COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT
A look at Kirkland
With a growing population teeming with young families, the West Island community of Kirkland is making significant investments to ensure its residents are able to make the most of their lives in the thriving neighbourhood.
Spread over nearly 10 square kilometres, the town is known for its well-maintained public spaces and the quality of its municipal services. Town officials have recently opted to update and expand several facilities: specifically, the local arena and sections of Parc des Bénévoles.
“Estimated at approximately $4 million, the long-awaited arena modernization project will be partly funded through a $1-million provincial grant as part of the Assistance Program for the Replacement or Retrofitting of Refrigeration Systems,” Mayor Michel Gibson said in a prepared statement. “Phase 1, scheduled for completion in August, consists of building a new concrete slab, replacing the rink boards and installing new high-efficiency refrigeration, heating and lighting systems. The second and final phase of work, to be carried out from September to November, calls for a facelift in the remaining part of the Sports Complex, including new heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting systems.”
In addition to this substantial update, work began this month on a $1.5-million project to renovate the popular synthetic soccer field at Parc des Bénévoles.
“The project will be partly funded through a $350,000 federal grant jointly awarded to the Lakeshore Soccer Club and the town of Kirkland under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program,” Gibson said.
While these recent examples highlight the steps the town is currently taking to improve its facilities and green spaces, the community also has a solid track record of providing outstanding services to its residences throughout much of its history.
“That’s one of the reasons Kirkland has always attracted families,” Gibson said. “There’s a true sense of community here and it starts at city hall; that’s why we take time to carefully plan and maintain the venues that our residents use and enjoy.”
The town’s many green spaces and facilities are well complemented by dozens of cultural, recreational and sporting activities organized by the community, providing something interesting for every member of the family. Aside from these services, the town also has many schools within its territory — an added advantage for families with school-age children. Among the educational institutions in Kirkland are École primaire Émile-Nelligan, Margaret Manson Elementary School, Kuper Academy, and Académie Marie-Claire.
Among Kirkland’s more than 21,000 residents, there is a substantial amount of diversity, with families of many different cultures all calling the community home.
“Our diversity contributes to the excellent quality of life here,” Gibson said. “It’s part of our makeup as a community and has always been a proud part of our history.”
With all of its attractive features, the real-estate market in Kirkland has remained consistently healthy over the years.
“The housing market in Kirkland is doing very well and appeals to all different types of buyers,” said Claudia Argento, real-estate broker with Abbey and Olivier Agency. “In fact, this is true for much of the West Island.”
Since Kirkland is a mature community, the lack of available land for new constructions has led to consistently high home prices. That said, there are townhouses and smaller homes for young families looking to buy their first property. For instance, a two-bedroom condo on Gérard-Guindon St. is listed for $286,900, and a threebedroom townhouse on the same street is priced at $359,000.
There’s also a collection of older homes in Kirkland that have been updated and renovated. Among them, a five-bedroom bungalow on Montague St. is listed for $475,000.
Kirkland boasts a number of large family homes as well. A sixbedroom home on Château-Kirkland
Our diversity contributes to the excellent quality of life here. It’s part of our makeup as a community and has always been a proud part of our history. MAYOR MICHEL GIBSON
St. is priced at $725,000, and a massive intergenerational home on Timberlea-Trail St. is going for $1,875,000.
The town’s “convenient location, amenities, great schools and diverse demographic make it attractive to many buyers,” Argento said. “It really is a special community.”