Lights Around The Landmarks

 On December 7th, Christmas lights are turned on around numerous landmarks in the city. I start with this shot, taken across from the National Peacekeeping Monument, near the National Gallery, taken a few nights afterwards.

My path led me back to Ottawa City Hall, where the grounds were decorated. An outdoor skating rink is also found here.

City Hall has a provincial courthouse as a neighbour, and that provides the backdrop for these lights. I spent a few days here this year testifying for the Crown in a criminal trial. Hopefully never again.

A big wreath hangs over the main city building.

Across the street is Confederation Park, where instead of traditional lights, spheres of lights hang in trees, and the trunks are illuminated by spotlights of coloured lights. It's different, but I like it.

The park is home to several military monuments, including this one, the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument.

I headed up the street. Between Confederation Park and the National Arts Center, more Christmas lights.

Up at the NAC is this statue. This is the centennial year of the birth of Oscar Peterson, the great jazz pianist and composer, one of the best jazz has ever seen, and in my opinion the greatest musician Canada has ever given the world. A statue of him sits here, with his music playing from an overhead speaker. He looks like he's taking in the applause from his audience. There were Christmas touches in the nearby flowerbeds.

Passing by the NAC, around to the north end, more Christmas lights. The statue seen here is Andrew Hamilton Gault, the politician and military officer who organized the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at the outset of World War One. The regiment has a proud history, and is still active today. We'll cross the street from here tomorrow to close out the Christmas series.

Odds And Ends Within The City

I begin today in the Glebe neighbourhood. Late one afternoon, I saw this car, which I've featured before. I consider it hideous and ugly, but the car (and its owner) have drawn a lot of attention in social media locally, where a lot of people seem to like it. Each year, the owner seems to add more junk to it, and when he's not at work, he likes to drive around from place to place in the city.

This is a photograph from the archives- obviously with the snow. I featured this building for a theme day in February 2024. At the time, it was still in use as an office building, and there was a retail unit on the ground floor still in operation- a running store. 

This is a more recent photograph, taken just a bit further east along Slater. The building is presently being demolished in favour of a complete rebuild, and the company doing it is demolishing it from the top down- as you can see, there are less floors now.

The same building is seen in the background in this shot, from the west. Its neighbour is a former parking garage awaiting demolition. This is the garage I featured several months ago, the one that suffered a partial collapse of its roof due to heavy snow packed in one area (plus the negligence of the ownership).

One day I stopped in a downtown office building for lunch at one of the food vendors. I didn't buy from this one, but noticed this sign in the neighbouring unit to where I was buying from. 

And now a real cat. This one lives close to home from me.

I headed out to the campus at the University of Ottawa one day, with this church in mind. The Paroisse Sacre-Coeur d'Ottawa is a French language Catholic church on the campus, one of two Catholic churches found here. It is very contemporary- its predecessor building burned in a fire. This one is open to students during the week, as the university has some classes here. And it also has a beautiful chapel, with stained glass windows that I had intended to use for the theme day.

Alas, the building was still locked. I photographed the front bell tower.

On my way out, I passed by Tabaret Hall, one of the university buildings, and my favourite on campus in terms of architectural style.

The National Arts Centre has a statue outside of the great Canadian jazz musician and composer Oscar Peterson. This year marks the centennial of his birth. The statue, by Ruth Abernethy, was unveiled by the Queen in 2010, and feels very lifelike. Music by Oscar comes from speakers mounted overhead. In my opinion, one of the greatest in jazz, and the greatest musician this country ever gave to the world.

Just down the street is Confederation Park, which has a number of monuments. This is the largest of them. The National Aboriginal Veterans Monument pays tribute to indigenous warriors who have served the country in war and the military, featuring four warriors, an eagle, and four animals around the base- the bear, the wolf, the elk, and the bison.

Here it is from the far side, with the Lord Elgin Hotel across the street.

Some of our national birds could be seen in the park eating. They're all on the way south.

And I end nearby. The main Ottawa Courthouse shares the property with City Hall. I spent some days here in late April and early May. I was testifying for the Crown in a criminal trial. The accused was later found guilty on multiple charges. 

I personally found the experience of testifying in court to be draining, particularly since some of those days I wasn't testifying at all, just waiting. The building itself I have always liked.

Carleton County Gaol

More from within Death Row in the old Carleton County Gaol today. A visit here is a sobering experience.

As noted yesterday, there were only three official executions held here.

This cell, with a ball and chain, is particularly evocative.

These are photographs of a documentary done several years ago in the old gaol.

This window, past the cells, looks out to the next building over, the former courthouse, which has a tunnel connection to this one. Now that courthouse is home to Arts Court, a home for multiple artistic groups.

Criminal justice changes. When Ontario was still Upper Canada, much of the legal system was based on the "bloody code" of Britain's legal system, where many crimes could be capital crimes. 

Windows in Death Row were like this- wooden slats in an upward position to minimize views outside.

A look back down the stairs.

And a final view from the street, with ivy draped over the wall.

Freedom Of Expression

 Untitled is this abstract painting by Leon Bellefleur.

Incandescence is the title of this 1968 abstract by Rita Letendre.

More abstracts can be seen here.

Red Pair is by Don Jarvis.

Paraskeva Clark, a Russian immigre to Canada, painted Homage To A Soviet Film, Baltic Deputy in 1968.

Out I went, taking a shot of the Firestone staircase from this floor.

I took a photograph of where I had come in- with a cafe down below as well.

The OAG has art for sale. These two paintings caught my attention.

One last shot, with the OAG in the background from this side, one big white cube. In the foreground, the old Carleton County Gaol, now a youth hostel. And the former courthouse that is now home to Arts Court is at left.