Lowertown’s Community Newspaper / Journal communautaire de la Basse-Ville
A non-profit newspaper sharing news and highlighting the voices of Ottawa’s Lowertown & Byward Market communities.
Un journal à but non lucratif qui partage des nouvelles et met en valeur les voix des communautés de la Basse-Ville et du marché By d’Ottawa.
Feature
- Nomination of the ByWard Market as a National Historic Site
By Kirsty Walker and MacKenzie Kimm, Heritage Planning, City of Ottawa The City of Ottawa’s Heritage Planning Branch will be… - Read the latest issue of The Echo! (16-4, November 2025)
Download the full PDF version here.
In the Latest Issue
Lowertown hosts its first-ever block party – with spooky flair and community spirit
Article and photos by Sarah Bissex Lowertown came alive this October as Saint Brigid’s transformed into a Halloween haven for the neighbourhood’s first-ever Lowertown Block Party, hosted in collaboration with the Lowertown Community Association’s Health and Wellness Committee. The block party featured over 30 local vendors, live music, food and drinks, a costume contest, and…
What’s in a name? Wading through the history of Bruyère Street
By Curtis Wolfe Few streets in Lowertown have had as many name changes as has Bruyère Street. Between 1847 and 1855, property lots in this part of Lowertown West were purchased from the Crown by three notable figures: lumber baron, Joseph Aumond, businessman and politician, the Hon. Thomas MacKay, and the Sisters of Charity of…
Books by or about Lowertowners
By Nancy Miller Chenier Joan Finnegan, Giants of Canada’s Ottawa Valley, General Store Publishing House, 1981. Joseph Montferrand, also known as Joe Mufferaw and Jo Mofero, generated many local legends and some are lodged in Lowertown lore. He was famous for throwing Irish Shiners off bridges and for kicking tavern ceilings but this legend about…
I am hearing LOTS about this AI thing – part 2
By Malcolm and John Harding of Compu-Home In our last column we took a brief look at Artificial Intelligence (AI) and some of its enhancements and benefits for our daily lives. This time we will think about the reasons for being cautious and discriminating in the ways that we allow the influence of AI to…
Beyond the plaque: Champagne Bath
By Nancy Miller Chenier In 1987, the Champagne Bath at 321 King Edward Avenue was designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. The heritage plaque on this building heralds the fact that the Champagne Bath is “a serious work of architecture, a significant social document, and a distinctive element in the King Edward…
A message from / Un message de Lucille Collard
A message from our Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Lucille Collard As your provincial representative, it is my job to make sure that the priorities that matter to residents of Ottawa-Vanier are brought to the attention of the government at Queen’s Park. And, according to my interactions with residents and organisations since the…
Testing our Lowertown waters
By Mark Gerlich and Sandra Milton When you dip your toes into the water at Bordeleau Park or at the Ottawa Rowing Club, do you wonder about the water quality? We were among the volunteers collecting water samples for the Ottawa Riverkeepers who work to protect, promote, and improve the ecological health of our rivers….
Sandwich boards vex me
By Valerie Proctor If your sandwich board or A-frame sign is sticking out on the sidewalk, I am the person who pushes it in close to your establishment! I even called the city about one big, heavy board the owner regularly leaves in the middle of the sidewalk! There are many obstacles on our sidewalks…
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