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Old University

Home to the University of Guelph, Old University Guelph describes all of the wonderful neighbourhoods surrounding the university in midtown Guelph – the perfect balance of convenience and lifestyle in the city.

Find out everything you need to know about Old University below including Old University real estate, schools and amenities.

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old university guelph real estate - picture of guelph university campus building

everything explained

everything you need to know about LIving in Guelph

Old University overview

Located right in the heart of midtown Guelph, Old University Guelph is comprised of several different neighbourhoods including Old University, Centennial Park, Priory Park, Dovercliffe and the lands that make up the University of Guelph.

Midtown is home to very distinct neighbourhoods with lifestyles ranging from on-the-border downtown living all the way to forgotten, tucked away pockets of peacefulness.

Affordability can vary greatly in Old University Guelph, but there is something for all types of buyers from established families to first-time buyers to downsizers and investors.

If you want to be close to the university, parks, top schools and downtown then read on as Old University Guelph might be the right fit for you.

Old University real estate

home styles in Old University

Old University

The largest neighbourhood within Old University Guelph is the pocket we actually describe as “Old University”. It borders College to the south, the Speed River to the north, Edinburgh to the west and Gordon to the east. It is the closest neighbourhood to both the university and downtown, so it’s an incredibly desirable landing spot both for end users and investors.

Like Downtown Guelph, this neighbourhood has pockets that date back to the 1850s. Original stone homes and late 19th and early 20th century brick homes can be had on the south side of the Eramosa River as well.

The rest of Old University Guelph is a wonderful mix of pre and post WWII bungalows and splits. Many of these homes have been renovated or new custom homes built on the generous lots that were afforded to homeowners.

As you can see, many homes here have been renovated. The area is also really well-maintained, streets are wide and tree-lined and it’s quiet and peaceful despite being just minutes to downtown and the university.

If you’re looking for the largest and most private set of homes, try closest to the university and around the Cutten Fields Golf Club.

Centennial Park

While not an official name, I chose to call this area Centennial Park as it is the name of the park that connects two very unique pockets of homes that sit just west of Old University.

Bordered by College Ave to the south, The Hanlon to the west, Speed River to the north and Edinburgh to the east, Centennial Park is place that’s often missed by home buyers.

Towards the south end of Centennial Park, the housing is quite similar to Old University’s. Mostly developed in the 1950s through to the 1970s, you have quiet cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets that border green spaces like Centennial Park. The homes on these streets are incredibly attractive.

To the northwest, there is a small pocket of 2-storey, detached homes built in the early 1990s if you’re looking for something a bit more modern without the premium of a renovation.

Priory Park

For first time buyers, investors or downsizers, Priory Park is an attractive option. Sitting just north of Stone Road Mall (Guelph’s largest mall), this is one of the most affordable pockets in Guelph as it has an abundance of condo apartments and condo townhomes.

Dovercliffe

Finally, there is Dovercliffe – the often forgotten pocket in Guelph as it sits west of the Hanlon, isolated on its own much like Kortright Hills.

Developed in the 1960s and 70s, homes here are very similar to those in Preservation Park in Kortright West. You get a nice mix of affordable bungalows, splits, and 2-storey homes.

There are also lots of investment opportunities here with 4 and 5 bed properties, homes with walkout basements and affordable condo apartments off of streets like Conroy.

Old University homes for sale

To get real-time listings, use the links below for your desired property type.

*Please note – homes shown below are for descriptive purposes only and do not imply that they are for sale.

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Pros & Cons

What are the Pros & Cons of Living in Guelph?

Old University median home prices

affordability

Below is the median sales price per home type. The median sales price is the price where half of the listed prices are higher and the other half are lower than it. This better represents affordability than the average sales price.

While these figures are updated as much as possible, it’s best to contact us below for real-time pricing.

Finally, please note that “Condo” includes condo townhomes while “townhome” includes both freehold and common element fee townhomes. If you see a dash (-), then this home type has not seen a sale in at least the last 180 days.

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Old University schools

best schools

School information is updated yearly. Use the form below to download a copy of the latest school rankings.

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school zone overview

Dovercliffe students will attend Kortright Hills PS from JK-8. For everyone else, they head to Priory Park PS. However, if you’re planning to attend French Immersion, you’d slot in at John McCrae. For high school, everyone in this neighbourhood attends Centennial CVI which is located close by in Centennial Park.

On the Catholic side, it’s a bit more complicated with students in Centennial Park and Old University attending St. Francis of Assisi located in the West End. Dovercliffe students will attend Mary Phelan, which is located right in the neighbourhood while those in Priory Park attend St. Michael.

For high school, those south of College Ave (aka Priory Park and Dovercliffe residents) would head to Bishop Macdonell while those in Centennial Park and Old University head to Guelph CVI. Finally, for those looking for French Immersion, the Catholic board doesn’t really offer it here. Instead, you could opt attend the French-only school, Saint-René-Goupil, which is located in Priory Park.

Overall, this can be a REALLY GOOD school zone, but it can be hit or miss depending on where you live. Make sure to download the latest school rankings report using the form in the section below!

public schools

  • elementary

    • Priory Park PS (JK-8)

    • John McCrae (JK-8 FI)

    • Kortright Hills PS (JK-8)

  • high school

    • Centennial CVI

catholic schools

  • elementary

    • St. Francis of Assisi

    • Mary Phelan

    • St. Michael

    • Saint-René-Goupil (French only)

  • high school

    • Bishop Macdonell

    • Our Lady Lourdes

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looking for the best schools in guelph?

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Are quality of schools an important part of your home search? If so, download the Top Schools Report to get the latest rankings for schools in Guelph:

  • Top Public & Catholic Elementary Schools Report
  • Top Public & Catholic High Schools Report
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things to do in Old University

fun in Old University

Anything missing from our list of the best things to do in Old University? Reach out and let us know as we’re always on the lookout for new ideas!

Downtown Guelph

The best part of living in Old University is not just the short walk to U of G, but the short walk to downtown. You can ditch the car and walk over to the shops, restaurants, pubs, parks and entertainment the downtown has to offer. Thursdays and Saturdays are the Farmers market and there is always something going on at the Sleeman Centre or River Run Centre.

Looking to just explore what the downtown actually looks like? Start at Wyndham and Macdonell and work your way around. Head north (turn left) on Macdonell and you’ll see the beautiful Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate perched atop the city!

Parks in Old University Guelph

Royal City Park

While there are many parks in the different neighbourhoods of Old University Guelph, my personal favourite is Royal City Park. Just across the river you can enjoy a nice picnic near the banks or go for a strong along the Royal Recreation Trail. Kids can play on the playground and the active adults can enjoy a game of softball. Once you’re done, head just across the street to Guelph’s famous The Boathouse Tea Room for amazing ice cream!

Centennial Park

Centennial Park is a sports hub that has soccer and football fields, a sports dome and baseball diamonds. In the same area is a gymnastic studio along with tennis and badminton clubs to name just a few.

This huge area sits right in the middle of the neighbourhood behind Centennial CVI.

Dovercliffe Park

Quick shoutout to Dovercliffe Park that has one of Guelph’s many outdoor community rinks in the winter! These are unsupervised rinks that are maintained by neighbourhood volunteers. They are for everyone to share and enjoy!

Stone Road Mall

For those a little further from downtown like Priory Park and Dovercliffe, don’t fret – there’s a huge perk almost literally right in your backyard. Located within walking distance of both neighbourhoods is Guelph’s largest mall – Stone Road Mall.

Stores have changed over the years, but the quality of retailers continues to improve. This section of the city also has major stores like Canadian Tire, Walmart and Best Buy to name a few.

However, this is not the only set of retail in the area. While the mall sits on the north side of Stone Road, the south side is also lined with retail from The Hanlon all the way to Edinburgh. From restaurants to banks and every day services, this is one of the best concentration of retail in the city.

University of Guelph

Ok, you’re not a student, right? Well, you can still enjoy a walk through the beautiful campus if you wish. And anyone is open to visit the wonderful Arboretum with its over 400 acres of diverse plant collections, beautiful gardens, wildlife and extensive walking trails.

You can also support the Gryphons by checking out a game at Alumni Stadium or have a quiet break on Johnston Green. Check out some some shots of the University of Guelph below!

view of the outside of Creelman Hall
Outside the library on Winegard Walk
View of students walking along Winegard Walk at the University of Guelph in Old University Guelph
statue of the UofG gryphon
View of the outside of the bullring cafe
Inside view of the science complex
outside view of Johnston Hall
view of Johnston Green
path along the Alumni Walk

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I am Sales Representative at eXp Realty, Brokerage and have been proudly serving my clients in the GTA West specializing in cities like Mississauga, Oakville, Milton, Burlington, Hamilton and Guelph since 2012.

If you need to know anything about buying, selling or investing in these cities, then you’ve come to the right place!

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Ask Me About Old University

These are the top four things people usually ask about Old University!

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  • what's it really like to live in Old University?

    This depends so much on which part of the neighbourhood you’re living in. For those right in “Old University” near the school or downtown, life is super convenient with both nearby. Yes, there are definitely student rentals within this community, but it’s still a pretty quiet and peaceful area with such generous lots sizes.

    Priory Park is walking to distance to parks and all the retail at Stone Road Mall. Public transportation is good with a hub behind the mall. Centennial Park is tucked away but close to downtown (the 90s-built homes) and the school. Finally, Dovercliffe feels a bit more suburban due to its location, but it’s also a nice, quiet community with not much through-traffic.

  • What's the commute like from Old University?

    For students, this is one of the best areas to live because they don’t have to rely on public transportation. Walking to school from either Priory Park or Old University is usually no more than 10-20 minutes to school (depending on where class is)  or downtown.

    Commuters to or outside of Guelph will enjoy easy access to Guelph’s major highway (called “The Hanlon”) which connects with the 401 and both the north and south parts of Guelph.

  • Why Should I Live in Old University?

    If you have the budget, there are few better spots to live than the “Old University” pocket. These are some of the nicest homes on the nicest lots right between downtown and the university. The same goes for Centennial Park.

    For Priory Park, you’re choosing this neighbourhood as it has the most affordable condos in a top-ranked school zone (Catholic) super close to major retail and public transportation.

    For those wanting to live in Dovercliffe, it’s another very affordable spot that’s convenient for commuters, quiet and has great investment opportunities.

  • why should i not live in Old University?

    If you want to be right in the downtown core as you don’t need to access the university, then a neighbourhood like Downtown Guelph or Exhibition Park might better suit you.

    And if you’re looking for more modern homes (say, built after the 2000s) then South End Guelph will be a better fit.

learn more about guelph

Here are a few neighbourhoods you might also want to check out. For all Guelph neighbourhoods, click the button below/to the right!

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Exhibition Park

view of the trees and tennis courts of exhibition park guelph

South End Guelph

south end guelph real estate - the famous westminster woods clock in the south end of guelph

East End Guelph

the view from the beach of guelph lake near East End Guelph

North End Guelph

Trees and pathway in riverside park north end guelph

Downtown Guelph

Old Quebec Street Mall in Downtown Guelph

Onward Willow

onward willow guelph real estate - example of a condo townhome in onward willow in guelph
see all neighbourhoods