Ottawa boasts three historic rivers that meet beneath the seat of government, a canal that is a UNESCO heritage site, and a National Park within 15 minutes drive of Parliament Hill.
Three Main Criteria for Choosing Ottawa as the Capital
When Ottawa was chosen as the capital of the Union of Canada on December 31, 1857, the choice was based on three main criteria:
1) It was a central location connecting the Upper and Lower Canada's and, thus, representing a symbolic nationalism,
2) It had a magnificent site for government buildings,
3) And it was politically more stable than Montreal and less vulnerable to attack from America than Kingston.
Bytown - The Logging Town that Became a Nation's Capital
Bytown obtained its city status in 1855 and was renamed Ottawa, after the mighty river that was central to its sawn timber industry. Becoming the capital was an economic plum that transformed it from a grubby lumber town into a hub with rail and water transportation and dreams of greater economic status than it ever achieved.
Politics Kept Ottawa at the Periphery
The dreams of becoming a metropolis were never realized. With the forming of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, Toronto and Montreal each stepped out front as powerful centers of industry and provincial government. Ottawa, the nation's capital, was left to develop at a much slower pace, and this has led to it becoming such a special city.
Once it became clear that Ottawa would not be competing with Toronto or Montreal for industry, the capital planners turned their energies to creating a different vision. Ottawa has developed into center of almost 5,000 square kilometers of unspoiled river shores and woodland, historic and cultural activities.
Choosing to Live in Ottawa Now
Upon being asked why people have chosen to live in Ottawa, more often than not the answer will include some reference to the easy access to outdoor activities. While it is true that Ottawa does not attract the same kind of attention as Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, there is pleasantness in the amount of bustle.
Festivals are numerous and accessible. Art and cultural activities are world-class, if not as edgy as that of the larger cities. The international attention is more ambassadorial than controversial with major political events taking place elsewhere. And the people who live there can go about their daily business in a low-key manner.
Celebrating Ottawa's Quieter Style
It is so very easy to criticize, and it is certainly human tendency to do so. It is a favourite pastime of Canadians to put themselves down. Ottawans are no different. It is worth asking what would be the positive intent in such an engagement?
There is and has always been quiet visionary approach to developing the capital region. The steps to the dance between national and community politics, between the development of the built and the natural environment, and between different cultures, are being made up afresh every day.
The leaders of Canada's national capital region have to be in constant conversation. And the conversation is best if it is creative and open. There is something uncertain about that kind of future planning, and something exciting as well. Being small in this case is a blessing, offering perhaps a modicum of space and time in which to make decisions with the values of a country in mind.
References
John H. Taylor, Ottawa: An Illustrated History, Toronto, James Lorimer and Company, 1986
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