South End

An option available to those who prefer country living are the nearby communities along the Rideau River like Manotick, Riverside South, North Gower, Osgoode, Kars and Kemptville, all accessible to town via highway 16. Further east, along Highway 31, are the communities of Greely, Metcalfe, Vernon and Winchester.

Around Mooney's Bay are single family 2-storey and ranch-style homes with above-average prices. The communities scattered in the Greenbelt include Blossom Park and Parkhaven, where condos can be had for $100,000. The Upper Hunt Club community offers homes for upscale singles in the $200,000+ range. The new community of Chapman Mills offers affordable single-family housing in the $159,000 to $179,000 and townhomes from $139,000. Riverside South offers townhomes in the $200,000+ range and singles $300,000+.  The small town atmosphere of Riverside South is considered a selling point coupled with the fact that it is 15 minutes from downtown.

This area has 10 public and 10 Catholic elementary schools, a public and two Catholic high schools, and one public library. Carleton University is accessible by LRT, and the University of Ottawa is accessible via the Transitway.

The area has a number of shopping malls, including South Keys and Herongate Mall, with several smaller plazas along Riverside Drive and Banks Street. Also nearby, to the north is Billing Bridge Plaza.

This part of Ottawa has numerous recreational opportunities, with the Greenbelt and the Rideau River at Mooney's Bay. Mooney's Bay has a beach, an athletic park, boating facilities. The recreational pathways from there led along the Rideau River to downtown and Rockcliffe. The Greenbelt provides ready access to Pine Grove Park and the Pine Grove Nature Trail. There are 2 swimming pools and 2 ice arenas in the community, as well as two public golf courses, and the exclusive Hunt Club.