First pick
Parliament Hill
Park or garden
37 ha7.7 km of path
1 h 45 minto walk all 7.7 km of path
1.0 km north-westfrom the centre
Ottawa River Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Óðinn · CC BY-SA 2.5 ca12%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Centretown · parks, protected land & trails
Few places match Centretown for protected land nearby: more than nearly 9 in 10 Canadian towns
Walkers have 4 mapped routes close by, starting with the Rideau Trail - Ottawa Section and Confederation Boulevard. 37 protected areas lie within 10 km. Swimmers have 6 beaches within 5 km, Plage du lac Leamy the nearest.
Protected land
12%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
37
within 10 km, 17 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
94 km
Thousand Islands National Park
Nearest provincial park
37 km
Burnt Lands Provincial Park
Walking routes
4
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
6
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Centretown, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Protected land all round12% of the land within 10 km, more than 89% of Canadian townsWalking routes4 named routes within 2 kmBeaches6 beaches within 5 km
Out of doors, Centretown leads with protected land around it, with its choice of walking routes close behind.
Against other towns
Each figure for Centretown, set against Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. Canada’s grades don’t include the outdoors, so this page compares the figures rather than grading them.
Protected within 10 km12%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town1.5%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas17Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes4Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches6Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Centretown has the 4th most protected land nearby of 40 towns its size
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (30,304 to 33,969 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Centretown12%
Towns its size4.1%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Centretown17
Towns its size9
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Centretown4
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Among its peers, Centretown’s strong point is protected land nearby, where 3 of 39 top it.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierrefonds-Ouest QC | 34% | 25% | 48 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | Des Explorateurs QC | 23% | 12% | 46 | 1 | 10 |
| 3 | Vieux-Lachine - Saint-Pierre QC | 17% | 0% | 30 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Centretown ON | 12% | 1.5% | 37 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | Val-d'Or QC | 11% | 19% | 55 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Savane QC | 11% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | La Cité QC | 9.1% | 0% | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Verdun-Centre QC | 8.2% | 0% | 18 | 0 | 7 |
| 9 | Du Moulin QC | 8.2% | 9.9% | 46 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Fairview BC | 8.2% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 68 |
| 11 | Magog QC | 7.5% | 1.2% | 53 | 1 | 16 |
| 12 | West End BC | 6.6% | 51% | 12 | 4 | 76 |
| 13 | Sainte-Marie QC | 6.3% | 0% | 24 | 0 | 4 |
| 14 | Sainte-Julie QC | 5.8% | 0.7% | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Saint-Constant QC | 5.8% | 0% | 25 | 0 | 1 |
| 16 | Johnston Heights BC | 5.8% | 29% | 131 | 7 | 6 |
| 17 | Rockland ON | 5.2% | 0.9% | 57 | 0 | 2 |
| 18 | Orangeville ON | 4.2% | 3.5% | 38 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Arcola East SK | 4.2% | 8.8% | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 20 | Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown ON | 4.1% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | Killarney BC | 4% | 3.5% | 14 | 2 | 6 |
| 22 | West Humber-Clairville ON | 3.4% | 0% | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | Victoria-Fraserview BC | 3.1% | 0% | 15 | 2 | 4 |
| 24 | Chambly QC | 2.7% | 1.1% | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Est (Montréal-Nord) QC | 2.6% | 0% | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Annex ON | 2.1% | 0% | 13 | 9 | 13 |
| 27 | Vimont QC | 1.9% | 0% | 33 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands ON | 1.7% | 6.1% | 12 | 9 | 48 |
| 29 | Thorold ON | 1.6% | 4.2% | 16 | 7 | 1 |
| 30 | Courtenay BC | 1.4% | 2.9% | 54 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Alma QC | 0.8% | 0.2% | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 32 | Elmira ON | 0.8% | 0% | 27 | 10 | 1 |
| 33 | Grimsby ON | 0.7% | 1.5% | 26 | 7 | 8 |
| 34 | Lisgar ON | 0.7% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Chestermere AB | 0.5% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 36 | Applewood ON | 0.3% | 0% | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 37 | DT Core ON | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Okotoks AB | 0.2% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 39 | Saint-Georges QC | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 40 | Fort Saskatchewan AB | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 1 | 1 |
The map
Where the green is in Centretown
The neighbourhood’s parks, woods, protected land and paths, with its named places numbered.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
30 named parks and woods to walk in near Centretown
The biggest is Parliament Hill, 37 ha. Biggest first, numbered as on the map.
30 named parks and woods, 117 ha in all
Parks & gardens 117 ha
Two places, Parliament Hill and Parc Jacques-Cartier, make up 55% of the total.
Parc Jacques-Cartier
Park or garden · 330 m outside town
28 ha4 km of path
55 minto walk all 4 km of path
2.7 km northfrom the centre
Sentier des Voyageurs PathwaySentier des Voyageurs
Directionsto a point inside
Bronson Park
Park or garden
6.2 ha2.4 km of path
30 minto walk all 2.4 km of path
1.2 km westfrom the centre
Ottawa River Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
LeBreton Flats Park
Park or garden
7.4 ha1.6 km of path
20 minto walk all 1.6 km of path
1.7 km westfrom the centre
Ottawa River Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
Major's Hill Park
Park or garden
4.8 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
1.5 km northfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Confederation Park
Park or garden
3.2 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
0.9 km north-eastfrom the centre
Lawrence Freiman LaneRideau Canal Western Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
Parc des Portageurs
Park or garden · 210 m outside town
4.0 ha0.6 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.6 km of path
2.5 km north-westfrom the centre
Sentier des Voyageurs Pathway
Directionsto a point inside
Central Park
Park or garden · 90 m outside town
2.7 ha1.2 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.2 km of path
0.9 km southfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Parliament HillPark or garden · 37 ha · 7.7 km of path
DirectionsParc Jacques-CartierPark or garden · 28 ha · 4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsBronson ParkPark or garden · 6.2 ha · 2.4 km of path
DirectionsLeBreton Flats ParkPark or garden · 7.4 ha · 1.6 km of path
DirectionsMajor's Hill ParkPark or garden · 4.8 ha · 1.9 km of path
DirectionsConfederation ParkPark or garden · 3.2 ha · 1.3 km of path
DirectionsParc des PortageursPark or garden · 4.0 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCentral ParkPark or garden · 2.7 ha · 1.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPatterson's Creek ParkPark or garden · 2.8 ha · 1.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMcNabb ParkPark or garden · 2.9 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsKìwekì PointPark or garden · 1.9 ha · 1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsLaroche ParkPark or garden · 2.6 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsNCCPark or garden · 1.4 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTom Brown ArenaPark or garden · 1.8 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsDundonald ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.7 km of path
DirectionsPlouffe ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsParc de la FrancophoniePark or garden · 1.0 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPindigen ParkPark or garden · 1.1 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsConfederation SquarePark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsGarden of the Provinces and TerritoriesPark or garden · 0.4 ha · 0.5 km of path
DirectionsMinto ParkPark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsChamberlain ParkPark or garden · 0.9 ha · 0.1 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsSt. Luke's ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsPrimrose ParkPark or garden · 0.6 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsTesasini ParkPark or garden · 0.8 ha · 0.2 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsParc de la ConfluencePark or garden · 0.5 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsPangishimo ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsChaudière Falls ParkPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsJack Purcell ParkPark or garden · 0.7 ha
DirectionsCanadian Firefighters MemorialPark or garden · 0.3 ha · 0.3 km of path
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
All of Centretown is within a short walk of a park
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Centretown100%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
Few do better: the typical Canadian town is at 83%.
Protected areas
37 protected areas around Centretown
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Centretown1.5%
Within 10 km12%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Governments hold 17 of the 37, and private owners the rest. Rideau Canal National Historic Site leads for size with 19,972 ha. Not named: 20 areas held privately or with no public owner on record.
Rideau Canal National Historic SiteProtected area · 19,972 ha · reaches Centretown
Champlain Bridge and Lemieux IslandsWildlife area · 10 ha · 0.3 km from the edge of town
Hull, Aylmer, Pont Champlain Rapides Chaud Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 148 ha · 0.5 km from the edge of town
Voyageurs CorridorProtected area · 16 ha · 0.9 km from the edge of town
Jacques-Cartier ParkProtected area · 4.7 ha · 1.0 km from the edge of town
Lac des Fées ParkwayProtected area · 17 ha · 1.1 km from the edge of town
Moore FarmProtected area · 15 ha · 2.1 km from the edge of town
Voyageurs CorridorWildlife area · 75 ha · 2.1 km from the edge of town
Champlain CorridorProtected area · 20 ha · 3.1 km from the edge of town
Aylmer (Rapides Deschênes) Water Fowl Gathering AreaWildlife area · 307 ha · 3.5 km from the edge of town
7 more named areas within 10 km are in the figures.
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Thousand Islands National Park is 94 km away
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
Provincial park
Burnt Lands Provincial Park
37 km south-west5.2 km²since 2003
National park
Thousand Islands National Park
94 km south24 km²since 1904
A provincial park is closer: Burnt Lands Provincial Park, at 37 km.
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Paths to walk: 141 km in and around Centretown
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
141 km
in and around the town (19.1 km²)
Woodland
3.3%
about 0.6 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
CentretownTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths7.4
04.59 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
CentretownTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland3.3%
0%50%100%
It has more footpath per km² than 99% of Canadian towns. It is less wooded than 69% of Canadian towns.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
Centretown has 4 named walking routes
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
RegionalLocal
Rideau Trail - Ottawa Section110.1 km
Confederation Boulevard4.3 km
Confederation Boulevard - Sussex Drive2.9 km
Confederation Boulevard - Elgin Street0.9 km
The Rideau Trail - Ottawa Section is the big one locally: 110.1 km. For a short stroll, 2 are under 3 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
The best months for walking in Centretown: May and July to September
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991–2020 normals from Ottawa (City) (4.2 km), and daylight at the town’s latitude. Good months: 12½+ hours of daylight, highs of 15–30 °C, little rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.5 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 9.4 | 8.7 |
| High (°C) | -5 | -3 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 21 | 13 | 6 | -2 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 65 | 52 | 62 | 81 | 80 | 95 | 92 | 87 | 87 | 90 | 72 | 74 |
February is the driest month at 52 mm; June the wettest at 95 mm. Highs peak near 27 °C in July and fall to -5 °C in January. Snow totals about 185 cm a year. The climate in Centretown →
Beaches
Beaches near Centretown: 6 within 5 km
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Plage du lac Leamysand · 2.8 km from town
DirectionsWestboro Beachsand · 3.4 km from town
DirectionsThe Pond Beach3.8 km from town
DirectionsMooney's Bay Beachsand · 4.5 km from town
Directions3 are mapped as sand. Unnamed on the map: 2 more. No open data on beach water quality covers every province, so check with public health before a swim.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Centretown has 27 viewpoints and 2 waterfalls nearby
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
The most common are playgrounds: 165 on the map.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 27
Chaudière Fallsin town
DirectionsOttawa Locksin town
DirectionsSparks Street Lookoutin town
DirectionsView on the Riverin town
DirectionsKìwekì Point Lookout0.1 km from town
DirectionsThe Cliff0.2 km from town
DirectionsRideau Falls1.4 km from town
DirectionsPlus 20 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Picnic sites 2
Plus 2 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 165
Splash Pad - Glebe Memorial Park0.1 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Primrose Park0.1 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Montgomery Memorial Park0.3 km from town
DirectionsDalhousie Community Centre Playground0.3 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Laroche Park0.4 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Piazza Dante Park0.5 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Plouffe Park0.5 km from town
DirectionsSplash Pad - Hintonburg Park0.7 km from town
DirectionsPlus 157 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks 6
Jack Purcell Dog Parkin town
DirectionsSylvia Holden Off-leash dog park1.1 km from town
DirectionsFairmont Dog Park1.3 km from town
DirectionsStanley Park dog beach1.4 km from town
DirectionsStanley Park Dog Park1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 1 dog park without a name on the map.
Slipways 2
Plus 2 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Gardens to visit
3 gardens within reach of Centretown
Gardens and arboretums within 15 km of the town’s edge, and the historic gardens, parks and estates in the town itself, nearest first.
Major's Hill ParkGarden or park · 0.1 km from town
DirectionsCommissioners ParkGarden or park · 0.8 km from town
DirectionsJacques Cartier ParkGarden or park · 1.0 km from town
DirectionsSources: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, and Wikidata (CC0), as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic places from Parks Canada’s Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the Canadian Register of Historic Places and Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel.
Next door
Next to Centretown
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page.
West CentretownGlebe-Dows LakeOld Ottawa EastLowertown WestSandy HillLowertown EastCentretown
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centretown | 12% | 37 | 4 | 6 |
| West Centretown 1.2 km | 11% | 36 | 5 | 5 |
| Glebe-Dows Lake 1.4 km | 12% | 36 | 5 | 5 |
| Old Ottawa East 1.6 km | 13% | 39 | 4 | 3 |
| Lowertown West 1.9 km | 10% | 36 | 4 | 4 |
| Sandy Hill 1.9 km | 13% | 40 | 4 | 3 |
| Lowertown East 2.4 km | 11% | 38 | 4 | 3 |
Next door, protected shares stay within twice Centretown’s.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- National and provincial parks. Distances run from the town’s edge to the park’s, so 0 km means they touch.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
- Walking routes. Only named route relations count; a park’s own path network may not show unless it is mapped as a route.
- Protected land. Measured on CPCAD’s outlines: the part of a 10 km band around the town that lies in a protected or conserved area, water included.
- Private land. Private conservation land is in the totals, not the lists. Many such areas are easements on working farms or woodlots.
Questions about the outdoors in Centretown
Which is the biggest protected area near Centretown?
Rideau Canal National Historic Site: 19,972 ha, a protected area.
When should you visit Centretown for the outdoors?
May and July to September, on the 1991–2020 normals and the daylight: long days, highs of 15 °C or more, light rain for the place.
What is the nearest provincial park to Centretown?
Burnt Lands Provincial Park, 37 km from the edge of town.
What is the nearest national park to Centretown?
Thousand Islands National Park is closest, at 94 km.
Is there protected land near Centretown?
Yes: 12% of the land within 10 km is protected.
What walking routes are near Centretown?
The Rideau Trail - Ottawa Section, Confederation Boulevard and Confederation Boulevard - Sussex Drive, among the routes mapped within 2 km.
Where can you swim near Centretown?
Try Plage du lac Leamy, 2.8 km from town, first of several.
Sources
Where Centretown’s outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Gardens: OpenStreetMap (leisure=garden) and Wikidata gardens within 15 km, as gathered in TownRatings’ Canadian attractions set; historic gardens and parks from Canada’s heritage registers (Parks Canada DFHD, the Canadian Register of Historic Places, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel).
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).