Monday, August 4, 2014

Colonel John By And His Holiday

Today is the Civic Holiday in many parts of Canada. We just don't agree on what to call it. In Toronto it's Simcoe Day. Guelph calls it John Galt Day. Sarnia calls this day Alexander Mackenzie Day. It is known as Joseph Brant Day in Burlington. Saskatchewan calls it Saskatchewan Day. Here in Ottawa it's Colonel By Day, after the British military engineer who designed and led the efforts to build the Rideau Canal, and is considered the founder of the city. I wasn't able to get recent shots, so I'm plundering previous shots of the statue of the Colonel in Major's Hill Park.


Rather nice to see the tulips again, isn't it?


And I'm finishing off in Confederation Park, where the fountain is dedicated in memory of Colonel By. It's just the thing for a hot day. 


35 comments:

  1. Having different names for the day at least makes you remember various personalities! Love the fountain! Enjoy the day!

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  2. Love that you a all celebrating something different on the same day.

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  3. That happens in many parts of the world, William, invent anything to take advantage of it.

    Tomás.

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  4. Interesting about how the holiday is celebrated under different names. And John Galt--that was the name of one of Ayn Rand's characters in Atlas Shrugged. Connection of some sort?

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  5. The different names say a lot about regional differences! Just as a matter of interest, what do they call it in Quebec?

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  6. Whatever you call it, it's a nice day to spend with the family enjoying the last bits of summer!! :)

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  7. Nice to have a holiday whatever you call it, enjoy it!

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  8. We call it Civic Holiday north of Toronto. ;))

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  9. Why the confusion William ? Have enjoyed your shots from Confederation Park very much.

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  10. This is very strange. Canada... get it together! Pick one name for it.

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  11. interesting that you all do your own thing!

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  12. He looks very stately standing there among the colorful tulips.

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  13. @Ciel: thank you!

    @Peter: it is a mixed up kind of day, really!

    @Tomas: well, this holiday makes more sense than Family Day.

    @Bibi: well, the original John Galt was a businessman and novelist from Scotland who came over here. I imagine Rand took his name from the literary connections.

    @Mike: thank you!

    @Blois: I don't think Quebec marks the holiday. There are a couple of other provinces that don't have the day off.

    @Halcyon: it certainly is!

    @Bieb: thank you!

    @EG: a lot of towns who haven't found a historical figure to name it for just go with that.

    @Revrunner: well that was the uniform of the time!

    @Grace: I imagine it was because the residents of one area preferred one person over another.

    @BIrdman: that would be nice!

    @Tex: here there are a lot of festivities going on down by the Bytown Museum today.

    @Luis: thank you!

    @Sharon: he certainly does.

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  14. We call it civic holiday here...I think I'll make up a glam name.
    Jane x

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  15. Very nice to see the tulips again!

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  16. It's funny they can't all settle on one name. Great shots!

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  17. Tulips again? But it's a delightful photo anyway, and so is the last one.

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  18. You mixed again some of my favorite ingredients: statues, history, with also a beautiful fountain!

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  19. Can't help it, love the tulips again :)

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  20. Those tulips are gorgeous! I'm in central Ontario and I've always called it Civic Holiday. So interesting to hear all the different names. Happy Long weekend!!

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  21. So it's sort of a "celebrate the heroes" sort of day? One locality started in and others decided it was a good idea?
    Yes, it's very nice to see tulips again. And that fountain is very refreshing, too!

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  22. @Jane and Chris: you could name it after the cats.

    @Norma: I figured, why not?

    @Krisztina: thank you!

    @Linda: not many people saw that fountain the first time I posted it early on.

    @VP: it's a pleasure to do so.

    @Marleen: life is too short to go without tulips.

    @RedPat: it's quite dramatic.

    @Jen: thank you!

    @Kay: I imagine not having a central figure made it this way.

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  23. Colonel By. Wonder if he had people making jokes to him all the time? Hi, Colonel By! Bye. Ahem, this is Colonel By the statue. Colonel By hook or crook...

    Oops. Got carried away. Hope you have a nice By day!

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  24. You gotta admit that it's kinda funny how you have a day of celebration but everyone is celebrating something or someone else! Love it. You Canadians are lots of fun. No wonder I like you so much!

    I can see how, as Cheryl mentioned, that his name would engender all kinds of creative and humorous comments.

    Day By day, I'm on my way, so say good by to Colonel By.

    And it's nice he had something to do with the canal so you can sing, "Down By the riverside...

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  25. i enjoy the fountain & the red & white blooms. gorgeous!! ( :

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  26. Love the fountain. Hope to see this same shot during all four seasons!

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  27. How interesting depending on the area, it has so many different names. Yes I loved seeing the tulips again. The canal is a wonderful shot, and I enjoyed all the photos and that little bit of history about Colonel By. Thanks William!

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  28. It's a wonder the cities and provinces can't get it together. Happy Holiday anyway. MB

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  29. A Day with many names...
    I like the statues, but my preferred is the fountain, I don't know why... :-)

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  30. That's a little funny that no one can agree.

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  31. @Cheryl: he was quite a man.

    @Lowell: it would.

    @Beth: thanks!

    @Janis: I occasionally photograph that fountain.

    @Denise: you're welcome.

    @MB: thanks!

    @Karl: it's a good fountain.

    @Whisk: that's true.

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