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Ottawa's ByWard Market

Ottawa’s By Ward Market: Will 200 years of Heritage (1827-2027) Have a Future?
Starting point and route for the 2024 By Ward Market walk.
Starting point and route for the 2024 By Ward Market walk.

The walk will explore the history, delights, and current challenges to Ottawa’s well-loved By Ward Market. It will pose questions about the decline and de facto extinction of the outdoor Farmer’s Market  and the precinct’s twin crises of homelessness and pubic safety.

Will the City’s Public Realm Plan approved in 2021 and the proposed replacement of the City’s parking garage building with a “Destination Building” be realized? And what about the City’s new plan to dissolve the Business Improvement Area (BIA) and govern the precinct with a new Municipal Services Corporation? Will these “Hail Mary” passes make a difference? What are the prospects for economic recovery by 2027, the 200th anniversary of the founding of Colonel By’s market? 

Location
Route

We'll meet outside the south entrance of the By Ward Market Building. From there, we'll walk north on By Ward to Clarence, and return south along William Street to the Market Building south entrance where we started. See illustration. 



Please review our covid guidelines before attending a walk.
About the walk leader


Barry Padolsky, B.Arch M.Sc (urban design) OAA, FRAIC, CAHP, RCA, is an Ottawa-based urban designer, and heritage consultant. From 1969 to 2022 his architectural firm carried out more than sixty restoration and adaptive re-use projects on heritage buildings in the National Capital. Examples include the Canadian Museum of Nature, the By Ward Market Building, and landmark bridges such as the Bank Street Bridge over the Rideau Canal. His firm won 43 architectural awards including 29 for heritage conservation. Barry is a tireless advocate for the conservation of our built heritage and served on the  City of Ottawa Built Heritage sub-committee from 2013 -2023. Barry was recognized with the Order of Ottawa in 2021.  

Guide:

Barry Padolsky

When:
Date:Sat May 6, 2023
Time:11:00 AM
Duration: 1 hour
Language: English
Where:
Start:ByWard Market Building, South Entrance
End:same
Area:ByWard Market
Distance:1.0 km
Accessibility:

The walk will follow city sidewalks. 

Gallery
Starting point and route for the 2024 By Ward Market walk. Ottawa's ByWard Market building. Photo credit: Canadian Trade Commission. ByWard Market Walk 2016. Barry is in foreground (green hat, black jacket).
Volunteer to Marshal This Walk