By Dave Allston – A piece of Kitchissippi’s past has slipped away with time, so shocking in its tragedy that it is almost unbelievable. This story has never been written about in any book or blog and has almost been deliberately erased from history. Few who experienced it are […]
By Dave Allston – The 1930s was an era of depression and lean times, but it was also the golden age of cinema. Perhaps to escape the occasional dreariness of life, residents would flock to the theatre, as movie-houses began appearing in every neighbourhood, including Westboro. However, Westboro […]
By Dave Allston – Just off Richmond Road, at 408 Tweedsmuir Ave., stands an impressive brick house. Tucked behind the Circle K (formerly Mac’s) gas station and convenience store, is one of Westboro’s original homes. Now closing in on 130 years of age, it represents a significant amount […]
By Dave Allston – Within Kitchissippi’s borders, nearly halfway between the shores of Ottawa and Gatineau, lies one of Ottawa’s most scenic and arguably most underappreciated spots: Bate Island. Though it remains largely in a natural setting, it hasn’t always been this way. Bate Island is the third […]
[Need to catch up? Read part one and two.] By Dave Allston – This is the last of my three-part series about the Hintons, one of the founding families of Hintonburg. In my previous column, I described how Joseph Hinton and his son Robert Hinton helped establish Nepean’s […]
[This is the second part of a series of three. Read the first one right here.] By Dave Allston – In my previous column, readers were introduced to Joseph Hinton in his pre-Kitchissippi years. Part two begins following the 1849 death of his wife’s brother-in-law, the infamous Jemmy […]
By Dave Allston – Place names are important. Selecting a place name is the first step in creating a community when folks settle in one shared geographical area. Knowing where place names originate is a fascinating part of our shared history. Hintonburg became part of the City of […]
By Dave Allston – Westboro has not been whole for over fifty years. An important piece of the village’s history was stolen away in the dark of the night and residents have never successfully reclaimed what is rightfully theirs. The former Nepean Town Hall stands proudly on Richmond […]
By Dave Allston – It’s hard to believe, but Kitchissippi is one of the few wards in Ottawa without a fire station. It hasn’t always been that way, however. Local fire fighting has a history as old as the neighbourhoods themselves. Over time, Kitchissippi has been well served […]
By Dave Allston – Hintonburg and Mechanicsville have particularly deep francophone roots. While both neighbourhoods still feature a bilingual population, it may surprise some to know that for most of their history, these two areas were mainly French-speaking, at some times, significantly so. Several notable events (and people!) […]
By Dave Allston – Few forms of entertainment in the early 20th century were more popular than the travelling circus. A visit from touring companies such as Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey was often the highlight of the summer. Children waited for weeks in anticipation. One newspaper […]
By Dave Allston – Kitchissippi has its share of busy intersections, but few are as rich in history as Wellington Street West at Holland Avenue. For the last 130 years and beyond, the neighbourhood has evolved around this junction of two important local roadways, and it is well […]
By Dave Allston – When you look at the history of Wellington Street West and Richmond Road, you can’t help but notice how residential and commercial properties evolve over time. Wellington Village features a large number of houses that were converted into commercial spaces. This type of repurposing […]
By Dave Allston – Have you ever wondered what Kitchissippi would look like if we could go back in time? What would we see? What would be familiar? 1867 marked the unification of the Dominion of Canada, but it also marked the start of the neighbourhood’s transition from […]
By Dave Allston – To many, the Sir John A. MacDonald Parkway along the Ottawa River is a simple, convenient and scenic way to move around town. However, the history behind it is so much more complex. Many view its construction as the turning point in the history […]
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