This Sunday, August 13th, TRACE architectures Emily Guy is presenting a walking tour of Ottawa’s Centretown West neighbourhood.
This tour is part of Heritage Ottawa’s Walking Tour Series for 2023. Centretown West is one of Ottawa’s densest urban neighbourhoods and has been a hub for immigrant communities for over 100 years. Waves of newcomers have arrived at various times in this area, each adding their unique flavour to the Centretown West’s vibrant cultural tapestry.
Over the years, these groups have left their mark on the neighbourhood, yet as demographics shift, old landmarks and buildings are being replaced by modern structures, businesses, and amenities.
As a resident of Centretown West for the last 8 years, Emily has had the opportunity of experiencing these built features – while also enjoying the more ‘intangible’ elements of this area, including the stories and snippets of people’s experiences living, working and visiting this neighbourhood.
This walking tour aims to explore the area’s commercial streets, including Preston and Somerset Streets, as well as some of the residential areas at the juncture of Chinatown and Little Italy. The tour will examine the past, present, and future of the area, as well as the rich tapestry of cultures that define this neighbourhood in flux.
As a social historian, working in the architecture field – Emily hopes to bring both elements to this tour and provide a more fulsome context of a part of this neighbourhood. The tour will cover stories from the past, while also discussing its future, including current development plans in the area.
Heritage Ottawa provides walking tours throughout the City – offering one of the best ways to explore the history and heritage of some of Ottawa’s most interesting neighbourhoods with guides. Tours are offered at a small fee and take place on Sundays beginning at 2:00 pm. The 2023 schedule runs through the summer, and into the fall until October 23rd.
