The surrounding area includes significant Black, Arab, Indian, and Somali communities, among others.

Hillcrest's varsity girls' hockey team claimed the tier 2 championship, two years in a row 08-09 and 09–10.

Also notable is their track team's long history of success at the city and provincial levels.

In the past, players on the Ottawa 67's attended Hillcrest during the season (prior to changes to the cross-boundary transfer process).

[3] The Principal and other teaching staff were alleged to have singled-out Black and Arab students for discipline, including monitoring washrooms for vaping, subjecting them to searches, and following procedures set by the board for mandatory police contact.