Our picks for Ottawa Jane's Walks 2019

Jane’s Walk in Stittsville, May 2016. (Photo/Barry Gray)

Jane’s Walk is a festival of free neighbourhood walking tours that help put people in touch with their city, the things that happen around them, the built environment, the natural environment, and especially with each other. Jane’s Walks are named after author and urbanist Jane Jacobs. Her book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, was published in 1961 and continues to influence urban planning ideas. There is more than 50 walks planned this weekend in Ottawa and Gatineau. Here are some of our “best of” picks.

• Iconic Buildings Walk — Dow’s Lake/Little Italy. Learn about the challenges and opportunities presented by LRT-related intensification.
• Montreal Road Revitalization — The city has plans to reinvent Montreal Road, the “Main Street” of Vanier. This walk will discuss the project’s goals and implications while looking at topics like accessibility, walkability, the complete street model, and more.
• Secrets of Stittsville Main Street — Discover the lesser-known stories of Stittsville’s history in this walk along one of the city’s traditional main streets.
• Manotick Main Street Revitalization — Learn about Manotick’s Industrial roots and how they’re transitioning into a more modern village while still retaining that classic feel.
• Re-purposed Heritage Buildings — There are 15 heritage buildings in downtown Ottawa that have been, or will be soon, re-purposed for new use. Explore these buildings, starting with the new Senate of Canada building that was formerly the Ottawa Union Station.
• Jane Jacobs 101 — If you don’t know who Jane Jacobs was or what her ideas were, this walk between the ByWard Market and Parliamentary Precinct will bring you up to speed.
• Tree Walk in Carlington — Talk about trees during this stroll around Carlington Park and the Clyde Woods.
• Places of Significance to Homeless People — Learn about the important locations for homeless people in Ottawa and hear perspectives from people who currently are, or previously were, homeless.
• An Unauthorized History of Parliament Hill — Brian McDougall discusses the controversial parts of Parliament’s history that you won’t hear about in any “official” tour.
• Bike tour: Buildings by J.W.H. Watts — Jump on a bike and discover the work of one of Ottawa’s most successful architects.

BONUS: On Saturday afternoon, stop by Cube Gallery for a birthday celebration in Jane Jacob’s honour.

You can see a full list of the walks scheduled this weekend here…