Fresh + New in the West Beltline


Tasty spots to pop in for a quick coffee, ample opportunities for record hunting, places to dance the night away.

My neighbourhood, the Beltline, is home to all of these amazing places and is constantly changing, growing and evolving. I’m currently wrapping up my partnership with NUDE by Battistella, which will be built in the West Beltline, and I wanted to share some of the exciting new developments popping up in the area. I feel it is a very exciting time to be living in this area — so hopeful and entrepreneurial. I can’t picture a better neighbourhood for people who love a healthy mix of green space, local businesses, great restaurants and an interesting architecture that spans over a century.

One of the biggest changes in the neighbourhood this past summer was the introduction of twelve new murals thanks to the Beltline Urban Mural Project (BUMP). Battistella, dedicated to the beautification of the neighbourhood, is actually a sponsor of BUMP and brought attention to a number of community events happening in the neighbourhood throughout the summer and fall. The new art brought a lot of curious visitors to the Beltline and there were even guided tours of the murals. With more murals planned for 2019 (if you’re an artist who is interested in mural work, you should definitely keep an eye out for project applications opening up) this initiative is changing the visual landscape of this community and introducing people to new art, artists and ideas.  

The opening of an urban Canadian Tire was a huge boost to the West Beltline this past year. I can’t even tell you how long I have been saying that we needed a hardware/general store in the area. Now we finally have it! This Canadian Tire is stacked with everything an inner-city dweller needs — and the beauty of it all is that you don’t need to get in a car to take advantage of it (though they do have a great underground parking lot in case you do).

Purr Clothing moved their shop down 17th Avenue SW from 5th Street down to 10th Street, utilizing a previously empty building that was a former HR Block. The transformation of the space was nothing short of amazing; one of my favourite parts of the boutique is the larger-than-life black-and-white portraits of women in rock music that span from floor to ceiling. The shop carries both men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, as well as few home accessories such as candles.

Another addition to the Beltline that is offering up something a little different and thought-provoking is GOAT Shop, a lifestyle shop that specializes in artful everyday home items and haircutting. They are located at 708 11th Avenue SW. I love that they are more than just a salon, even though beautiful hair is their focus. It is so exciting to see small lifestyle shops like this appearing in the Beltline; they add so much character and community to the experience of shopping local.

These are all just a short walk from the site of NUDE by Battistella right in the heart of the West Beltline. I’m so excited to have a front row seat, watching the development of the West Beltline continue to grow and evolve. Big things are coming for this area and to have the opportunity to live in the neighbourhood and participate in that growth and change is an exciting prospect in itself. The NUDE presentation centre opened in the fall and their amazing team can walk you through the floor plans and the great interior design of the building. For more information, visit www.battistella.ca/nude

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *