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A farewell to Saslove’s Meat Market – “The fight’s gone”
By Nadia Stuewer In early August, Saslove’s Meat Market, the beloved ByWard Market institution, announced that it will be closing at the end of September. The Echo spoke with owner John Diener. The first question on our mind was, of course, “why are you closing?” John replied that business in his store has been declining…
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Residents of Lowertown can soon opt for reusable containers for takeaway meals
By Circular Innovation Council The Circular Innovation Council, a national environmental not-for-profit organization, is excited to announce the launch of Reuse Ottawa. It’s an innovative opportunity for Ottawans to help reduce single-use plastic waste by choosing reusable containers for their takeaway food at participating grocery stores and restaurants. Participating in Reuse is easy! Reuse Ottawa’s…
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LOWERTOWN FOOD BANK, HOSTAGE OF MONTFORT-RENAISSANCE / THE PATRO
By the Board of Directors of the LCRC The Echo has received a request to print this letter to the community from the Lowertown Community Resource Centre (LCRC). Any questions regarding this should be sent directly to the LCRC. More than a year ago, the Board of Directors of the Lowertown Community Resource Centre (LCRC)…
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Arts + culture corner
Cultural happenings for you to enjoy / Des événements cultural pour votre plaisir. By Robin Etherington Fall is the season for arts and heritage activities – all within walking distance. L’automne est la saison des activités artistiques et patrimoniales, le tout à distance de marche. GALLERIES – GALERIES City Hall Art Gallery 110 Laurier Avenue…
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Local museums – hubs for preserving stories and building community:
A conversation with Sara MacKenzie (Ottawa Museums Network) and Christine McGuire (The Diefenbunker) By Robin Etherington Sara MacKenzie, Executive Director of the Ottawa Museums Network (OMN), is a communications professional with over 23 years of experience in the federal public service, most recently as Director General of Strategic Communications for Health Canada and the Public…
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A Schoolyard Transformed
By Envirocentre There’s something new and exciting at York Street Public School this fall. After a year’s worth of work, the students have a transformed the outdoor schoolyard that now includes a Tiny Forest, a green fence line, a student-created mural, and an outdoor classroom and seating area. In October 2023, York Street Public School…
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Crossword puzzle – Rites of Passage
By Ben Ladouceur Download a pdf of the crossword puzzle here. Download a pdf of the answer key here.
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Sculptures winging through Lowertown
By Nancy Miller Chenier Viewing these sculptural pieces may give you a slight kink in the neck but looking up in Lowertown is worth the effort. Our quartier has a proliferation of outdoor public art featuring winged creatures. Some are representations of our feathered bird friends while others have human forms. All seem content to…
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Graziadei, Mandia, and Moroni – three performing artists from Lowertown’s Italian community
By Nancy Miller Chenier Though few in numbers, the Italian community in Lowertown made a noticeable contribution to the performing arts. A census of Lowertown residents identified Italian families as early as 1851 and by 1900, an estimated 700 Italians had settled here. This article focuses on members of three families. Rocco Graziadei played music,…
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Discounts for seniors as young as 55
By Juliet O’Neill “Are we done with senior’s discounts?” That headline on a recent CBC article prompted the sample list below of discounts for seniors in or near Lowertown. The CBC article questioned whether seniors’ discounts still make sense, given that Canadian seniors are “wealthier than ever.” Some outlets proudly invite seniors to shop at…
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Creating safety and connection in the ByWard Market through environmental design
By Victoria Williston, ByWard Market District Authority (BMDA) Community safety and well-being is one of the top issues raised about the ByWard Market. In an ongoing effort to enhance safety and security for everyone who calls the ByWard Market home or a place of work, Ottawa Police Services (OPS) and the ByWard Market District Authority…
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How one Lowertown poet and uOttawa professor approaches “the weird genre”
By Ben Ladouceur At the start of an academic year, one of the first things Professor Kimberly Quiogue Andrews might ask her classroom full of creative writing students is: “What can you tell me about your weird uncle?” Almost everybody has at least one weird uncle. “In a class of fifty,” says Andrews, “it is…
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Upgrading from Windows 10 to 11 – NOT a Nightmare
By Malcolm and John Harding of Compu-Home We remind Macintosh users that although this column is one that they can blissfully ignore, it is unseemly to appear too smug! Microsoft sometimes ghoulishly refers to “end of life” when the date for the end of support for a piece of software is approaching. In the case…
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Using our stuff for longer – ways to share, reuse, repair in Lowertown
By Caitlin Perry Did you know October is Circular Economy Month? It’s a public awareness campaign that educates Canadians about circular economy and how you can reduce waste, save money, build community, and take action on climate change. A previous article in this issue of the Echo focused on how you can reduce plastic waste…
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The history of Jewish life and business in Lowertown
By Nadia Stuewer This article is based on a presentation by John Diener, Vice-President of the Ottawa Jewish Historical Society, entitled “The ByWard Market: The History of Jewish Life and Business”. When people think of the history of the people of Lowertown, they usually think of the French and the Irish settlers. But did you…
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The G.O.A.T.s of invasive species removal
By Stéphanie Plante, Councillor for Rideau Vanier Now that we are fully immersed in autumn, residents and tourists alike go crazy for the beautiful fall colours. I love to go on hikes with my family and there is no better place to do so than in our nation’s capital (or just next door in Gatineau). As…
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Community Day in Lowertown
By Sandra Milton The Routhier Community Centre hosted a community day on Saturday, 14 September and partnered with the Lowertown Community Association on a yard sale. The event and great weather encouraged many in our community to join in the fun. Routhier provided activities for kids and adults, hot dogs, and drinks. The Ottawa Police…
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Lowertown Community Association / L’Association communautaire de la basse-ville
By / Par Sylvie Bigras, President / Présidente Working for you As we say goodbye to a stunning summer, it is time for the Lowertown Community Association to resume its meetings after our summer break, starting with our AGM on Monday, October 7th at St. Brigid’s. Community meetings are held every second Monday of the…
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l’honorable Mona Fortier; Honourable Mona Fortier
Un message de notre députée Chères résidentes, chers résidents, Alors que nous approchons la fin de l’été, je souhaite à toutes celles et à ceux qui retournent à l’école ou aux études postsecondaires, ainsi qu’à leurs familles, une année remplie de succès et de découvertes enrichissantes ! J’ai été active cet été dans la circonscription…
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A wild oasis in Lowertown
Article and photos by: Bryana Katz You might have noticed a native plant garden emerging from the Bruyère Hospital’s previously empty raised garden bed off Cathcart Street. This L-shaped garden space needed life and colour. I wanted to create a peaceful place for patients, staff, and community, where all could experience the health benefits and…
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Lady Grey Drive wall and escarpment work underway
By Allen Brown The Lady Grey Drive retaining wall, built in 1911 with local stone, has undergone several repairs over the years, most recently in 2010. Despite these efforts, parts of the wall started to collapse near the Ottawa Rowing Club in 2020. The NCC therefore has begun a project to replace the wall to…
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Lowertown Flypasts
By Michel Rossignol The Canada Day ceremonies on July 1, 2024, included a massive flypast of 49 aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in honour of its 100th anniversary. Since Lowertown is so close to Parliament Hill, ceremonial flypasts by RCAF aircraft inevitably pass over our community. Over the years, flypasts by the…
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Les résidents de la basse-ville peuvent opter bientôt pour des contenants réutilisables pour leurs repas à emporter
Par Conseil de l’innovation circulaire Le Conseil de l’innovation circulaire, un organisme environnemental national à but non lucratif, est heureux d’annoncer le lancement de Réemploi Ottawa. Cette initiative innovante permet aux Ottaviens de contribuer à la réduction des déchets plastiques à usage unique en optant pour des contenants réutilisables pour leurs repas à emporter dans…
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Testing the waters of Lowertown
By 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? Lowertown has no beaches, but it does have two fabulous rivers – the Rideau and the Ottawa – at its borders and people flock to them in the…
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Demolition by neglect: Razing of three Lowertown heritage buildings recommended
By Allen Brown The City of Ottawa’s Built Heritage Committee (BHC) recommended demolition of three heritage buildings on St. Patrick Street at their meeting on September 10, 2024. It was a sad and frustrating decision for community advocates. Curiously, on the advice of city legal counsel, a week earlier city council waived the demolition permit…
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MPP Lucille Collard / Députée provinciale Lucille Collard
Dear residents of Lowertown, Like many of you, I enjoy fall and its bright colours, especially on a sunny day. It’s the best time to go for walks on the many forest trails we are lucky to have in the region. I hope you are enjoying the season. September started off with the opening of…
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La banque alimentaire de la Basse Ville / Lowertown food bank
Un espace de vie face à des défis Par : Mohammed Amine Harmach, bénévole du CRCBV Chaque lundi, un camion de la Banque d’alimentation d’Ottawa dépose des denrées au 145, Promenade Beausoleil. Cette adresse de la maison communautaire du CRCBV (Centre de ressources communautaires de la Basse-Ville) se transforme ainsi en énorme entrepôt d’aliments. “Cinq…
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BANQUE ALIMENTAIRE, OTAGE DE MONTFORT-RENAISSANCE / PATRO
Par le conseil d’administration du CRCBV L’Echo a reçu une demande d’impression de cette lettre à la communauté de la part du Centre de ressources communautaires de la Basse-Ville (CRCBV). Toute question à ce sujet doit être envoyée directement au CRCBV. Il y a un plus d’un an, le C.A. du Centre de ressources communautaires…
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