Challenges and Changes in New Edinburgh (1829-2026)
Allen House, 35 MacKay Street, New Edinburgh.
New Edinburgh is one of Ottawa's oldest villages, dating back to the 1820s. And despite many challenges over the decades, it still retains its village feel. This walk, with its focus on the history of the neighbourhood from its founding in 1829 to the present day, will help explain why.
The village of New Edinburgh has faced many social, political, and existential challenges since its founding. From 1969 to 2000, like many urban communities, residents were confronted with a plan for a major highway to pass through the neighbourhood. Unlike other communities, New Edinburgh was successful in its fight against the highway and was able to retain its character. Our tour will focus on how the village developed from 1829 to today, what phases of development it passed through and some of the people and factors that have contributed to the survival of New Edinburgh with its village atmosphere virtually intact in the present.
