Lowertown hosts its first-ever block party – with spooky flair and community spirit
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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…

From defending civil rights to performing on a national stage, Antoine L. Collins is a Lowertown treasure!
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From defending civil rights to performing on a national stage, Antoine L. Collins is a Lowertown treasure!

By the Lowertown Echo team American-born singer, songwriter, entertainer, lawyer, and adjudicator, Antoine L. Collins has never fit neatly into a box. He moves effortlessly from the courtroom to the concert stage with the same passion and purpose. He and his partner, retired Foreign Service officer Allen Brown, have called Ottawa’s Lowertown West home since…

Mapping the market
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Mapping the market

By Warren Waters Last month, I took four journeys through the ByWard Market, thanks to four extraordinary walking tours offered during Architecture Week’s “Mapping the Market.” Presented by the Ottawa Regional Society of Architects (ORSA), this annual festival is an invitation to explore Ottawa’s rich tapestry. The first tour, “Jane Jacobs 101,” delved into Jane…

Community House: a renovated space, a strengthened vision
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Community House: a renovated space, a strengthened vision

By Eddy Niyonkuru (LCRC) Renovations to the Lowertown Community House at 145 Beausoleil Drive are progressing. This place, which is so important to residents, will soon be even more welcoming, accessible, and adapted to their needs. On the ground floor, fresh coats of paint add warmth and conviviality, and new flooring gives the whole space…

Donner où on vit : devenons K1Nétiques pour la Basse-Ville!
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Donner où on vit : devenons K1Nétiques pour la Basse-Ville!

Par Jean-Paul Gagnon, Président du conseil d’administration du CRCBV, et résident de la Basse-Ville Depuis 55 ans, le Centre de ressources communautaires de la Basse-Ville (CRCBV) fait partie du tissu vivant de notre quartier. Jour après jour, il soutient les familles, les aînés, les jeunes, les nouveaux arrivants et bien d’autres personnes qui font la…

Give where you live: let’s show our K1Ndness for Lowertown!
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Give where you live: let’s show our K1Ndness for Lowertown!

By Jean-Paul Gagnon, Chair of the LCRC Board of Directors, and resident of the Lowertown For 55 years, the Lowertown Community Resource Center (LCRC) has been part of the living fabric of our neighbourhood. Day after day, it supports families, seniors, youth, newcomers, and many others who make up the human richness of Lowertown. Thanks…

Maison communautaire : un espace rénové, une vision renforcée 
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Maison communautaire : un espace rénové, une vision renforcée 

Par Eddy Niyonkuru (CRCBV) Les rénovations de la maison communautaire de la Basse-Ville, au 145 prom. Beausoleil, avancent. Ce lieu si important pour les résident.es sera bientôt encore plus accueillant, accessible et adapté à leurs besoins. Au rez-de-chaussée, les nouveaux coups de pinceau apportent de la chaleur et convivialité, et le nouveau plancher donne un…

Stroll or roll your way to better health
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Stroll or roll your way to better health

By Christine Kilfoil, Lowertown Community Association Wellness Committee In the 1980s, the popular exercise mantra was “No pain, no gain.” The workouts were intense, the music was loud, and impact on knees and shins was high. We danced along to the Jane Fonda, Richard Simmons, and the “:20 Minute Workout” in our legwarmers and neon…

Lowertown Community Resource Centre’s Good Neighbours Community House reinvents itself – and gorgeous green gardens are growing!
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Lowertown Community Resource Centre’s Good Neighbours Community House reinvents itself – and gorgeous green gardens are growing!

By Catherine Mageau, Special Projects Coordinator, LCRC Big things are happening at the LCRC’s Community House at 145 Beausoleil Drive. Now that our food bank that used to operate on that site has moved to our 40 Cobourg Street location, our Community House is entering an exciting new chapter – with fresh energy, new projects,…

Brigid’s Well – Lowertown’s own neighbourhood Irish pub
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Brigid’s Well – Lowertown’s own neighbourhood Irish pub

By Dave Bowen There’s no neon sign out front telling you you’ve arrived, no menu on the door with a list of offerings, nor even any big windows to peep in and see what’s inside. The only sign you’re at your destination is the small blue light over the door, lit when they’re open. But…