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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…
By Nancy Miller Chenier Water, water – all around us. Well, maybe not all around but with the Rideau River on one side, the Ottawa River on the other, and the Rideau Canal nearby, our bridges have facilitated the movement of workers, shoppers, merchandise, and even royalty. Through time, they connected federal, provincial, and municipal…
By Josiah Frith Ottawa stands on the unceded, surrendered territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation, who continue to live, govern, and care for these lands and waters today. I offer these reflections in the spirit of learning, reconciliation, and shared stewardship. I write as a long-time resident of Lowertown, part of the historic heart of…
By Nancy Miller Chenier In 1980, the City of Ottawa gave heritage designation to the Mother House of the Sisters of Charity at the corner of Sussex Drive and Bruyère Street (previously Bolton and then Water Street). A plaque with the following inscription tells a small part of the story of this historic building, one…
By Allen Brown In late May 2025, the first post-pandemic meeting of Ottawa’s heritage community was convened by Heritage Ottawa and the Lowertown Community Association at the Routhier Community Centre. About 25 heritage proponents from various community associations across Ottawa met to discuss heritage-related issues and priorities. Linda Hoad, Heritage Ottawa’s Advocacy Committee co-chair, began…
By Nancy Miller Chenier In May 2025, the Heritage Impact Assessment and Conservation Plan for the proposed development at 168-174 Murray Street stated that it would include “the conservation and rehabilitation of both the two-storey brick clad frame building located at 174 Murray and the one and one half-storey log/frame building at 168 Murray.” The…
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…
By Michel Rossignol In 1864, Ottawa’s municipal government decided to improve the city’s firefighting capabilities by buying two hook and ladder wagons for two fire brigades, one in Lowertown and one in Uppertown. There were no funds to buy horses, so the wagons had to be pulled by twenty volunteer firefighters. There was another problem….
By Nancy Miller Chenier This is the first in a new series that tells the stories of some of the 50+ individually designated heritage buildings in our community. The Ontario Heritage Act, first enacted fifty years ago in March 1975, allowed our municipality to designate individual properties for their architectural and historical value. When the…
By Michel Rossignol In troubled times, it is comforting to remember days in the past when residents of Lowertown celebrated. For example, there were many joyful celebrations on Monday, May 7, 1945. The day began quietly like most days that spring, but by the evening, people were dancing in the streets of Lowertown. Today, the…