Photo courtesy Fieldtripp on Flickr.
Many of us walk through our neighbourhoods every day. Remember that old building nestled in amongst more recent additions? It looks as though it’s probably been around since Ottawa was just an outpost? So who built it? And there’s a random statue placed on the corner. Who does it honour? Why is it still around?
This weekend, thanks to Jane’s Walk, you can get all of the answers to your curious neighbourhood questions. Jane’s Walk is a yearly ‘festival of walks’ – when historians, activists, planners and residents come out of the woodwork to lead Ottawans on walks so they can get to know their city a bit better. So when did the Italians actually settle in Little Italy? Who built the cat sanctuary behind Parliament? Can you eat those weeds growing in Confederation Park? Yup, there are people in this city who have all the answers – and more! Get the full list of free walks here, and plan your exploration of the city now. No need to register – just show up with a good dose of curiosity.
Jane’s Walk is a celebration of the life and theories of Jane Jacobs, an urban visionary who thought long and hard about the dangers of putting highways through the city core and who was convinced that walking around one’s city is the best way to create community. Though she was Toronto-based, her theories spread far and wide – just as Jane’s Walks have done. This year, there will be over 40 walks in Ottawa alone, with 72 cities worldwide participating in almost 500 walks.
So what are you waiting for? Go out and meet your neighbours – find out what the real plan is and the history behind the O-Train or Lansdowne, discover places of importance for Ottawa’s homeless people, or discover the favourite Ottawa hang-outs for turtles and dogs.
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