Fraser Street

Photo: Ariana Gillrie

This isn‘t one of those high-profile haunts tourists typically put on their itinerary, but it should be. As the chief attraction in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage neighbourhood, Fraser Street (and its retail-meets-eatery locus at Kingsway, Fraser and 15th Ave., known as “Fraserhood”) is the latest up-and-coming area full of cute shops and great restaurants, and its quiet village feel makes it a great place to stroll and enjoy.

Real Estate: Welcome to the New Main Street

For decades, real estate prices in Kensington-Cedar Cottage lagged because much of it was a no-man’s land between Main and Commercial. But as the popularity of Commercial spreads west, Main spreads east and the whole city pushes south, it’s no longer considered off the beaten track. Fraser is often called “the new Main,” and the charming Fraserhood pocket of shops and restaurants has become a hotspot, with price hikes to match—but the boggy land keeps some developers steering clear. At the other end of the area, Trout Lake has taken off, becoming an in-demand locale for families as well as for developers, who have hundreds of units in the works along Kingsway and Victoria Drive. “People used to joke about needing passports to come this far east,” says realtor Lisa MacIntosh. “But now there are lots of west-side folks moving in.”

Neighbourhood Stats

Median Age of Residents: 39
Population: 47,470
Average Monthly Rent: $974
Avg. Total Household Income: $69,785