Question:
My wife wants to buy a house on Jansen Avenue for our family to live in. Is the area nice place to live for a young family? What’s crime like? Anything I should look out for?
Note:
I went again to my favorite social news networking aggregate site, listening in on conversations with two people trying to find a good place to live. This is research, crowd sourcing and interesting. Everyone has an opinion. There are no wrong answers. The answers below are good ones.
My opinion, for the record is to avoid Jansen Avenue. For about the same money, there are better neighborhoods with better futures than this one.
The internet is a great place to go for information. As I read the comments and conversations I learn a bit about what’s important to people (schools, restaurants, crime, parking).
Answers and Conversation:
Not the greatest area TBH
My ex lived on one of the side streets off that road and it was very sketchy (in my eyes.. I’m also from a very small town). Also, today they arrested someone (who murdered and dismembered a 24 year old) about a 5 minute walk or less from that street.
East Kitchener is not the best place to look. I lived on Connaught St. (kinda near by) and shortly after I moved in there was a huge gang fight in the park that was behind my apartment. Also right before I moved out some woman got attacked with bear spray in that same park!
I’d highly recommend checking out waterloo if it’s in your price range.
Sounds like that part of Kitchener isn’t the nicest place to live! I was considering that area for a while, but everything that I hear is putting me off!
Pity, because prices tend to be more reasonable there.
Now you know why :P. My grandparents live in the stanley park area (near krug st) and it’s a decent area. Also, I know a few people who live in the forest heights/west heights area and it’s not too bad
Waterloo is all kinds of places, so I don’t think that’s a useful recommendation. The differences between neighbourhoods within each of Kitchener and Waterloo are far greater than the differences between the two cities as a whole.
Obviously I know that. It was a suggestion to look in waterloo. I’d say almost the entire city of kitchener is MEH whereas pretty much all of waterloo is pretty decent.
Jansen is not a 5 minute walk to Frederick. It’s not even a 5 minute drive!!
Obviously you’re not following the story as closely as I am. They arrested him at 4am on thursday at the knights inn on weber st.
Ok, I didn’t know about that. However, the murder didn’t happen in the area. Where they found the guy is irrelevant. He was at a shady motel on a main street. That has very little to do with the street in question, other than the fact that it is not too far from it. Look at what’s even closer, The Charcoal building with 3 higher end restaurants.
If someone was murdered in Toronto and found in Kitchener does that make Kitchener dangerous?
Considering the fact I lived walking distance to where this guy is looking and I’ve lived in the general area for 25 years I think I know what I’m talking about.
Yes there are a few nice restaurants in the area but you can find a gem in any hole. Unless he’s planning on eating there weekly I wouldn’t let the fact that Del Dante’s is around the corner deter him from the fact that it’s not the best neighbourhood and there are better places to look.
He asked.. I gave an honest answer
I lived here 28 years and still do. I think I know what I’m talking about.
Are there better places to live? Of course. However, I’ve never had a bad experience living here.
My point with Charcoal was just countering yours. Having a high end restaurant in the area doesn’t make it a good place, just like having shady motels make it a bad place.
I just said they found a murderer down the road yesterday! lol. You’re taking everything I say to the extreme.
I didn’t take anything to the extreme, I just made an irrelevant comment such as the one you made. Neither had anything to do with the street the OP asked about.
I don’t disagree with you saying it’s not the best place to live, but it’s not as bad as you make it out to be. The side streets are worse than Jansen, well at least one in particular. It’s possible I live in the “good” part of the area and don’t see any shit going down, but in 28 years I’ve never had a bad experience.
When I was looking for a house I kept a close eye on the Waterloo Police Service Crime map. It gave me a good idea of the areas to stay away from and areas that were acceptable. It gives a breakdown of crimes reported per month and the crime type.
It’s a bit skiddy. Try to get north of Fergus or East of River if you are going to live in that part of town.
If I can just hijack this thread, I’m thinking of buying a house on Cecile Drive, Kitchener. What do you guys think of that location?
My friend lives on Overlea right at the end of Cecile. That part of Overlea at Cecile seems like low income housing and there seems to be a lot of break ins and other crime in the area, but never any in the immediate area. Elementary and high school near by, close to grocery stores and highland road which is nice. I’d buy a starter home there, but wouldn’t want to live there for too long.
I would personally never live north of queen st in that area. Sooo much crime and drugs! Also, in October expect your neighbourhood to be packed with cars because of Oktoberfest. Everyone parks on that st.
I’ve lived in the area my whole life. Like all places, there are pros and cons.
I personally have never had an issue with crime, but have heard otherwise. Haven’t heard of any home burglaries, but have heard of thefts from cars, not too common though. There was a higher police presence in the last 2 weeks, it seems to have faded now though. The cops also set up a speed trap at the corner of Fairway and Jansen.
The only knock I can think of is that it is a lower income neighbourhood so there may be a few bad apples in the bunch. There’s some government housing in the area, but not on Jansen.
What I like about the area is the location itself. You’re close to grocery stores, the mall, the highway. Very close to schools, albeit, not the best of schools If you want the best for your kids, try to get them in french immersion and send them off to I believe Lackner Woods). There are a few parks in the area. There are a few good places to eat in the area. Most, if not all of these are within walking distance.
All in all, I won’t say it’s a good place to live, but it’s by far not a bad place to live.
Does the area around Activa Avenue have a good reputation? For a young family with a baby on the way?
My family has lived there for about 4-5 years and it’s been fantastic. The only incident I ever heard was that recent case of the house exploding (I believe it was a gas leak?). Otherwise, very quiet and friendly neighborhood. In fact, message me if you need someone to help you move 😉
