Lost Ottawa Facebook 2017
Here are all the Lost Ottawa posts that appeared on Facebook in 2017, starting with the most recent and going backwards.
You can view the posts in various ways. You can read the descriptions on this page and see the initial comments. You can click on the three dots at the bottom of a post to see more comments. You can click on the picture to see a “full screen” version of the picture with comments. You can view the original post on Facebook and leave more comments there.
At the bottom of the page there is a “Get More Posts” link that will load additional posts to the page. We are still working on a way to make the posts searchable.
Lost Ottawa Home Edition, featuring the halfway house on the way to Pointe Gatineau, which would put this house ... right in the middle of the Ottawa River! Brrrr!
For many years, however, there was an ice road across the river. Mostly used to bring firewood to the big city from what I can tell.
You can see the "coast" of Pointe Gatineau to the left.
(LAC CA002188)
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This is taken around Lac Lemay, the shore line is lower and there is no bridge. This is the area that gets constantly flooded. The shack is for the log drivers, it was usually placed on a barge and would be floated down nearer the bridge in spring.
Yes - the building in front of the horses is the Passport Office 😏
are there still any spots (in that area) where the river freezes right across?
Are those beautiful horses Canadians?
Love this column, but need to correct a mis-conception. It's not Lac LEMAY but Lac LEAMY, named for Andrew Leamy.
This is one part of history I did not know about.. sweet!
Was this your first fishing hut and tow vehicle Chad Hughes?
Linda Seccaspina shares a story about what was once Ottawa's most popular hotel -- the Russell.
Writes Linda:The Russell House hotel was the most high-profile hotel in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for many decades. It was located at the corner of Sparks Street and Elgin Street, where Confederation Square is located today. The original building was built in the 1840s. Additions were made in the 1870s and the original building replaced in 1880.
In 1901 there was a smallpox outbreak in Ottawa. Complaints were made on a daily basis to the Ottawa Journal of anyone that a local citizen deemed should be quarantined. Names and addresses were published in the newspaper, no matter the age of those who were inflicted. Vaccines were available at the Ottawa City Hall and doctors were kept busy.
In 1912, the Château Laurier succeeded the Russell as Ottawa's premier hotel. Money was spent on renovations in the 1920s, but the hotel had declined due to age and its closure was announced on September 1, 1925. Some of the reasons listed were the high cost of heating the structure, and the higher number of staff to operate the hotel, compared to a newer facility.The Russell House closed permanently on October 1, 1925. Ground-level shops remained open, but the hotel was emptied.
On April 14, 1928, a fire broke out in the hotel, and the hotel was mostly destroyed. The remains of the structure were demolished by November. The Government of Canada had been in the process of buying the property when the fire occurred, and the government used the land to expand Elgin Street to create Confederation Square. Various artifacts of the hotel are on display at the Bytown Museum.
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I wonder if any other Ottawa hotel, here in 2017, can claim that all their employees are vaccinated...
My husband’s grandfather was a chef at the Russell Hotel until his untimely death in 1926
Thank GAWD it burned down. Made room for the wonderful War Memorial Plaza.
Shillington ave is named after him and his house still stands there
Did it not move down to little sussex and Besserer after the fire
Great photo.
Terry Fraser shares a photo of another famous Ottawa department store -- Charles Ogilvy's on the northeast corner of Rideau and Nicholas.
Done up for Christmas in 1974. My Scottish Mom loved this place.Charles Ogilvy on Rideau St. about 1974.
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We gave my 101 year old Mother-In-Law your book for Christmas and she loved it. She had a story to add to many of the pictures/stories in the book. She was raised on a farm south of Ottawa but went to work as a housemaid/childcare-worker/cook while still a teenager for just a few dollars a week, half of which was sent home to help the family and pay the property taxes. Her Christmas basket was filled with many things but the book "Lost Ottawa" was the hit. Thank You.
I love the things I see on this site! Ottawa used to be such a wonderful place and I love getting to see all the photos you post.
I worked there during Christmas season 1983 and into 1984. Loved Ogilvys!!! Ann Dashper and a group of lovely folks there were the mainstay of Ogilvys till they closed down. Fond memories of that place!
My best friend's mom used to work there. I remember driving downtown with my friend and her dad to pick her up. She always wore her hair in a stylish, almost beehive hairdo. Years after she retired she was always impeccably dressed, matching coat, hat, stylish dress, shoes, light makeup and elegant nails. Don't forget the matching hand bag. She was the epitome of the "Ogilvy's Lady".
Especially love this picture...I still have 3 Liberty scarves I bought there and can remember the counter as one walked in...loved the elevators with the uniformed ladies calling out the floors. My friend and I (aged about 12 at the time....kids were so much more independent then) would hop on the number 2 bus from the NRC, the farthest east you could go at that time, and head in to Ogilvy's to do our Christmas shopping.
Worked in the panty-hose department for three very long months in 1979. Ladies would come in and ask , "Do you have "L'Eggs?" (Those were panty-hose sold in white egg-shaped plastic containers.) I always wanted to come back with a joke {"How do you think I am this tall?") but didn't dare.
Great memories - think it might have been located on South West corner of Rideau and Nicholas, across from Caplan and Joe Feller - Could be wrong - Lovely photo
Why did so many of our local identity disappear. It's like part of us went along with it. It's nice to relive through your book. I also received one from my daughter and in turn gave one to my mother in law. Great memories of good times and a simpler life
I loved Ogilvy’s too. The lunch counter was charming and a real treat for me and my mother when we went shopping there to have lunch at the counter too. They sold very good-quality purses.
I remember my mom taking me there to shop for shoes. They had a fluoroscope (imagine a TV-like X-ray machine) to check the fit was OK!
I loved shopping there. My mother ordered everything new for me right from the hospital when l was born.
I remember Ogilvies and Woolworth's - Great lunch counter. Does that make me feel old - yes - does it make me smile - YES!
That elevator was so wonderful to a child, and the shoe department where you could see the bones of your feet.
My mother worked in ladies' hosiery at the Rideau Street location for many years. What great memories!
my maternal grandmother worked on the top floor, in behind the display department as the head switchboard operator, if you called any of the 3 Ogilvy stores in Ottawa you had a one in three chance of her answering your call. In fact by this time 11 year old me could operate that ancient cabled pbx like a pro LOL
My Mum worked there a couple of different periods of time over the years, and I loved that she got an employee discount. I recall three really nice outfits, that I had as kid, that I still remember in my head quite clearly, that she bought me from Ogilvy's.
My parents almost exclusively shopped at the store I have many fond memories of purchases from there. Childhood Shoes and clothes, my first prom dress, my first sewing machine ....just to name a few things....
I remember downtown Ottawa as a child.Our Mom always took us to Freiman's Christmas display every Christmas time by streetcar from Westboro.Was awesome!
I worked there part time in men’s department and on the elevator when I was going to high school and doing my nursing at Ottawa civic
Note that the first 'bubble back' Corvette was a '78. So maybe a little later.
Within a few weeks of my family moving to Ottawa in 1967 my parents went furniture shopping for a family of 5 in a 3 bedroom apartment and furnished the whole place for $3,000. I still have some of that furniture, which was solid 3/4" walnut. My shop teacher told us that Walnut was the most expensive wood we had available to us at $1/square foot. We shopped for groceries at the IGA on Elgin Street which was about $20/week. My mother thought the chicken was expensive at 37 cents/pound. Her favourite cashier was Giselle. There was also a photo shop near there called Capri film service run by a Hungarian couple who'd escaped in the late 50s.
Ogilvy's and Murphy-Gambles got the English, Irish, Scottish trade.
My grandfather worked there, a WWII vet, and it provided him a career to support a family and a modest retirement. Have many fond memories.
Ogilvy's was my favourite store to buy accessories. I loved that store.
I remember going to Ogilvy's with my mom.
Terry Fraser shares a Christmas photo of Caplan's, one of Ottawa's famous home-grown department stores. Taken from Nicholas Street (when this block of Nicholas was still a street).
The Caplan's store on Rideau opened in 1916 and closed in 1984, shortly after the opening of the Rideau Centre.
Notes Terry:Caplan's on Rideau St. about 1974.
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Magical Christmas window displays at Caplan's and Freiman's....lots of little nose prints on the windows.
one of the best memories I had as a child in the 50's was going downtown and seeing all the wonderful christmas windo displays in the major department stores. Animated, action and different every year. As a kid it felt magical!!
Remember Caplans well, there were so many great stores on Sparks and Rideau Streets in the 1970s and 80s with lots of people strolling and shopping on Thursday and Fridays nights. Both streets were busy and safe until the Rideau Centre was opened and more unsavoury types started hanging around on Rideau Street, sad really.
Ottawa had the best downtown !!!! The Rideau Centre ruined it in my opinion. An eyesore and took all the character away from the downtown .
Was it Freiman's that had the frosted malts in the basement? Highlight of my shopping trip although I remember the place being packed with people...I was little at the time.
Mary my mom use to bring shopping downtown not sure if it was Caplans or theBay buy downstairs they use to sell malts. This is such a found memory. Do you remember which one it was?
My mother worked at Caplan's until they closed. Shopping on Rideau St used to be such a great experience.
I wish we had all those department stores back.
Memories of foot X-ray machine and shopping with my mom visiting Freiman’s and lunch at Woolworth’s the same day
Caplan's - that was where my mother shopped to dress the girls up for any occastion. Always fashionable!
Used to go there with my French grandmother and my English grandmother always took me to ogilvies across the street
Nice one! And look at the sweet Volvo wagon making a left turn.
Bought my wedding dress there in 1962
Bought my wedding dress at Caplans for $98. It was on the cover of Brides magazine that year
thats where i bought my wedding dress,
That’s where I bought my wedding dress ❤️ Remember Diane Tuttle?
Their Santa was in a shed behind the store!
I remember the one dollar lunches in the cafeteria in the basement.
I think they had the old elevators in Caplan's, complete with elevator operators.
Caplan's, with Freiman's, secured most of the Jewish trade in those times.
My sister Susan and I used to work at Caplans in the late fifties. Mary Foley
Yes I remembered you looked stunning when you tried it on. ❤
I worked right beside there at Joe fellers at that time
My mom worked there for years
I remember Sol Max, got my made to measure long leather coat there. They were great.
Dining Out in Lost Ottawa, shared by Sheldon Leonard.
Writes Sheldon:As seen while enjoying a smoked meat on rye and pickle before going across the street to catch a matinee at the Nelson!
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Our family ate there a fair bit in the sixties. My parents loved their steaks, and they tolerated my little brother's antics. This was before they expanded to the back room. Does anyone remember Nancy, one of the hardest working waitresses?
This poster, or a repro of it, was at Nate's when they were on Merivale for awhile in the old Red Barn. They moved back downtown a year or two ago.
I used to Love having a jumbo with Swiss and a cold draught beer right where that sign hung!! Thanks for that great memory. I wonder who has that sign?? Freda?
I really miss Nate's. Now we need to go to Montreal and Dunn's doesnt quite cut it ( still good tho').
My dad used to take me out for breakfast at Nate’s then drop me off at U of O. He would pay for breakfast then give me the change. Eventually, the woman at the cash just started giving the change right to me! Lots of great chats with my dad there...
My memory of Nates wasn't as glowing as everyone else's.. ..I was with a group of friends one evening and when our orders arrived I picked up my sandwich and a cockroach scurried from underneath.The waiter didn't believe me so we left....never went back
My dad used take us there when were little kids in the 60's. I passed on the tradition in the 80's with my kids. best smoked meat and French onion soup, smoked lox cream cheese on bagel, oh yes and the Florentine cookies.
I remember this ad and meeting Dave Smith, something of a celebrity and owner of Nates. There was a restaurant called the Place Next Door, just east of Nate's deli, and I enjoyed some delicious meals there. As well as Al's steak house, at 329 Elgin St.
I spent many a evening down on Rideau St at Nates. Loved their potato latkes. I also remember this poster as well
Won't argue with all of the memories, but there must be someone out there who agrees that, in fact, Kardish in Hintonburg was the best smoked meat in the city.
Best smoked meat sandwich in Ottawa in the 70's.....mmmmm
I remember that poster, Great smoked meat !
It’s now Bobby’s Table on Montreal road. Same staff, same suppliers. Best smoked meat in town.
Yes - Smoke Meat and bacon & eggs for breakfast. 😋
Looks more like Henny Youngman to me.
Great smoke meat sandwich. Use to put a banana pepper on mine. Of course I was younger back then.
OMG, how I miss the Rideau St. Nate's!!
Nate’s was the best .. you could go there on new yrs day and pick up take out 🙂 yummy
I love the poster. That was when we had a sense of humour, and were OK with it.
Pierre Trudeau was a regular at Nate’s, plus many others.
This is the one I was trying to remember perfect. Best smoked meat on rye!
Always took out of town guests to Nate’s for a smoked meat sandwich.
I would stop in and grab a potato knish!!! And kreplach!
Loved the smoked meat sandwiches and the latkes😊
Miss Nates 😔
Michael Perron shares some Ottawa artwork, along with an Ottawa sports story.
Writes Michael (who used to work for Kaufman Signs):
"After the Harry Koffman story last week, I thought about Marc Robert, one of my co-workers at Koffman Signs.
Marc entered a contest to design the new Ottawa Lynx logo -- and he won! The final logo was altered a bit at the end to make the Lynx look different. But most of the original work is his."
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Still remember when they played their first game. I was a kid. I lived about a kilometre from there and I could hear them sing the anthems. I was like "Cool, we have a baseball team now!".... and never made it to one game. oops... lol
I worked in concession stands at the stadium. Saw a few games during the years. Good baseball memories.
Went to a bunch of the games in the first couple of seasons. Saw some great players that eventually played for the Expos!
Paul Dick, who was Minister for Athletics etc. (?), objected to the proposed location of the stadium / park. The headline in The Citizen read: "Dick says Ball site dumb."
Remember sitting up in the second deck on the foul lines with dad, hope sometime soon another minor league affiliate comes in
Ian Mendes who works at Tsn1200 was Lenny the lynx
Wayyy better name than the Ottawa Champions imo
Fond memories of going with my brother...
Olivier Charbonneau toi qui cherchait pour une casquette... Voilà au moins un beau logo
Marc gave me a copy of the first draft. If I can find it, I'll post a pic Mike.
Happy felines make great logos. This one from Giant Tiger pre-dates the Ottawa Lynx cat.
Koffman Signs, not Kaufman. And Marc Robert is/was the greatest.
Love Lenny the Lynx. Still have my baseball hat with the Lenny logo on it.
Had season tickets....
went to first game and several others
Have a poster of the first game
Lynn Lauriault
Adam Bleskie
Ry Crawford shares a second picture of the Ottawa Civic Centre in 1967.
Says Ry:
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One if the funniest incidents occurred early during an exhibition games between Toronto Maple Leads and the Montreal Canadiens. JOHN Ferguson and Eddie Shack were on the ice when the organist noticed. Within seconds Shack and Fergie started fighting. The organist waited for a bear hug between the two and started playing "Please Release Me Let Me Go. As if on wife Shack grabbed Ferguson and planted a huge wet Kiss on him. Fergie went crazy while Shack skated around the ice waving his arms. I was working security by the benches that game and happened directly in front of me.
As I understand it..there was to be a restaurant on the upper south side where that wall is. The deal obviously either fell through or was one of the many cuts to bring project into budget.
Was always a great place for a concert as the stage was on the squatty long side, rather than one of the short ends like most arenas so the seats had better sight-lines.
The 67s are hardly drawing a crowd anymore.
Curtained off, not curtailed off...
Ry Crawford shares the first of two pictures of the Ottawa Civic Centre.
Writes Ry:
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First game at the new Civic Centre , with future NHLers, Bunny laroque, Bill Clement, Pierre Jarry, Pete Laframboise, Pierre Bouchard, Rejean Houle, Guy Lapointe, Marc Tardif, Murry Wilson, Gilbert Perreault, J.P. Bordeleau, Larry Pleau....wow all in a Junior game together.
So many concerts...
It looked a lot like this when I went to Ottawa 67s games back in the 1979 to about 1982 timeframe. Brad Marsh salvaged the old original scoreboard that was used at the Civic Centre during those years and had it in his "Marshy's" establishment at the Palladium (later the Corel Centre/Scotiabank Place/Canadian Tire Centre, lol). Believe a local farmer had it on his property for that number of years.
Two large hooks came down from the ceiling and hoisted the center section of seats to make a passage from the convention floors to the arena. This center section is the one that bounced during clapping and encores
Went to many concerts back then, usually sat in the upper levels of section 19, you could pop a few ceiling tiles when it got too hot!! Good times!!
I rember going to a Brier back then and small pieces of the tiles would scatter the ice bringing a new meaning to chaff.
Best concert ever, Yes, Alice Cooper, black sabbath, not sure of the year, 71 to 73 I kind of forget,
The tiles probably sagged and where falling down from all the weed smoke residue at the concerts
Many of the tiles above the top row of seats were damaged because fans jumped up to celebrate goals by the likes of Pierre Jarry, Dennis Potvin etc. They hit tiles with their hands. Great times!!!
I remember hanging around the construction site on wknds when this was being built
The scoreboard used to reside at Marshy’s at the CTC - which was the Corel Centre at the time.
5.00 bucks!!! And I had forgotten about Yes being there,my first exposure to "progressive rock".
Anyone got a pic of the old Auditorium. Played there for the Monties in early 60's
Dave LeBlanc
Ottawa ... Winter Wonderland in Major's Hill Park, shared by Paul Couvrette.
Says Paul:
"Christmas Portrait, 1894. Restored by moi. (Hey ... My daughter gifted me your book...small world)
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I got your cool book too. I'm thinking this is taken from major's hill, roughly where the back end of the chateau Laurier would eventually be built?
I love the period clothes. Look very elegant, glad we do not have to wear dresses in the winter anymore. Bad for the knees on day like today, I am sure!
Beautiful picture!! I bought a copy of the book for my brother in law and received one from my son! See? What goes around comes around!
I'm in Edmonton and received your book for Christmas. Looking forward to reading it and sharing with a few other Ottawa friends who are here.
I also got Lost Ottawa for Christmas!
This is a beautiful photo and the original Parliament in the background too!
Received Lost Ottawa book for Christmas! Looking forward to the read!
I was hoping to get one for Christmas but that's ok, my birthday is January 24!!!!!
beautiful !
Fabulous
Dave LeBlanc
Billy Boone shares this awesome photo of the opening of Ottawa's Carlingwood Mall.
Writes Billy:Carlingwood opened in 1957 and offered 40 stores and was at the time the largest shopping centres in Ottawa. One of the selling points of the mall was its extensive 24 acres (97,000 m2) of free parking. Besides, Sears, one of the early stores to move into the mall was the established shoe store Armstrong & Richardson. Armstrong & Richardson is still in operation in Carlingwood.[
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One of my friends found a color picture of the original shopping center, complete with Simpsons-Sears and the original Loblaws. Here you go !
Wow, thats a blast from the past. I remember that mall before they close it in. They enlarged it 4 different times that I remember. Back in the 70's I worked at Tamblyns Drug Mart right near that restaurant.
I was real little in the 70s but used to go to Carlingwood often. My mom and older sister used to go to a woman's clothing store. It was down stairs somewhere and there were gold lights and mirrors everywhere. Very disco. Does anyone remember it and remember what store and where it was?
My mother was the Manager's secretary at Sears from 1958 to 1981. I still have my picture sitting on Santa's knee from 1963.
I worked at Sears on Div 28 Automotive in 1966. We sold Allstate and Yamaha motorcycles and gave driver training on them on the lot out side the Sears Auto Center. I was also the 'official test driver' for Gerry, the motorcycle mechanic and took them out on my lunch hour to make sure they were repaired and ready for delivery. I ate at the Sears snack bar sitting on a stool. I went back last week to look at what is left as they prepare to shut it down - how sad.
I used to walk through Carlingwood on my way home from Nepean High stopping at the Soda Fountain in Simpson Sears for a chocolate malted milk shake.
We used to fly the Union Flag back then, too, because we considered ourselves British North Americans. Sadly, those days have long since passed into a faded memory.
Something tweaked my memory, shortly after Carlingwood became enclosed. They decorated the exterior where the bus stops were with these fist sized round stones set in cement, except they came loose during the winter, and the buses sometimes squeezed one under their wheels and the stone shot through the mall windows, scaring people to death.
According to Journal archives, the businesses of Carlingwood Shopping Centre opened in stages, beginning in December of 1955. The first 4 businesses were Loblaws, Simpson-Sears, the Bank of Commerce and the Bank of Nova Scotia. Ceremonies March 15, 1956, celebrated the opening of 7 more businesses: Bata Shoes, Zellers, Lindors Ladies Wear, Reitmans, Agnew-Surpass shoes, Woolworths, and the Maternity Shop. The Journal reported that Fairweather was expected to open March 21, with Waren's Mens Wear, United Cigar Store, Davis Agency, Tamblyn Drugs and several others (including the bowling alley) to follow in short order. The bowling alley had its opening night April 6, 1956. Armstrong & Richards had its own grand opening for its Carlingwood location May 9, 1957. (That may be the 1957 date in the caption.)
I can remember when it opened...loved the bowling alley...Nepean High was well attended at the alley.
...let's continue...picked us up in North Gower, made its way to Kars and then Manotick. It went up Woodruff to Carlingwood...
Remember it all and the four lanes on Carling Avenue, seems there were speeding cars. My mom loved it.
My favorite memories are of Christmas shopping for my parents there. Back in the days when Woolworths was there.
My father was the first manager of the Bank of Commerce (left in the photo). Dad, Bill Niblett, is third from the right in the photo.
Here is a photo from the City of Ottawa Archives, dated March 15, 1956 - the date that 7 new stores were opened, bringing the total to 11. The Bowling Alley and restaurant would not open for another month; the temporary signage for them is identical in both photos. Ottawa Museums and Archives MG393-NP-42118-002
THE BEST Christmas windows were at Simpson Sears - and the Gold Christmas Tree on the roof.
Where were the bowling alleys?
Why were they flying Union Jacks and not the Ensign?
We like Carlingwood and will miss Sears!
In 1965, my dentist was upstairs, behind them.
Looks like this is from the same day
The Carlingwood Ladies Bowling League still exists. 🙂
My favourite mall worked.in there for about 5 years
And it was an outdoor mall, initially.
There was a weekly shoppers bus that picked us up in North Gower s way to Kars,
Shopping in Lost Ottawa, featuring the Freiman's store in the St. Laurent Shopping Mall in 1969.
Good place for "Boxing Day" sales back then ... but I am trying to remember whether stores were actually allowed to be open on Boxing Day at the time?
I don't remember anything like the current frenzy ...
(LAC Mikan 3343393)
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Actually the St. Laurent Mall opened in 1968 the following year I won a trip to Barbadoes . The Mall had a contest and 55 couples won that trip we all went to Barbadoes together what a trip that was all expenses paid .It was sponsored by the Barbadoes tourism / We got a real welcome Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister at that time and he sent them a Thank you Letter for this Canadian trip and Welcome .We were received at the Barbadoes Minister home for a tour Best holiday ever .
Rideau Centre was the first mall to open on December 26th (Boxing Day) in 1992 when the property obtained an exemption under the Retail Business Holiday’s Act as a Tourist Area. Many years later, the province removed December 26th from its list of statutory holidays requiring stores to remain closed.
There were still after-Christmas sales, possibly called "Boxing Day" sales, although they started on the 27th. They definitely were not the frenzy they are today. Mostly people bought leftover Christmas stuff for next year.
Was this the store that had the big water fountain in it? I remember my grandmother giving me a penny to toss into the fountain and make a wish. I loved that fountain but can't find photos of it
I agree - Boxing Day now is insane! We didn’t move back to Ottawa until 1974 and St. Laurent then still had Dominion then and the buses stopped right in front of it.
When Hudson Bay bought Freimans, there was an ad on CFRA, that went (with a heavy street French accent): "Dey put de Bay in Bayshore.... and dats for shore". Good "Old Ottawa" anti-French bias, of course.
Stores were certainly open on Boxing Day in the 1960,s.One could hardly push a cart around it was so crowded,I remember abandoning my cart and leaving after an hour of waiting in line at a cashier
The province didn't allow stores to open on Boxing Day back then. That started within the last 20 years I think.
I remember when St.Laurent opened in 1967; there was a Freiman store at the St.Laurent boulevard end of the mall. Freiman's was bought by the Bay in early 70's. the mall itself was a fun place to shop, and it looked much better than today, with its "cancerous" expansion space and the two parkades (could not they go underground?) hiding the mall at both ends.
The Anchor Store was Simpsons then it changed to Simpson Sears as they were bought out by Sears US.. I took my Mom to that Mall many times she really enjoyed it .
I got my first job (part-time) as a busboy at the Heritage Restaurant, circular building in back, this launched my career in the hospitality industry, oh, I worked for .90 cents and hour...we would all go out on our Friday paydays, across the street, (St Laurent) for drinks at the chinese restaurant, rye/ginger for $1.25....OMG!....Dan D
Old man A.J. Freiman always gave his employees a Christmas Bonus at Christmas! When the Bay took over salaries went up but the Christmas Bonus went out the window! lol!
My Mom worked for Freiman’s at Westgate Shopping Centre, when it was sold she went at the Bay on Rideau St. Then she went to Bayshore when it opened until her retirement in1987.
I recall that in the 1980s some businesses would open and they would be fined but they often made more than enough money to pay the fine by opening.
as I was saying when St Laurent open the anchor store on the west side was Simpson Sears that change to just Sears (Simpsons was a different company) also Freimans took up the complete east side of the mall if you entered here on the south side and walk across the store to north side entrance of Freimans that is now the entance next to East Side Marios inside you would of pass by the fountain located where the open space is now below the food court (there where no second floor in those days) where the Toys R Us was a Dominion food store
my husband remembers working on the roof units, when the roof had more of a peak and their were skylights up the center of the mall before they started with the extensions
This was the south side entrance to Friemans the parking lot shown here is now the transit way station next to the Queensway if this entrance would be there today you would be walking in the shoe department today also when St Laurent open in 1967 (they celebrated 50 years last year)
Could that be Shoppers City East? There was a Freeman’s there. It was outside the city limits so could stay open later.
Bayshore Shopping Centre opened in 1973 with 2 anchor stores at each end, Eaton's and The Bay (Hudson's Bay Company). St. Laurent opened with Freiman's. What was the department store (anchor) at the other end of the mall?
Looking back at how much the mall has changed, the Bay would now be where this parking lot is now, and the old freimans would house the open area and food court. On the east entrance if you look up you can still see the rooflines above the entranceways.
It was at this shopping that parents would take their kids on Sundays to practice driving. I remember my Dad doing that with me.
Wow, I totally remember that store...have been looking for images of it. The shot of St. Laurent shopping centre looks sparkling new. Miss that era.
Do I see the Steak ‘n’ Burger in the left of the photo? I don’t see those super high parking lot light fixtures with the snowflake pattern and the ball with the mall’s logo on top though.
St. Laurent shopping centre opened on October 4, 1967. The anchor stores were Simpsons-Sears, Freimans, and a Dominion supermarket.
I think the frenzy only started on the 27th. Not sure it was as frantic, either!
Now that Xmas in Ottawa is done, there's nothing left to do but get the table cloth ready for next year ... so time to visit the Hintonburg Hand Laundry at 1017 Wellington?
Shown here on a snowy winter day in December of 1955.
The picture was part of a story about Chinese Laundries in the the Ottawa Citizen, but our pals at the Kitchissippi Museum have a story, too:
kitchissippimuseum.blogspot.ca/2016/01/the-chinese-laundry-long-lost.html
(City of Ottawa CA036115)
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This laundry always did a super job on the nurse's caps for the civic hospital nursing students. They had to be stiff as a board and then folded just so.
This is now the "Third" restaurant which recently opened. They have a photo of the Hintonburgh Laundry on their wall.
The year I was born! What struck me most about the photo are the boots on the woman. My mom had some just like that. Long coats and short boots.
Across the street, (Wellington?) was a liquor store? My father dropped his shirts off for laundering with extra starch in the collars. Then walk across the street with his liquor register book firmly grasped in his hand and enter the liquor store. Shortly after, he returned to the car with his purchases. The street car tracks were next to the side of our car. Passing street cars would be very close to the side of the car. It was scary for us kids left to observe and experience the rumbling of the street car passing. Those winter boots were all the rage. Mum enjoyed wearing her boots as they were warm and suitable for driving a "clutch " car.
One was NEVER disappointed in the work done at the "Chinese" laundries. Canada has profited greatly from Chinese immigration - hard working and good Canadian citizens.
I have my grandparents laundry bag with the hand embroidered id on it! I think this is where their laundry would have been done.
I’d like to know when after that photo was taken the “H” was dropped in the name of Hintonburg?
I used to really enjoy going into the Chinaman Laundries.
Got your book but there's not much on Lebreton Flats...hope you put some in your next book...thanks...love your book
Oh the woman's boots! I remember those boots lol
I REMEMBER TAKING USED 'LINEN' TABLECLOTHS TO THIS SHOP AND THEY WOULD WASH AND FOLD INTO A REALLY NICE TABLETOP READY FOR THE NEXT DINNER PARTY.
Used this laundry when doing the stiff bib dress shirt with the separate wing collar on my Regimental Mess kit worn on formal occasions
Katya Moussatova this is where that new restaurant opened!
Florence Hwang
Kevin Jiang
My mother would tell me to put the money on the counter before he came for the ticket or he would put me in the boiler with the clothes. She was afraid of Chinese people. Lol.
Night out in Lost Ottawa, featuring a history of Club Zinc in Hull shared by Stephen Mooney.
Clicking the pic will take you to a playlist of industrial music played at Club Zinc from 1992. Clicking the link will take you to a typical song (by PiL) played at Club Zinc five years earlier.
Now for Stephen:
"Back in 1987 when the world was still fun, I used to go clubbing at Club Zinc in Hull. It was not so much a club as a cult: small, dark and seriously cool, it was the place to chill after midnight.
How I remember the glorious haze of cigarette smoke twisting in the laser spotlights that pointed directly at the crystal glass ashtrays on each and every table. It turned the ashtrays into bright lanterns, which was magical in the dimly lighted seating area next to the dance floor. Everything was painted black except for the bar's zinc countertop.
The rules of the club were simple: be yourself and don't mess with other people. Girls could come alone and hang out without being hit on. Guys could come alone and dance by themselves without embarrassment. No one got stupidly drunk. The mood was mildly subversive, attracting low-key goths, loners and small groups of friends. There was never any trouble (for that, one went to the Chaud, which I also enjoyed).
New Years Eve 1987 was a special treat. The club was at its zenith (before the letterman boys started showing up) and the mood was cozy and electric. PIL had just released Happy, which got a lot of airplay that night.
Club Zinc was iconic - a true landmark in the subterranean culture of Ottawa 30 years ago. It ranked with clubs in London and Berlin and is a stark reminder of what has been lost - not only in Ottawa, but the world at large."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzT5sBg79XQ
Club Zinc, by Phÿcus
11 track album
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I was a card-carrying member at Club Zinc from Dec 1984 when they opened, straight through till they started catering to the college kids. But boy oh boy, the five or so years that we had before that happened, created a ton of memories that I still look back on very fondly. Especially fun when I was allowed to hang out in the DJ booth, with Michel L (RIP) or Nadine (RIP), and pick EPs for them to play. Saw so many bands there too. Either they played there, or they showed up there after their own concert. I.e.: The Cult. 🙂 So much fun- so many great staff there, some lasted longer than others! Ahem! Michel Parent . We'd go on Thursdays, Friday and Saturdays. Sundays we'd jump between Bistro, Le Club and Zinc, and Tuesdays we'd dance ourselves silly at Bistro. Amazing how I ever got any sleep at all.
By the early nineties, the only places to go for alternative and punk music were gigs at Oliver’s at Carleton and SAW Gallery (which had all ages shows, thankfully for me being a young teen back then). I saw Black Triangle and Heavendog. Their drummer, Ted Wilson, wine to school with me. I was friends with his brother. Ted was on You Can’t Do That on Television and now he’s a host on Inner Space on the Space Network...with another guy I know!
I was lucky enough to get to go there before it turned into The Manhattan Project (or Club Manhattan) and then Le Campus, which were also fun places to go in the early 90s. Some memories!
Don’t forget Gigis in the market. 👍 Loved Zinc and then Manhattan Project. Porter Hall at Carleton had some of the best punk shows in Ottawa mid/late 80s and early 90s.
Remember it well...lots of fun.
Good venue for local bands. Black Triangle, Furnaceface, Skatterbrains...great club.
I used to go there, it was for sure pretty chill and non-judgemental.
You'd think Club Zinc would have played... The Platers.
I loved Zinc in the late 80's and early 90's! I would go back in time for that atmosphere.
It was my fave too in the mid to late 80s. I am pretty sure I was there for NYE 1987 which is recollected above.
OMG.....I was a "regular" there till their closing party! Never paid cover....never had to wait in line.....hottest club ever!!!!! Only club playing " real" House Music!!!!
My roomies and went to the Zinc at least one night a week in the 80's, sweating our asses off to the amazing music played by all the great DJ's (sad to hear of Nadine's passing). Saw Cowboy Junkies play there...the whole bar lit with hundreds of candles. Told Mick Hucknall from Simply Red to go fuck himself....lol!
Saw Deja Voodoo and The Gruesomes play there. 1988 probably.
Preison's Shade played a few times
Oh club zinc! Anyone else remember banana obscuri?
Was there for Skinny Puppy! And many other dance crazednights! Best club ever!
Andrew Kaulbach
Connie Robillard
Boxing Day at the movies, as we take the Elgin Line streetcar all the way from Ottawa East to Sparks Street in 1933.
The Elgin Line was opened to Catherine Street in 1891, and extended to Main Street and Clegg in 1925, but The entire line was abandoned in 1939 with the transformation of Elgin Street into a ceremonial approach to the War Memorial.
THanks to UofO Archives for the use of these air photos.
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Interesting to see a landscaped park on the east side of Elgin at Somerset (?).
Classic Ottawa scene here as Little League Hockey got started for another season on January 14 of 1956.
Referree Garry Hamilton watches the play, while coach Bob Labelle yells at his players. Plus ça change?
The game featured the boys from the St. Joseph's and St. Patrick's orphans homes at what is called "Tech Rink." Would that be Ottawa Tech?
(City of Ottawa Archives CA036328. Game ended in a 2-2 draw)
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My grandfather, Wendell (Bill) Addy was a founder of the Cradle Hockey League in Ottawa. It was started with St. Joseph’s Orphanage. He and Ev Tremblay, A’s well as my father, Bob Mitchell, were instrumental in bringing minor hockey to Ottawa. Robert Campeau was the main financial sponsor.
It is the Tech High School rink which was located across the street from the school. It was basically on the southwest corner of Slater and Bronson or very close to it. I played on it.
grew up at slater and lyon beside googan's IGA,,who remembers bowl-rite bowling alley where i was a pin boy
Indeed I just googled slater st and those houses are instantly recognizable ... I have even been in them back in the 70’s
Ev Tremblay park is on Beech St just down the street from my mothers house , Ev's sister. I remember the award ceremony and Landsdowne where we served beans to the players and owners and coaches usually on May 24 th
Exactly the way it was all through the city. St. François d'Assise school had such a rink too.......C
Yep. That is the northwest yard at Ottawa Technical High School, bordering Bronson and Albert.
This is the day I was born
What Christmas season is all about. Luv the picture.
I used to skate there as a child ,lots of memories we lived on Laurier at Bay St.
Thought some of the houses looked familiar!
Reminds me of winters in Overbrooke and its outdoor rink!
Slater at Bronson. Those two houses are still there.
I was not skating on that da haha.y
I played in Sandy Hill.
This is how I learned as did Don Longchamps
Love this!
Plus ça reste pareille!
Hey Rob Blake can't see you anywhere.
Carole Seguin
Susan Armstrong Powell you see this rink
Where Ottawa Xmas trees went to die in January of 1956.
Thousands and thousands of real trees created a big problem for the city -- what to do with them when they were thrown out?
The answer was a huge bonfire, usually at the city dump out Main street in East Ottawa. Quite a sight when they were set on fire.
(City of Ottawa Archives CA036264-W-Edit)
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In January 1959, Mayor George Nelms was actually burned a bit in the face and eyebrows during this annual Christmas tree burning. He and the fire chief Maynard Dolman were engulfed in flames when they set the torch to the 50,000+ trees.
Suggestion, there is a wildlife farm in Dunrobin that accepts real trees that they feed to the animals: deer, goats and such.
Good point. That would be a major problem trying to get rid of all of the dead trees. I wonder in fact what the usage now would be of real trees in comparison to artificial tree usage in the Ottawa, and surrounding areas. Do you know?
Until the early 60's the Ottawa dump was the "landfill" all along the east side of the Rideau River from Hurdman's Bridge to Bank Street. It made for great swimming at Brewer's, Brighton, Brentwood, Dutchies, and all the way to Rideau Falls.
I remember that dump site, right beside the Rideau river about 1 km from Brantwood and Brighton Beaches........??
I remember as a kid... my Dad was a tree guy and his company had the task of helping the city with the Chippers making wood chips for all the city flower beds in the spring... don’t know if they still do that but this was in the 80’s.
January 1957. Gasoline put on tree pile. Not enough time given for fumes to evaporate. Mayor and fire chief went up to light it with a torch. There was a flashback from the fumes. The fire chief had his top coat burned. The mayor lost hih hat and eyebrows and did not appear in public for a week. Remember it well, I was there.
I remember going to a park at the end of North Western ave. They burned them Christmas trees . That was a real sight
I was there with mom and dad to watch it burn...my dad brought xmas there ..houlahan cartage
Is this the spot on Springhurst Ave. behind the Oblate development off of Main St.?
No wonder the Rideau river was & still is so polluted 😡
Out here, they are fed to the goats who love them!
That mustve lit up like holly shitness. Lol ultra dry
Bring a long long stick for the marshmallows.
The dump from GeoOttawa 1958
It was fun to watch them burn!
dump was on riverside drive ..
I guess they had not thought to make mulch
I was there with my dad watching the Hugest fire.
What do they do now? Chipper?
Laura Lee Hogan
Went looking for some Christmas music yesterday ... and found this old book from Domenic's Academy of Music.
They used to have several stores around Ottawa - and there's still one left in Orleans.
Those of you who take a close look will see that this is for organ -- and, yes, my pops used to play them on the organ and drive us crazy!
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Domenic Cinanni, I used to teach accordion at the Bank St. store (near First Ave) also went to Carling Ave (near Broadview) beside a donut shop in strip mall, haven't picked up an accordion in like 25 years now, if anyone knows of the Cinanni''s Anselmo and Margaret were siblings I think, let me know.
I got my first guitar and took lessons at the Domenic's that used to be on Bank Street just north of Alta Vista. That store was owned by John Ricci, the guitarist from the heavy metal band Exciter.
I used to teach guitar at Domenics.
Accordion lessons on Carling at Broadview right beside Lady Jane Donuts. Just down from the Red Barn
I used to take guitar lessons at Domenics.
Juanita Tejano
Merry Christmas from the Green Valley Restaurant, featuring its famous Xmas tree -- an Ottawa landmark!
Originally shared in 2015 by John Myers, whose family owned the Green Valley into the mid-90s, when it was sold.
Alas, the restaurant burned down on New Years's Eve of 2003.
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My mother was a waitress there late 50’s to mid 60’s. When we went to pick her up we would go in the back door and had a mickey mouse ice cream.
I used to go to this restaurant with my parents for special occasions. When my husband and I got married, we came here with our guests after the ceremony. I have wonderful memories of the Green Valley.
A part of our family tradition was dining there on special days after attending church. I remember the Micky Mouse ice cream fondly.
Molly Brown drinks, mushroom on toast, seafood crepes. Great old fashioned restaurant. Lovely gift shop. Sadly missed. .
Got your book for Christmas. Looking forward to looking through it and also sharing the pics with my Mom who has Alzheimer’s, hoping she will remember some of the sights.
Oh my goodness! My husband and I just drove by there 30 minutes ago and for some reason started talking about our memories of going there and wondered why they never rebuilt after the fire.
Loved that place when I was a kid. Still have a few of the animals they put in the cokes with a cherry on the legs. Then a tour through the store they had, still have a set of mugs we bought there in the 70's. Such a shame its gone.
Gillespie Stewart’s son law hired Gus and Ma our chef and house Mother at the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at McGill University When Gus left he recommended a friend to take his place. Had many great meals there and was nice to see the couple A street along highway16 is named after Gus Kirchhofer
My parents took me here for a special meal after I had graduated from Carleton University. It was also Father's Day. A very special day.
During the 70s and 80s, the Green Valley was one of the "it" restaurants in Ottawa...sort of that generation's version of Becta.
I got the book for Christmas as well. Brought back so many great memories. Didn't see a picture of the old Wellington Street bridge that linked Hintonburg with Lebreton Flats - great shortcut to downtown past the brewery to Nanny Goat Hill and then you were almost there.
I helped my Aunt out at the coat check concession during weddings, parties and of course throughout the festive season in the late 60's. The gift shop items were always very unique .
My parents renewed their vows for their 25th wedding anniversary there in 1991! Definitely a special place with special memories for many people!
I waitressed there in the early to mid-80’s when I wasn’t at university. Loved it! Thank you for this lovely memory.
This was our favourite restaurant to take relatives like aunts and mothers Who wanted elegant and classic and traditional meals that were never extreme.even some nearby office parties
I work at the restaurant when it burnt down. Green Valley had closed by then and the new restaurant was called Gilmour's. It opened in July 2002 and burnt down Dec 31 2002.
My mother worked there for a long time. It was sad when the tree was cut down that beautiful tree for development
Loved the Green Valley. My Mom knew the owners (and possibly some of her friends did too). It was always a very special outing when the family went there. My Mom loved their Molly Brown's.
Our family loved this restaurant and dined there often. I loved their gift shop. It’s a shame it’s gone.
When our family moved to Ottawa from B.C. we stayed in one of the cabins for a few weeks. Ate breakfast there every morning during our stay.
Loved their Mickey Mouse ice cream. I always had to have that when we went there. The Christmas Tree was famous!
I don’t remember this place at all. I moved here in 1980. From all the comments, I feel a little bitter about this!
I couldn't even imagine counting the number of times I passed that place, either as a kid riding in my parents' car or driving myself. Never ate there, but I was very sad about its burning down.
Remember that restaurant so well , loved it . Also remember the night it burned down , my husband was one of the firefighters battling the blaze .
My parents Kay and Orv Carroll celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary here in 1995. My dad passed away two years later. I'll always remember him ordering liver and onions when we went there for special dinners!
Some pictures are universal ... like this one of my older siblings on first seeing the tree (and the presents thereunder) in 1956.
I was not holding the camera. I was one year old.
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And what were those three looking at? Well ... this tree, those presents, and Santa's means of ingress.
Precious. Christmas is so exciting for children and those memories we carry with us last a lifetime.
Your Christmas Commute ... in an Ottawa Electric Railway streetcar with Santa for a driver, and an Elf, Rudolf and a chimney on top!
This decorated streetcar, from a souvenir photo in the collection of the Bytown Museum, was apparently in the Ottawa Christmas Parade for 1896.
Hope Santa brings you something special today!
(Bytown Museum, P1737, but I cropped and cleaned it up.)
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Doh! Fixed now!
Oops! Lost Ottawa...looks like the streetcar got lost.😉
Must be that Elf on the Shelf... He hid the picture 🎄
Dave LeBlanc. Like this page and you should get them
Oh, you cropped and cleaned it up Lost Ottawa, so did you leave the pic on the cutting room floor?
Looks like a white-out!
Santa was going too fast to snap that pic 🙂
Missing picture?
Must have benn taken in a snowstorm 😁
no pic
I think you cropped the picture to much.
Merry Christmas!
Here's a little Ottawa Xmas memory for you.
Not only do we have carollers in the snow. Stamps for Christmas Cards cost only 3 cents!
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I remember that when we mailed Christmas Cards, they needed 2 cents worth of stamps if the envelopes were unsealed, but 3 cents worth if the envelopes were sealed. And we had mail delivery to our home twice a day during the Christmas season. Back then people sent and received many cards.
My Christmas card to BC cost me $1.80 this year 🙂
Back in 'my day', first class mail (sealed envelope) cost 2 cents. Second class (not sealed) needed 1 cent postage.
Yep but today stamps are getting so expensive, people are not sending Christmas cards....sad.
Stamp prices seem to have risen faster than inflation.
I remember them, then they were 5 cents, then 7 cents and so on .....
Didn't postcards have a cheaper rate?
The one above seems to be a hybrid of these two from the early sixties....
Carley, carollers lol
Here's Lost Ottawa wishing you Happy Holidays in our little town on the top of a hill ...
What better way to do it that a Christmas card from from the Canadian Artist Series, designed by A.Y. Jackson, ca.1925?
Jackson was a founding member of the Group of Seven, who moved to the Ottawa area in 1955 and settled in Manotick.
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got your book as a Christmas gift today. It has entertained me for the last 3 hours as it was the first thing I read! thank you.
I have warm memories of AY Jackson himself! When I was in grade 6 in 1972, he was a special guest at the Art Gallery of Ontario and our class had a field trip there. He was guiding our tour there of the works of his Group of 7 paintings. I remember walking behind him, realizing he was famous, and gently touching the back of his chunky Shetland sweater! I told my classmates that I would never wash that hand again lol. I think he was in his late 80s or early 90s.
Thank you Emily. Enjoy your Christmas time without snow! We were dumped on last night and still coming. Have Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas Mr and Mrs Lost Ottawa!!
Merry Christmas!
I wonder if he settled near Honey Gables!
Thanks Emily ...have a great Christmas with Bill the Great
I'm not sure if you would really want this Santa visiting your Ottawa home tonight ... he's looking a tad disreputable!
However, Santa here is actually a Dr. Hill, dressed up for a costume ball hosted by Lord and Lady Dufferin in 1876.
Here's the original description from the Ottawa Free Press:
"Loose dark brown blouse, a la Santa Claus, with capuchin trimmed with holly leaves and scarlet berries, flowing white beard; whiskers and moustache, heavy boots turned down showing pink lining, the whole snowed over, and bearing in his hand the time honoured Christmas tree."
(LAC PA-189666)
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This is clearly before Coca-Cola set the standard image for Santa. By about 40 years!
The Dufferin Estate (Clandeboye) is in my hometown of Bangor, County Down
Very evocative of a bygone time before television consumed our creativity
Coca-Cola uses santa in his red suit in 1931
My grandpa painted a long-coated Santa Claus in his sketchbook about 1922 but he wasn't so well-worn looking as this fellow. 🦌🎄🎅
wow...he took Charlie Brown's Christmas tree...
Lilia over the top costume balls need to come back
This Sanata's only looking for children who've been naughty (not nice) - SO HE CAN MAKE THEM PAY 😉
ok...not creepy at all..lol
This scene has so much character! Love it!!!
The ghost of Christmas Past, perhaps?...
ABSURD!
Great photo.
What a fantastic picture.
That's quite the tree! 🙂
Creepiest photo on Lost Ottawa to date!
Dr. Hamnett Hill 1811-1898?
Looks like he is wearing Reebok's
John Sekerka
What could be more Ottawa than trudging through the snow on Parliament Hill, arms filled with Christmas presents as more snow flakes fall ...
Looks like this family was going to have a Merry Xmas in 1958.
(LAC Mikan 4949755)
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That would have been my first Christmas in Ottawa, aged 12, and attending Connaught public school on Gladstone Ave. I saw the Parliament Buildings that year, too, for the first time.
To me, this depicts Christmas as I remember it, wonderful peaceful times.
...or going for a skate on the canal on Christmas Eve, then to midnight Mass at St. Patrick's Basilica, then walking home to the very west end..
Don't see the gates along the front...? Great photo.
The year I was born
I wonder who the dapper gent on the right was?
Love this picture!
I have been up in that tower, early 50's
Cathy Ohara
Looking South down Bronson on December 30, 1942, after the Great Ottawa Ice Storm of of December 28-30.
Freezing rain left ice as thick as a person wrist on wires, tracks, and everything else, literally stopping all streetcars in their tracks.
It took five days to clean things up.
(Photo: Bruce McCallan, shared by Don McCallan.)
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My dad was a city cop and used to speak of a street car that was frozen down during this storm on Confederation Square. The conductor was obliged to stay in it for days. Luckily, it had a little coal stove in it. More luckily, people took his place periodically so that he could go use a bathroom.
Love the shadow front and centre - reminds me of an Orson Welles movie but I can't remember the name.
Wonder if this picture is from early in the storm. I ask this because if the ice was 1-2" thick, I'm sure the wires would be down. Less ice than that in the big storm of '98 brought down hydro towers.
and then we did it all over again in 1998 🙁
So much ice formed between the tracks the streetcars ground to a halt.
Is that the smoking man’s shadow from the x files?
Light rail of days gone by!
Is the view of Bronson looking towards Somerset?
Is that the shadow of icestorm man?
Maybe next week! 🙂☃️
Shadow man lived on Bronson.
Heading out for a Sunday Drive around Ottawa (or maybe to a hockey game) -- when you are Governor General Earl Grey and it is February of 1909.
The GG is shown here leaving the gates of Rideau Hall in his "four-in-hand" sleigh, along with two guards and several horsemen. Quite the production ... but classier than black Suburbans!
Of course, the Earl could have just taken that streetcar to the left ...
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The robes (blankets) were probably buffalo (bison) skins. When I was young (1950s) that's what you brought along for a sleigh ride.
My mother in law was born at government house her dad was the head coach man . She told us so many wonderful stories about her life there. She did t move too far away when she left there to queen victoria street with her mom and dad. It would be the home she lived in till she passed away.
When living in Ashton Mr. Lewis would take our family for a sleigh rides wrapped in big blankets at Christmas.
Turn of the century O-train is running in the background too.
That looks so comfy, though!
Memory definitely looks like a Christmas setting
A beautiful photo that so well captures a moment of regal splendour and tranquility. Thanks for posting this heartwarming scene
How Regal! Nice fur coats!
I want a time machine for Christmas.
Terrific photo
I remember that well.
rare for the GG to use public transit :>)
When this Ottawa kid comes down -- that's gonna hurt!
No location given ... but I'm pretty sure from other photos in the collection that this that awesome tobogganing hill in the Arboretum. Date is 1952.
Saw some kids there the other day on those thin silicon sheets.
(CSTM CN X-36363)
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I believe we just called it the hill at the'farm'. Yes, we went in the very early 50's. Dad took us on Sunday after Sunday School. The fear of running into a tree seems to stick in my head and a great 'run' ended up on the frozen canal. The hill was really fast and Dad sat at the back steering the toboggan with the kids screaming most of the way down.
Broke my tibia and fibula with a spiral fracture in hole 1 at the larrimac golf course in Chelsea. Was on a gt sno racer at 31 years old. Worst most painful night of my life. Orthopedic surgeon worked for four hours on my leg no anaesthesia because if the booze. He wouldn't come near me on his rounds the next day, must have threatened him. To top it if my buddies son, owner of the sno racer, comes to my bedside in the hospital and says; "you should have turned in the headlight."
I still have the wooden toboggan from the 50’s and it is still splintered. Used to wax it with paste wax to go faster. Walked on the canal from Bank St to the arboretum.
We called it Dom's Hill. Only as an adult did I start hearing the Arboritum. Dom's Hill came from Dominion Arboritum. Loved tobogganing there.
Went to a toboggan birthday party there once in the late 60s Loads of fun as I recall. I must be blocking the bruises out of my memory😂
We had one of the best tobogganing hills behind our house. My dad used to go out and pack it down after fresh snow, wearing snowshoes! Up and down a hill! That is love ❤️
Our favorite tobogganing hill in the 1950s. Seems like a long time ago when you look at the calendar, but recent when you close your eyes.
We spent hours out on the hill of the Apple Orchard on Dakota drive... not their anymore, now a Metro and gas station
Four of us, as adults, splintered one of those toboggans going down the hill at Carlington! Great times!
Came down this hill on a toboggan in th 50’s some time. Flipped and knocked myself out. Somehow walked back up the hill (no memory) but jumped back on for another run. Head trauma anyone?
You had to be toughto toboggan there. Some hills were slick with ice and some had surprise gullies at the bottom you'd drop into. Best hill around though. Pure winter magic.
I don't remember going sliding in this area but I do remember a hill close to Vincent Massey Park that we went to in the 70's. It was awesome and we had some great times there. 😊
Sure looks like the arboretum to me! Brings back excellent memories of loooong sled rides and even longer treks back to the top...to do it all over again!!
I spent my youth catching air at the Bruce Pit in Nepean and then the Bell hill. I broke my tailbone on a wooden toboggan just like this and had to sit on a rubber ring. D’oh.
Peter Kocoris....I recall you hurting your arm here on a school trip, or was it Peter Hammell. Memory is cloudy but I think you both were involved somehow.
Funny, we were tobogganing yesterday with family and reminiscing about a hill at the Experimental Farm where our dad would take us on “his weekend” with us. We got to almost the bottom of the hill, we wiped out, I got up turned around and got a toboggan in the face!
We had so much fun there as kids! We had our own sliding hill on Skeena Ave, but we loved going to the much scarier Dom’s Hill!
We used to walk from centre town every time to go there we called it devils hill and race our GT sno racers there
Was that in Rockcliffe? If so, then I have some funny black and white photos and video with Sue Haney!
Definitly in that location. We tobogganed there as did my children.
Love the memories this post gave people. Including me.
The silicon sheets are more comfortable than cafeteria trays from Carleton.
Many a bruising ride we enjoyed!
I banged my tail-bone there when the pad on the toboggan fell out. Looks like the exact same spot too.
It does look like Vincent Massey Park .
Here's Lost Ottawa bringing a little Xmas cheer ... to Texas!
Shared by John Ripley, who sent along this note:It arrived just in time for Christmas in Round Rock, TX. Great coffee table book. Nice work, David.
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Christmas morning at the kitchen table - turning through each page and listening to my father and mother-in-law talk about each photo and their memories. Conversation not stopping. Awesome.
Bought a copy in Chapters, met the author David McGee, signed book took time to chat. very personable writer. Took the book home, what a ride, the memories! Wonderful collection.
Really good book..I bought it this wk and I can barely put it down..👍
It's on our coffee table. My mother read the entire book when she visited . She loved it .
My son gave me a copy for Christmas. Brought back lots of memories.
Bought one to read to my Mom. We're both Ottawa natives.
Got mine the other day for my bday, such a great book.
Going to need one for my trip out there next May
I was fortunate enough to be given this for Xmas!!!
I got one for my husband and can’t wait for him to read it!
Great read
Where can I get this?
Great gift thanks Stephanie and Chuku Nwachuku 💕
It certainly is a great gift!
Photo illustrating how narrow "suburban" roads could be outside of Ottawa in the 1950s.
Would hate to be be driving this at night ... in a snow storm. It's hardly wide enough for one car.
(Suburban Roads Commission, 1956)
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I lived on a rural road near North Gower and the snow was so deep at times in the 50s it took a few days for the plow to get through. Our neighbour took us to school on a horse driven sleigh then!
Trim Road... from Navan to Queen Street was one lane for a bit during the winter of '78,,,,, if you met an oncoming car... someone had to back up
I remember my sister and I walking down Walkley Road to go to school. The snow banks were 5 feet and taller. I remember a large piece of equipment blowing the snow into the fields.
The suburban roads commissions were a unique feature of Ontario. Has anyone ever investigated their history and extent?
I remember these roads in Alta Vista too. Oh boy did we make great forts!
At least you couldn’t drive into the ditch 😂
Man I wish we still got that kinda snow!!!
I remember those roads in Russell......
We don't see that much snow anymore.
So, how did they get the banks so high? Not alot of loaders around in those days and no blowers
Nice. What parts of Ottawa were considered suburban in 1956?
That was my regular commute between Ottawa and Cumberland for many years!
Had a few roads out Ashton way that blew in like that in the 70s.
Have to take your word for it we’re not that old
Looks normal to me. As a kid in Ottawa growing up. All the snow banks looked that high.
Carina Eliasson Now you know why the ditches were so deep.
Val Lambert This looks familiar.
Well Lyle,at least we wouldn't end up in the ditch,lol
Looks like Eagleson.
Winter 1970 Lavant Ontario
looks like my driveway.
😮 wow!!!
Roads were like that in 70's
Remember it well!
Lisa Lisa Tia
Ottawa kids ready for some tobogganing in front of 375 Second Avenue in the Glebe, looking east towards First Ave in the winter of 1927-28.
The youngsters are identified (left-to-right) as : Jean Fraser (standing); Jean, Shirley, Dodie and Harold Barnhart.
Sweet ride!
(Photo from Bruce McCallan, shared by Don McCallan.)
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We lived at 61 Second Avenue. Our next door neighbours, The Willoughbys, moved in to their home in 1926. Mr. Willoughby used to tell me stories about the Glebe when I was a little girl (in the sixties). I remember him telling me about the tall Bell building at Bank & First being an exciting addition to the growing neighbourhood.
Those are my Barnhart cousins. The only on remaining is Shirley . Some of my happiest memories are visiting with their mom on Second Ave. They had an attic that was a treasure house forcexploring
I grew up on Fourth Av. between Chrysler and Percy between 1953 to There were always huge snow banks that we walked on to school.
I remember these days with my mother, brothers and cousins in Lebreton Flats, in the late 60's. We had so much fun!
There was also Rockliffe Park, tons of fun and where I also first learned to ski... good exercise climbing up
Interesting to see it as a newly-built neighbourhood with no trees, and Glebe looming in the background
We had an 8 seater wooden toboggan. Many a ride at the experimental farm. Oh those bumps.....
Children playing outside? Who would have thought it?
Crazy to think that's these childern in this photo would today would be In their late 80's to 90 years of age...wowzers
Cara Davidson this is what i was talking about yesterday
In later years I lived just up the street at 222 Second Ave.
Sure brings back memories of tobogganing on that very street down the church steps 🙂
Who is the fifth child? They are all so darling.
I remember these days in the Glebe at this very age! Great memories!
What's the closest intersection with Second Ave?
Suzanne Halpenny...thought this might be of interest to you.
What a sweet picture
David Fedirchuk
Enjoying the slopes in Rockcliffe Park in 1916, where three Ottawa ladies wait for their turn on the toboggan run ... and one lady really doesn't all that certain about joys of skiing.
Looks like she had a tumble or two already. And no poles.
Since it was wartime, plenty of lads in uniform were also on hand.
(LAC PA-110906)
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If you click on the photo and enlarge, the look in the skier's eyes is quite comical. Either fear or determination to beat the hill, I'm not sure which!
This is likely at Suicide Hill. The ski jump had been blown over in May 1915 and was replaced with a tobaggon run for the duration of the war.
Is that in the early years of the Ottawa Ski Club?
Skied there in the 50’s, great spot.
aka Deirdre O'Brien - I remember a flimsy red fence protecting us from skiing onto the road
Near where I lived!!
Robert, Louise.
Robert Batsch shares the Morning Puzzler, wondering about these stamps.
Writes Robert:Does anyone know what these are? I'm guessing food rationing stamps? My parents were both immigrants from Germany after the Second World War, so they may not be Canadian.
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must ask my son, as I tried looking them up online. but from what I have seen so far they look like it was for wheat and where is the missing piece of info
My curiosity was peaked so I did some research and found something similar. goo.gl/images/RRysFv I googled "Canadian Ration Stamps" after not finding anything similar through a "German Ration Stamps search. Check out the link...this is what I found. Very similar to your stamps in terms of the style & theme of the graphics.
Can the OP please update when the mystery is solved? Thanks
Canada has never had food stamps, however some stores had stamps that you collect to earn prizes
They don't look like the wartime rationing stamps or tokens as I remember them.
Lsd blotters from the 60's
Preparing for winter at the Equipment and Supply Branch of the Post Office, Ottawa, 1939. The hats were for letter carriers.
My dad had a similar one (although he was not a postie). It sure was warm! I wish I still had it (except for the real fur part).
I believe the Supply Branch was located in the (then) brand new postal station on Besserer, near the train station. Now Lost.
(LAC PA-061834)
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My father had one, he was a letter carrier for a time. It was heavy but warm, don't know what happened to it.
What's wrong with real fur? It's a natural material, recyclable and biodegradable, and if we're just moderately careful, supplies will be available for ever. Or we could use some kind of oil-based materials ....
I always like the fur part. The fur trade is what opened this country to the Europeans.
I would be sweating lol
I still have my old Postie fur hat
Your Morning Commute though downtown Ottawa, featuring what is now the Queensway in the late '50s/early '60s.
You can see how Elgin used to bend around to meet the Driveway, the narrow swing bridge trains used to cross the Rideau Canal, and many other features of the city as it used to be.
From the Bruce Chapman Collection, put online by Colin Churcher at: tinyurl.com/ycnwcq7n
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The future site of the Ottawa Police station used to be Myers Chev-Olds-Cadillac, where it remained until the late '60s or early 70s.
The low, flat warehouse building in the centre of the photo was a car dealership -- Patterson Motors -- they used to sell Plymouth and Dodge cars. The long building at the upper left of the photo on Catherine Street was the former Ottawa Auditorium, now the site of the YM-YWCA.
I still remember walking down Catherine Street past the Auditorium one night. I stopped at the traffic light and three elephants went across in front of me. ?????? The Aud was hosting a circus and the elephants were going back to the circus train, which was in the rail yard just across the street.
I can remember walking on those train tracks when I was a kid, and riding my bike on the Queensway before it opened to cars. The car dealership in the middle was Myers Motors, that is where the Ottawa Police Station is today
On the corner of O'Connor St, between Catherine and Argyle Sts. on the site of the current YM-YWCA can be seen the old Ottawa Auditorium building, one of the three major concert venues in Ottawa at the time, the others being the Coliseum at Lansdowne Park, and the old Capitol Theatre on Bank. St.
The building was calle d Beaver Barracks; I can remember going to some sort of a meeting there when I was in the military in the mid/late 1980s.
I think that Elgin Street, after it curved under the train tracks, then continued all the way to Landsdowne Park?
Going to Archives to see old pictures. Don't remember Myers being there I lived as a child in the apt. & can see it the store where we bought penny candy and the gas station. Went to the Museum every Sat AM.
Immediately to the left of the temporary war building is the hockey rink known as The Auditorium. Opened in 1923, it hosted numerous sports events (hockey, basketball), circuses and live concerts. Notable acts included Elvis Presley in 1957 and the Rolling Stones in 1965. When the new Civic Centre opened at Lansdowne Park, the Auditorium was closed and demolished in 1967. The YMCA now occupies this location.
Looking at large cleared area to left is that where Ottawa Police are now? If so wish there eas an earlier photo showing builds there before. An brick apt.bldg, Benny Binders store and a gas station on the corner of Elgin/Argyle
Two of my dads long time buddies ....Mr. Chapman. A big lad, just like myself. Merry Christmas to you both.
The Luxor Apartments on the Queen Elizabeth Driveway was supposed to be quite a swanky building in its day with the whole top floor being a single penthouse apartment including having a working fireplace, and when I lived behind it at Elgin Square during the early '90s, that apartment rented at $6000 per month with a six-month lease often alternating between being occupied and vacant over a year or more at a time.
I remember the temporary war building (south of the museum) still being there as a kid. Took a long time to remove that temporary building! There were so many of them around town, that would have been one that would have been great to save.
When we first moved to Pretoria Ave I remember the circus was at the auditorium on the corner of O'Connor and Catherine. My dad and I would go and see the animals that were housed in the area now the Queensway.
You can see the future site of the Ottawa Police Station on Elgin St.
Hi Kate You posted a picture earlier of the old train station. I was there last week. It is being renovated bto be the new Senate. I took some pic s
I love looking at these pictures and imagining how my dad saw this city when he arrived late 50s.
I remember it being built. It’s right across the street from my Grandparents house on Island Park Crescent
I love the trees in the park... There are like 3 now 🙁
Loblaws on one side, Myers motors on the other,
the Loblaws beat the Queensway! would not have guessed that.
And that’s Beaver Barracks. I had my wedding reception in the mess there in 1975
Illegally running across the railway swing bridge over the canal was always an adventure...you never knew when a train would be using the bridge.
My uncle Charles Heffernan was a mechanic at Myers Motors where OPS is now.
I bought your book....amazing love it.
Workmen from the E. Leblanc company do their best to haul a giant crown up the Peace Tower, getting ready for the Royal Visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Mum) to Ottawa in 1939.
They all look like they are holding on for dear life, but I love the guys standing on the roof of the truck.
(Toronto Public Library TSP_0107440)
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WOW, what a great pic. Gives you a good idea of how things were done before all the equipment used today.
Love the guys holding on to the guys on the roof of the truck! Or are they holding on to the truck? lol
A lot more people died or were injured in workplace accidents back then than today.
Unlike todays vehicles 2 or 3 guys on the hood of that truck likely didn't leave a dent.
And pray all they have to do us press the button and up it goes.
Health and safety would have a heart attack today...
Safety first
"Two, six, heaave." Over and over and over.
Is this related to Me/Us.???
Woah. Today a crane would pop it up there in no time.
funny, those trucks are still on the road in Mexico.
Brute Force Method!
Kids hauling a Christmas tree in this holiday season photo, taken by famous Ottawa photographer Malak Karsh in 1957 for an NFB photo story.
The location is a bit of a puzzler, though. I'm thinking Rideau River ... ?
Shared Cindy Lu from a recent post by Library and Archives Canada.
(LAC Mikan 4949130)
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Here's the original caption from the photo story, which was about Canada's Xmas tree industry: The tradition of hiking into the woods a few days before Christmas to select the Yule tree is becoming more and more a memory nostalgically recalled by old-timers. Today most Canadians content themselves with making their selection at the local super-market, but Canada's vigorously growing Christmas tree industry assures that they may make their choice from a selection that is large, varied and handsome.
I remember back in the 70s when some Carleton university residents crossed the canal at Christmas to the Arboretum and cut themselves a Christmas tree. Only problem was they took only the top 6 feet of a 30+ foot Siberian spruce that was a one of a kind gift to Canada. They dragged it back to the residence through the snow not thinking about getting caught. They got caught.
I remember going with my dad to the tree lot on St Laurent Blvd between Donald and McArthur. And it had to be a balsalm
Was that shared by Cindy Lu Who, of Whoville?
A beautiful photo. I had the honour of working with Malak Karsh (i was his gopher) to create a photo of an industrial process. What a gentleman he was (even though he was late because the engine in his van blew!). We worked together for days to get what the shot he wanted. I have a copy somewhere.
I remember in the early 1960’s walking around the tree lots in the Springfield and Beachwood area of Ottawa looking for the perfect Christmas tree it was so much fun.
I don't think its the Rideau as i have spent my entire life on the Rideau our house use to be where the entrance to Moneys Bay and the houses look 5os style maybe the Ottawa and I am not sure its even in Ottawa possibly Arnprior Gatineau or Gatineau point
Wonderful photo, thank you for sharing Carol Anne. Brings back memories of when my children were younger and we would cut down a tree and bring it home for Christmas.
What young children to be out and about without supervision of adults.... just kidding! Those were the good old days!!
That's post WW 2 housing.There is some of that just before Hogs Back. on the west side of Mooneys Bay.
Those look like PMQs or veterans houses.
Looks like a Rideau / Osgoode / Nepean area Boyd Block House.
So grateful, Malak Karsh, for all you've done to bring our country home to us.
Looks like Boyd block houses, my guess is Osgoode, Manotick, Kars or Kemptville maybe.
Mia Cuillerier Alec Cuillerier Historical photo of the annual Christmas tree adventure! 😛
Looks like Elmvale Acres area homes, perhaps Weston Park?
A friend suggests Rockcliffe Base?
Rideau in Kars
What a lovely photo.
a beautiful Malek Karsh photo..
Early 70s in Ashton went out and cut a field tree, when it thawed out it was a Charlie Brown tree.
Could be Alta Vista / Pleasant Park area. Those look like Campeau homes.
Could it be Riverside Drive in Manotick?
I agree. Looks like the Rideau.
my back yard, guess where
Christopher Ryan wrote this story about Ottawa's Belle Claire Hotel in 2014. This is a companion to our earlier post this morning.
It's also part two of the story, which you can use to get back to part one.
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Christopher Ryan: CD Howe books a permanent suite at the Belle Claire (Part 2)
ottawastart.com
Christopher Ryan: CD Howe books a permanent suite at the Belle Claire (Part 2) by Christopher Ryan · January 24, 2014 SHARE THIS ADVERTISEMENTS A weekly feature by Christopher Ryan, a local photograp...3 CommentsComment on Facebook
My mom worked here for years and was very well treated by the whole family.
I don’t recall this hotel but the Koffmans were prominent businessmen.
i had no idea. so neat.
Chris Tyler shares a post about the Kaufman brothers, owners of the Belle Claire Hotel on Queen Street, and Ottawa entrepreneurs extraordinaire.
For more on the Belle Claire, see our next post.
Meanwhile, writes Chris:My boss and mentor, Harry Koffman. Harry and his brother, Sammy, owned the Belle Claire Hotel on Queen Street, a piece of Ottawa history in itself. From politicians to street punks, everyone in Centre Town knew the Belle Clair. Harry also ran a sign shop. After leaving Frieman's Department Store on Rideau in 1938, he went to work for himself. His first shop was somewhere on Sparks Street, close to Elgin. From there, he went to the south west corner of Bank and Gilmour, where Bridgehead Coffee House is now. In 1963, he bought 146-148 Nepean Street. I used to watch him hand letter paper banners and show cards for all the Bank Street merchants while he was watching Barney Miller on TV. He didn't even need to watch what he was doing, he was that good. The Koffman family was well known back then, Ottawa was still small. Koffman's Ladies Wear on Slater, Koffman Waste Management..., Harry's brother Frank who wrote the sports column for the Ottawa Journal, the list goes on. I'm proud to have worked with him for so many years, he taught me so much. Here's a picture of Harry with Doug Bernhardt in front of the shop. Taken in 2003.
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A sign from the Kaufman shop shared by Chris via Michel Perron, along with this comment: Hand lettered in 1963. One of the first signs Harry painted for the "New" shop. Purchased for 12,600 bucks the day after Kennedy got shot in November 1963 and sold for well over a million last year. Back in 2003, I asked him where I should be putting my money. He looked at me and said, "Let's get you some downtown property " best advice ever. Miss you Herschell. You'll always be my Zady. Oy-vay!
Harry remains one of my favorite people of all Time, I've been in the print industry in Ottawa for more than 25 years now and Harry is certainly one of my best memories, He scared the pants off me when I first met him ,within a few months he was making me laugh on every visit, what a great Pic. thanks for sharing
I remember Harry (and his cigar)! I would go and visit him at his shop on Nepean whenever I came back to Ottawa. Has the building come down?
My uncle worked for him at the shop I’d go in as a kid with my brother and he’d always give us 10$ each to go to subway on bank street and we would eat like kings lol also as a kid my aunt and uncle lived next to the shop and on Christmas id go over with a plate of food cause he was there working away lol he was a great guy
Very nice! Worked for Harry 23 years. Still miss him. Great memories. One of a kind. Heart of gold. Looked after us like family.
This is way too uncanny: I actually thought of Harry about an hour ago!!! He just popped into my mind here in Australia of when I'd get signs made for the NCC. I'd just walk over to Nepean St from Laurier Ave to see him. My friend Kevin lived upstairs for years!
harry did some sign work for me , he was always a customer at the diner i worked at, fish and chips always, nice guy always enjoyed serving him
i drank there.and so did mom and dad
My father worked at the Belle Claire Hotel.
The man, the legend. Marc still carries the name and we've grown a lot but we still miss him.
Awesome man. With a big heart RIP Harry
Brings back old memories.
Too bad my other post not showing here.
loved that hotel!
My Dad used to go to the Belle Claire before he gave up drinking, when I was expected. 🙂
Had a few beers there.
@ James Lacombe Cathy Ohara look who it is
Winter on Wellington Street in this downtown Ottawa street scene, featuring cars of the Depression Era parked along Wellington in 1935.
The building in the middle was the Union Bank Building, completed in 1888, and part of what was once known as “Bankers’ Row.” Royal Trust moved in later.
Building on the left was the Quebec Bank, I believe, but no longer exists. I thought that was the "Norlite" National Press building on the right, but it's actually the Victoria Building, as several people noted ...
(Toronto Public Library tspa_0107344f)
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Norlite is in the next block west; that's the Victoria Building
The Bank of Canada originally had it's offices in the Victoria Building from 1935 until it's own building was completed in 1938 further west down Wellington between Bank St. and Kent St.
Curtis is correct that is the Victoria Bldg which once housed some CBC radio studios and then CKPM radio where I began working in late 1964. The Norlite still sits on the west side of the old B of M and if you moved down the block to near the corner of Metcalfe you would have passed the old Rideau Club.
That is the corner of Wellington and O'Connor
Oh those fabulous gansta style cars!
Optical illusion. The cars in the middle look like they have wonky wheels!
Love the cars...
Your Evening Commute, featuring some excellent Ottawa automobiles in the shade, out front of the Chateau Laurier in the later 1950s.
Daly Building on the left. Across the street is the Honey Dew, but the Bowles Lunch seems to have changed into a Scott's Coffee Shop.
Shared by James Guthrie.Rideau St. circa 1950's
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Where and why did they all go?
I agree - around 1957, no earlier. And before 1959 as there is a streetcar in the pic. The stretch Airport limo was a 1957 Chrysler, and could be seen regularly in front of the Chateau for about another 5-6 years. It looks brand new in this pic.
Didn't realize there were so many buildings across from the Chateau and the Daly building. I thought there was only the train station. Looks very different now.
The cars and the dress code of the day exude class and style. Most cars today all look the same and as for men dressing like men I'll just say the percentage is down compared to days past. Great picture
Ah, the Honey Dew! I well remember their glazed donuts - the first I ever tasted. Mom and I would stop in there after shopping at Ogylvie's and Freiman's, when I was a child.
I’m guessing around 1957. I see the airport limousine with the roof racks in front of the Chateau Laurier.
Love the cars, especially the big black limo.
Loved the HoneyDew.
i bought the book it is real good
June 17, 1957, according to this Urbsite blog post: urbsite.blogspot.com/2013/02/an-afternoon-in-june.html
Bowles Lunch was behind the station next to the rear entrance, not on Rideau St.
Kiddie Town in there somewhere
Jim Mclaughlin Barbara McLaughlin