Please help re. housing!

[Guest michca]

Hi everyone:

As I just recently made it in off the waitlist, finding a 1 bedroom apt for Sept. has been a bit difficult.

I have narrowed it down to a 2 bedroom apt. in Masonville Gardens or a 1 bedroom apt. on Windermere Road in between Richmond and Adelaide (NOT east of Adelaide).

Masonville Gardens is pretty well located (esp. since I'll be without a car) whereas the Windermere one is on a bus route that only runs to 6 pm (although you can walk to Richmond St. from the apt in about 15 minutes, which I guess has routes running all evening to downtown and the mall).

 

The Windermere apt. is much newer than Masonville, and includes ensuite laundry and central air. The appliances are also more updated. Hydro is also included in the rent.

 

Both are comparable in price (I don't plan on renting out the other room in Masonville Gardens) once hydro is factored in at Masonville.

 

Sooo...since UWOmeds is down, does anyone know someone who has stayed along Windermere (in the 600-800 Windermere road area)? Did they find the location inconvenient for groceries etc? Is it safe to walk down Windermere Rd. late at night?

 

Or should I plan on living on Masonville for the convenience of the bus system and the shopping?

 

Thanks a bunch! This last minute apartment hunting is really stressing me out!

[Guest svp2k5]

I think you will find the masonville apartment situated much closer to everything, its basically beside the mall parking lots. Although, those ones are definetly not as nice.

 

I think you might want to check that bus schedule, I am fairly certain that the buses run later than 6 pm (I could be wrong though).

 

With the apartments you are describing, if you are a 15 minute walk to richmond, you must be closer to adelaide. If so, the adelaide bus (#16 I think) runs to the mall fairly frequently, basically all day, so that shouldn't be a problem. As well, if you cut through the neighborhood, just to the north of windermere, you can take a huge shortcut to the mall (probably a 10-15 min walk max).

 

Windermere road is also quite safe. In fact the entire region arond the university, especially just north and east are very safe. I wouldn't worry about walking it at night at all. I think you feel completely safe in that neighborhood.

 

I would suggest taking the windermere apartments, as they are much, much nicer. As well, if you are a hockey fan, Jeff Hackett (the goalie who played for montreal, philedelphia, etc) Lives on windermere (the north side, just west of adelaide). So, you can tell that its a pretty nice spot.