fantastic funky shops, trendy nightclubs and unique restaurants known only on Osborne Street. If you’re looking for karaoke, you’re looking for Osborne. Osborne Village has an annual Canada Day Street Festival that features First Nations drumming, bands, an open market and street hockey.

Young, well-dressed business professionals enjoy their Starbucks in the sun next to street musicians and history students. On Osborne, trendy locals shift comfortably between quaint classic culture and dark court jesters. It’s an energizing mix to be in the midst of it. There is a marked difference between day traffic and night walkers though. During the day, dads with strollers and cyclists swarm the streets. After business hours, groups of friends get together for food and wine or try performance art alone. Curiosity seekers are abundant and so are the amenities. The Village dances with lights riding the river.

Many new families call the Village home as well as some older tenants who enjoy their view from the highrise apartments, but most residents are typically young, single and working in the area. The most common age group is mid- to late20s, but there are urban professionals well above that who form a key demographic for services in the area. Families with children are typically affluent and educated with one or two children, sometimes living with other family units or singles in a grand three-storey house.

The face of the Village is young, metro and stunningly stylish. In this neighbourhood, public transit is the most frequent form of transportation down Osborne Street, after vehicle traffic. There are at least eight bus routes and the Rapid Transit station is located nearby. Parking is tight so people often walk, bike or bus in order to save a little bit of cash.

Osborne Village has more than 500 buildings – one-third is residential use. There are elementary schools and one middle school. The Village is close to the Misericordia Hospital and famous Firehall Station No. 4 sits on Stradbrook. The River Osborne Community Centre is further south at Confusion Corner.

Osborne Village is desirable and considered one of the best communities in the city. It is very vibrant and diverse with a thriving business and entertainment culture. People on the street both make and take away from the value of the Village.