Our Attractions
The Downtown District is directly on the beaten path, making traveling here a breeze. The King’s Highway 2 stretches throughout Ontario from Windsor to Lancaster, running right through downtown Belleville.
Once you’re here, there are so many things to do and see – all accessible by bike, foot, bus, or car. Bring your bike or walking shoes to explore the Farmers Market and the Waterfront Trail. Or hop in the car and visit Prince Edward County and the beautiful Sandbanks Provincial Park, just moments away. Finish off your visit with a nice meal or coffee at one of the many restaurants and cafes in the area. Whatever you do, you can make it a day the whole family enjoys – even your furry family members!
Explore our attractions
The Farmers Market
The Belleville Farmers Market is open year-round from 8am to 5pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. (Pro Tip: peak hours are from 9am to 2pm). The market is located in the historic Market Square behind City Hall. Come stock up on local produce, exotic eats from Syria and Russia, artisanal arts and crafts, and much more!
In the market, you will find
- Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
- Meats
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Baking
- Plants
- Natural health items
- Crafts
- Jewelry
- Fresh locally roasted coffee
- Much more…
The Riverfront Trail
Walk, run, bike, or rollerblade the Riverfront Trail downtown. Take an afternoon stroll along the picturesque Moira river and finish your adventure at one of our many shops and restaurants. The Riverfront Trail begins north of the Downtown District. It runs throughout the Downtown core, following the Moira River and winds around Jane Forester Park, a picturesque green space in the city centre, before ending at Meyers Pier.
The Side Hustle Market
If arts and crafts are your jam, you can’t miss the Side Hustle Market! Located right in the heart of downtown in front of Century Place, this market features local artisans selling everything from handcrafted jewelry to homemade textiles to thrifted treasures to vintage clothing. Soak up the artisan spirit, meet like-minded makers, and find the perfect present for your bestie. (Or yourself, we won’t tell.)
The Side Hustle Market runs from 10am to 3pm the second Saturday of every month, starting February 8th, 2020.
Follow them on Instagram for updates – https://www.instagram.com/sidehustle.market/
The Belleville Commons
The City of Belleville is conducting a Feasibility and Economic Impact Study for the entire area around City Hall; the Downtown Commons.
This project includes the visioning and conceptual design process for the redevelopment of Market Square and takes into consideration the possible uses and repurposing of the Memorial Arena, in addition to possible redevelopment opportunities for other City owned properties around City Hall located along Belleville’s riverfront.
Click here for more information.
The Memorial Arena
The Memorial Arena redevelopment is currently in progress. Taskforce Engineering is transforming the ground floor of the 70-year-old arena into the St Lawrence Market of Belleville – a retail market space that will complement the neighbouring Farmers Market. The second floor will cater to small businesses and provide additional office space in the Downtown District.
This redevelopment also includes the old Legion building beside the arena, which will be transformed into 20-24 affordable housing units.
Meyers Pier Marina, Victoria Park, And Crate Marine
The Downtown core features not one, but three community harbours. The first, Meyers Pier, can be accessed from the Riverfront Trail and is geared towards travelling boaters. Boaters can find a variety of amenities here, including gas, diesel, washrooms, showers, laundry, Wifi, boat slips with power and water, and much more. Plus, the pier gives transient boaters FREE use of bicycles. Shopping and restaurants are just a walk or bike ride away. You don’t even have to leave the pier to eat…enjoy some great food and take in the scenery at The Pier Patio & BBQ!
Victoria Park is nearby, at the base of the Riverfront Trail. It caters primarily to local, seasonal boaters. The historic Bay of Quinte Yacht Club is located here. It’s the second oldest Yacht Club in Ontario and fourth oldest in Canada. In addition to docking your boat, you can also enjoy off-shore fishing, dragon boat races, and even rent green space for your family reunion, outdoor wedding, or other events.
Crate Marine Belleville is just west of Victoria Park. This full-service marine centre has 220 floating docks with power, water, showers, and high-speed internet. Plus, an all-new 40 slip harbour with floating docks is coming in spring 2020.
Crate Marine Belleville also offers access to a pool and tennis courts at the Ramada by Wyndham hotel next door! They don’t stop with boating-related activities – Boaters and non-boaters alike can enjoy yoga at the Boater’s Lounge at Crate Marine during the winter months.
Zwick’s Centennial Park
In addition to the green space found in Victoria Park, Zwick’s Centennial Park boasts scenic picnic spaces, soccer fields, and a playground for the youngsters in your family. This is also a popular spot for wedding photos or even outdoor weddings. Zwick’s Park is located just west of the Downtown core. Zwick’s Trails run throughout the park and almost connect to the Riverfront Trail (a small bridge and stretch of Dundas Street West separate them). Zwick’s is easily accessible by bike or foot from downtown.
Belleville Public Library
Located close to the heart of downtown, the Public Library is a bustling hub of resources, family-friendly activities, and beautiful exhibitions from a variety of artists. The third floor of the library is home to the John M Parrott Art Gallery, which is free to the public.
The attraction of the library goes far beyond book lending.
Children can enjoy Saturday Programs featuring stories and crafts or take part in Paws for Reading and read aloud to therapy dogs, giving kids the chance to improve their reading and communication skills.
Teens can join the Teen Book Club and enjoy great books, meet new people, and have fun sharing tea and cookies while discussing the book of the month.
Adults can enjoy a variety of activities, from playing video and board games at the Adult Gaming Club to networking with fellow writers at the BPL Writers’ Collective. If knitting is your thing, come out to the social knitting circle, Knitterati. Meet new friends, learn how to knit, or simply work on a knitting project surrounded by fellow craft enthusiasts.
Performance Arts and Entertainment
The Empire Theatre serves as Belleville’s professional live performance and cinematic theatre in the Downtown core. Enjoy live shows from legendary and contemporary artists alike – everything from music to comedy acts. Plus, catch the latest award-winning feature films & documentaries on the big screen right downtown!
Pinnacle Playhouse is another theatre located in the Downtown District, bringing live community theatre to Belleville for almost 70 years! It’s run by the Belleville Theatre Guild, which has worked hard to bring live plays, musicals, and theatre-related workshops to the area. The whole family can enjoy live entertainment here. If you’d rather be on the stage than in the audience, you can audition to participate in the production! (Crew members are always welcome, too.)
Belleville Armouries
The Armouries is a well-known landmark in the historic core of downtown. Due to its rich historical, architectural, and environmental value to the city and beyond, the Government of Canada has deemed the Armouries a Recognized Federal Heritage Building. The Armouries is home to The Hastings and Prince Edward Military Regimental Museum, which showcases the area’s military heritage. The museum is fully accessible and free to access.
Community events are often held at the Armouries. Keep your eyes open for fun attractions, including the annual Merry Merry Market in November.
City Hall
City Hall proudly stands in the center of the Downtown District beside Market Square. Designed by local architect, John D. Evans, this historic building features a massive 144-foot clock tower, gothic columns, a stained glass window designed by Bloomfield local, Stephen Taylor, and four large clock faces, among other aesthetically pleasing design features.
It may come as a surprise that this seemingly opulent building was completed in 1873, during the economic depression. And it still stands tall today, in all its High Victorian Gothic Revival beauty.
The Mighty Moira
Flowing through the Downtown District, the Moira River is widely regarded as a great place to go for a pleasant stroll (the Riverfront Trail runs alongside it). However, back in the mid 19th century, it was more than just a scenic pleasure, it was actually a working river – used to transport more than 100,000 logs from Central Hastings each year.
Fun Fact: Up until the mid 20th century, the Moira River regularly flooded in the spring. You can find a plaque commemorating the Great Belleville Floods in the Downtown core at 224 Front Street!
Historic Architecture
Belleville’s Downtown core is home to a variety of picturesque heritage properties.
For example, you can visit what is widely regarded as one of Belleville’s most impressive buildings – 10 Patterson Street (also known as Bellevue Terrace). It was built in 1876 and features “sculptural quoins, window hoods, eave brackets, a frieze with scroll designs, and elaborately detailed porches.”
Other historic properties within downtown include the 1850 Liddle Tailor Shop at 143-145 Pinnacle Street, the Memorial Arena at 15 Market Street, the Cablevue Facade at 160 Front Street, City Hall and Market Square at 169 Front Street, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce at 237 Front Street, Greenleys at 258 Front Street, the Church of St. Michael the Archangel at 296 Church Street, the Bohemian Penguin at 297 Front Street, and the McIntosh-Ridley House at 45-47 South Front Street.
See a full list of heritage properties in Belleville here.
Church Street Corner
Just east of Front Street, the Downtown District’s main thoroughfare, five historic churches stand, catching the eye of all who pass by.
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church is the oldest Roman Catholic Parish in Belleville. It’s 3,000+ members and followers enjoy children and youth activities, a men’s fellowship, and Bible studies. St. Michael’s is active in St. Andrew School of Evangelization, an international organization composed of Catholic laypeople and clergy. It played a crucial role in bringing the School to Canada.
Victoria Avenue Baptist Church has been standing in the heart of Belleville since 1873. Its parishioners can participate in a musical Worship Team and Morning Bible Study. There’s something for everyone – kids can enjoy Sunday School, men of all ages can enjoy Men’s Breakfast, and ladies can gather for VABC Baptist Women.
St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, as we know it today, is actually the third St. Andrews Church to be built on the corner of Church Street and Victoria Avenue. (The very first St. Andrews Church was simply a wooden frame painted white. The second was a brick building with a stone foundation, which sadly burned down in 1894.) Construction was completed on the third church in 1895 for a (then) whopping $34,000.
In 2002, Reverend Anne-Marie Jones was inducted as Minister and made history as St. Andrew’s first woman Minister.
Bridge Street United Church is over 200 years old. Unfortunately, the original building burned down in 1886, but the building there today was built within two years of the fire. The foundation and tower are actually from the original structure built in 1865. The large stone building, beautiful stained glass windows, and other gothic-esque touches immediately catch (and hold) the viewer’s eye.
Bridge Street Church is touted as Belleville’s first Christian congregation. When the United Church of Canada was formed in 1925, Bridge Street joined the new denomination. The original St. Thomas’ Anglican Church was completed in 1821, before being replaced by a larger stone building 37 years later. Unfortunately, this building burned down in 1876, and its reconstruction also burned in 1975. The traditional Gothic Revival style building we see today is the church that was reconstructed and opened in 1976. The modern, glass-enveloped Parish Hall was constructed in 1990 on land that used to be a cemetery.
