history

Construction could begin next year for a proposed expansion of the iconic Château Laurier, which would move the parking garage underground while adding 200 more rooms. Details on the proposal were released Wednesday by the hotel’s owner, Larco Investments. The company said community consultations will be held before a site plan is submitted to the city. ...

_ (press release) _ ** Ottawa ** – National Day of Mourning for Fallen Firefighters is Sunday, September 11, and it honours all Fire Fighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The flags at all City of Ottawa sites will be flown at half-mast on Sunday, September 11 from sunrise until sunset to commemorate these courageous and committed men and women. ...

_ (press release) _ ** Ottawa ** – The Heron Road Workers Memorial Bridge plaque was unveiled today during a ceremony attended by Mayor Jim Watson, City Councillor Riley Brockington and Ottawa Labour Council President Sean McKenny, commemorating the 50 ...

Hillary Clinton made history Thursday, becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major U.S. political party. Not sure if she was also the first First Lady to skate on the Rideau Canal, but that’s exactly what she did on February 24, 1995. ...

_ (press release) _ ** Ottawa – ** The City of Ottawa will create a heritage matters task force that will monitor heritage properties on a regular basis to help encourage the proper maintenance and protection of Ottawa’s heritage buildings. ...

_ (Article via Heritage Ottawa ) _ Formerly a grand landmark at the intersection of Bank and Somerset Streets, Somerset House appears doomed to be demolished piece-by-piece. The building has stood vacant and partially demolished since 2007 when a main support in the basement was damaged during remodeling, causing partial collapse of the building’s southeast wall. ...

The splendid fusion of historic and new architecture exhibited by the newly renovated Sir John A. MacDonald Building and the Wellington Building will be among the more than 120 sites of interest throwing open their doors to the public for free during Doors Open Ottawa on June 4 and 5. ...

_ (press release) _ ** Ottawa ** – The City of Ottawa Commemorative Naming Committee is conducting public consultations on a proposal to commemoratively name the Heron Road Bridge, which spans the Rideau River, the “Heron Road Workers Memorial Bridge.” ...

Here’s a fascinating post from Urbsite about the architecture of Ottawa’s high schools : _ “A student tsunami drove the wave of secondary school construction that swept across the city beginning in the mid-1950s. It didn’t recede until the dawn of 1970s. ...

_ This post originally appeared on Andrew King’s blog Ottawa Rewind . _ Before security and safety issues were of concern, Ottawa had a number of publicly accessible underground tunnels that allowed residents to escape the frigid above-ground winter temperatures and move about in conditioned comfort. ...