Portland Estates & Portland Hills - neighbourhoods that shine in the summer!

While this winter is certainly not as bad as other recent ones, the biting cold and high winds over the last week have me dreaming of summer. There’s nothing like the long warm days, evenings on the deck, the smell of barbeques and the sound of children playing throughout the neighbourhood. If you’re like me and live for Nova Scotian summers (and who doesn’t?), imagining summer is an essential winter survival strategy!

Portland Estates and Portland Hills

Portland Estates is a neighbourhood that shines in the summer. One of Dartmouth’s best-known subdivisions, it has been evolving and growing for the last forty years. Now, merged with its sister development, Portland Hills, the area is bordered by Portland Street, Eastern Passage/Shearwater and Caldwell Road. In the centre is the northwest end of Morris Lake and in the summer, the lake is alive with boating, fishing, water skiing and swimming.

The lake is easily accessible through Birches Park, a community focal point. The park features a boat launch, playground, open field for playing catch with the kids or dogs, outdoor gym, basketball and tennis/pickleball courts, and a brand-new gazebo. And everything is connected by a paved and well-maintained multipurpose trail that winds through the park and southward down the lake. The trail also continues in the other direction, through a lovely wooded area that follows babbling Russell Lake Brook. I love walking through here on warm evenings and listening to the birds chirp and squirrels chatter.

The streets and avenues remind me of my childhood, filled with kids playing, beautiful trees and gardens, and neighbours who know each other. There’s a real sense of community spirit and pride in ownership, so buyers are sure to find well-maintained move-in-ready homes that range from apartments and condos to townhouses and fully detached homes. There’s really something for everyone.

Award-Winning Residents’ Association (PEHRA)

Portland Estates and Hills has an award-winning residents’ association (PEHRA) that organizes community events and improvement projects, and residents can stay connected through the association newsletter, website (www.pehra.info) and social media.

The neighbourhood is really well serviced. The retail complex on Eisener Boulevard is the go-to spot featuring a Superstore, NSLC and Winners, as well as a gym, spa, medical clinic, library, and more. Next door are more services, including restaurants, coffee shops, a drug store, gas station, auto repair shop and more. The entrance to Portland Hills houses another complex with more restaurants, a vet, dentist, day care, hair salon, and what’s sure to become your new favourite pub, Finbar’s. There’s also a great Metro Transit terminal with ample parking. All this means that residents can look after life’s day-to-day needs just minutes from home, leaving more time to spend at home.

Portland Estates Elementary

But the most sought-after feature of the neighbourhood is the school. Portland Estates Elementary is a fantastic and diverse P-6 school with a focus on high academic achievement and citizenship. It gives its students a great foundation as they start their school careers.

If you’re looking to buy in a community that immediately feels like home, let me show you Portland Estates and Portland Hills. Summer isn’t far away but you’ll love it year-round!