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Rideau Street and the Arts District

Rideau Street and the Arts District
The former Union Station (and later the Government of Canada Conference Centre) will serve for the next few years as the Senate of Canada.
The former Union Station (and later the Government of Canada Conference Centre) will serve for the next few years as the Senate of Canada.

Originally part of the Sparks estate, this historic seven-block area between the Rideau Canal and Waller Street includes more than twenty designated heritage buildings, as well as Ottawa's first main commercial street, which was laid out by Colonel By in 1826. Sandwiched between Lower Town and Sandy Hill, it became the meeting point of transportation arteries, the premier hotel and department store district, and the judicial and civic government centre. It was transformed by the creation of the Rideau Centre, the Confederation Line LRT, and the municipal Arts District, centred on Arts Court and the Ottawa Art Gallery.

Location
Route

Starting from the current Senate Building (old Union Station), we will walk east from the Plaza Bridge and the Rideau Canal along Rideau Street to Waller Street. This route will pass the Rideau Confederation Line Station, (missed on my tour of the LRT Stations last year) and the William Street and Nicholas Street pedestrian malls. Next, we will follow Waller Street south to the Ottawa Mission and Ottawa Art Gallery; and finally, along Daly Ave. and Nicholas Street to Arts Court and the Jail Hostel.

About the walk leader

David Jeanes is the former president of Heritage Ottawa and of the national advocacy group Transport Action Canada. A long-time Ottawa resident, he has been giving heritage walking and building tours since 2002, and more recently also bus tours. He attended Lisgar Collegiate and the University of Toronto and worked for 30 years in Ottawa's high-tech sector. His passions include railway, architectural, and family history. He has held many volunteer positions with other organizations, including Scouts Canada, his church, the Railfair model railway exhibition, and the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa.

Guide:

David Jeanes

When:
Date:Sat May 4, 2024
Time:1:00 PM
Duration: 1 hour
Language: English
Where:
Start:Senate of Canada, 1 Rideau St. (old Union Station)
End:Nicholas St. Jail Hostel
Area:Downtown Rideau
Distance:1.5 kms
Accessibility:

There are no mandatory stairs on this walk route. There will be an optional escalator with an elevator alternative.

Walker Sign-up

This walk requires you to sign up to attend or join a waitlist if walk is full. Please submit your email and the number of walkers that will be attending with you below.

Gallery
The former Union Station (and later the Government of Canada Conference Centre) will serve for the next few years as the Senate of Canada. David Jeanes points out features on the new Senate of Canada building (originally Ottawa's central passenger rail station).
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