Ontario

Downtown Ontario is the ‘Gateway to Southern California.’ This urban center has a cozy, local feel, cultural attractions and scenic views of the nearby San Gabriel Mountains. Founded in 1882 by the Chaffey Brothers and named after their home province of Ontario, Canada, citriculture and health resorts became the backbone of the city’s economy. Now, the Downtown Ontario Improvement Association (DOIA) works hard to keep the area clean and family-friendly. This Inland Empire city is 37 miles east of Los Angeles and 23 miles west of San Bernardino.     Plenty of locally owned businesses and eateries mix with large retailers and chain restaurants in downtown Ontario. Gloria’s Cocina Mexicana is an Euclid Avenue staple known for its made-to-order guacamole and handmade tortillas. First opened in 1983, El Pescador serves traditional Mexican dishes in a modern interior. Numerous stores, like Stater Bros. Markets, Superior Grocers and Grocery Outlet, provide shoppers with pantry items and fresh produce. The area’s largest outlet mall, Ontario Mills, is an indoor shopping center with over 200 stores and restaurants. It’s adjacent to the Ontario International Airport and easily accessible by the 10 or 15 Freeways. The Ontario Museum of History & Art showcases the heritage and various cultures that make up the city. In operation for over 40 years, this historical landmark hosts the annual Ontario Arts Festival each October and the Culture Fest Block Party every May.   Multiple parks dot the downtown landscape. James R. Bryant Park has ADA-compliant playgrounds, fitness areas and a tennis court. The green space is tucked into the corner of D Street and San Antonio Avenue. There’s also a dog park with separate sections for large and small pups, drinking fountains and agility equipment. Ontario Town Square’s amphitheater hosts community events like Movies in the Park from June through July and a summer concert series from late May through July 31st. The green space also has a rose garden, a clock tower and lit pathways in the evenings. Historic Downtown Ontario offers several walking tours through downtown, the Town Square and the College Park Historic District.    Multiple generations of families have occupied the same homes in Downtown Ontario. They were primarily built from the 1920s through the 1960s along gridded streets ending in cul-de-sacs. “There’s a lot of original buildings and beautiful homes downtown. There’s a mix of new builds and historic housing, including some preserved through tax programs. They’re increasing in value because the city is building new infrastructure on Euclid Avenue. The neighborhood has Craftsman, Mediterranean and Spanish housing and tree-lined streets. That’s the allure,” says Yolie Andrade, the broker/owner of ReMax Vision with nearly 20 years of experience. Homes sell for a median price of $618,000 after 31 days. Manufactured houses range from $95,000 to $260,000, while condos and townhouses begin around $320,000 and continue to $842,000. Craftsman bungalows and midcentury ranch-style residences range from $530,000 to just over $1 million.     Students could attend any of a number of schools downtown. One possible pathway begins at Niche B-plus-rated Edison Academy of Differentiated Learning for children from kindergarten through eighth grade. The academy caters to gifted and talented students with immersive classes tailored to every grade level. Students continue to B-plus Ontario High School, which educates ninth through 12th graders. Ontario High has college and career technical education pathways, dual enrollment courses with Chaffey College and dozens of extracurricular clubs. “The high schools have a Promise Scholars Program through the Ontario-Montclair School District that offers two years of college and free books for graduating seniors,” says Andrade. There are several ways to get around downtown and the city. Public transportation options include bus routes and a Metrolink station that takes people to Los Angeles. Bike lanes are scarce in the area, but sidewalks connect much of the residential community together. Historic Euclid Avenue bisects the neighborhood and is dotted with public art installations and pepper trees. Bordered to the north by Interstate 10 and by California State Route 60 to the south, locals can quickly commute to nearby Riverside and San Bernardino. Kindred Hospital Ontario is centrally located in the neighborhood, and the Ontario International Airport is less than four miles east.     Ontario has a myriad of houses of worship in and around downtown. Several Buddhist temples are nearby, including the Quang Thien Temple and the Buddhist Temple of America. The Dawoodi Bohra Al Masjid Al Jamali Anjuman-e-Qutbi is just three miles south, and over a dozen Protestant and Catholic churches surround the downtown area.     Like the rest of the Inland Empire, Downtown Ontario faces a risk of wildfires and earthquakes. The city is close to several active fault lines, and the strong Santa Ana winds increase the chances of wildfires spreading rapidly. The city combats the loss of life and property from these natural disasters by ensuring buildings meet current construction codes, water systems are kept at proper levels for firefighting and seismic hazard maps are continually updated.