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27-494: Sparks runs from Elgin Street in the east to Bronson Avenue in the west. The Sparks Street Mall , which contains a number of outdoor restaurants and several works of art and fountains , only runs from Elgin to Bank Street . The pedestrian-only portion continues for another two blocks westward. The final two blocks, west of Lyon Street, consist of a regular road, merging into Bronson Avenue heading south. The mall and most of

54-404: A 23-floor (300 ft) office building called "Performance Court" under construction. From January 7, 2019 to December 16, 2019 Elgin Street between Somerset and Catherine Streets was closed to vehicle traffic as part of a revitalization project. Construction occurred between Gloucester and Isabella Streets. Project planning began in 2018 and on November 27, 2020 the city announced construction

81-407: A number of heritage buildings. The street is named after Nicholas Sparks , a farmer who, early in the mid-nineteenth century, cut a path through the woods on his holding, which would eventually become this street. When Ottawa was selected as Canada's capital, this area became even more important, as the street became home to a number of government offices and homes for parliamentarians. One of these

108-588: Is a former Ottawa City Councillor representing Somerset Ward which consists of Centretown , Centretown West and the downtown core . She was born and raised in Montreal , Quebec , and graduated from McGill University with a degree in Physical Education . She taught at McGill and the University of Toronto before moving to Ottawa . Prior to being entering politics, she was the chairman of

135-625: Is seeking to increase business and activity by increasing the number of residences nearby. However, the CBC development has been criticized as "just another low-cost, banal building" which was designed poorly and has not brought more life to the street. Councillor Diane Holmes called it "the biggest disappointment," and "a whole block of deadness." Sparks Street is home to the Sparks Street International Chicken & Rib Cook-off every year in late June. Each year, around

162-735: The August civic holiday , Sparks street plays host to the Ottawa International Buskers Festival, where buskers from around the world come to showcase their art to tourists and locals in downtown Ottawa. Latin Sparks Festival made its debut in 2012 as a small group of 40 friends gathered weekly on Sparks Street to dance outdoors in the summertime. Sparks Street is home to Latin Sparks Festival since 2012, featuring music, dancing and food. Sparks contains some of Ottawa's most important structures. Just past

189-632: The Blue Mile in Edmonton - a street for Ottawa Senators celebrations in the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The plan originated as a grassroots campaign upon realization that the home of the Ottawa Senators, Canadian Tire Centre is located 30 minutes west of the city's downtown core in the suburb of Kanata . In June 2010 a life size bronze statue of the Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson

216-717: The East Memorial Building , with other government departments in the West Memorial Building . West of these buildings the street becomes far less notable, being home to several hotels and smaller buildings. The final block of this rather short street has the Garden of the Provinces and Territories to the north and Christ Church Cathedral , Ottawa's main Anglican church , to the south. One of

243-754: The Parliament buildings and just west of the bridge over the Rideau Canal . In the centre of Elgin Street for the first two blocks is Confederation Square , home of Canada's National War Memorial . To the south of this on the east of Elgin is the National Arts Centre ; to the west is the British High Commission . Continuing south, Elgin is fronted by Confederation Park to the east and the Lord Elgin Hotel to

270-613: The Bible House/old James Hope building at 61 Sparks, built in 1910; and branches of a number of Canada's banks from the same era. A pair of notable newer buildings are also on this section of the mall, including the CBC Ottawa Broadcast Centre and the Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building , which is located at the corner of Metcalfe and Sparks Streets. West of Bank Street, outside of the mall itself,

297-517: The Centretown Citizen's Community Association and the president of Heritage Ottawa. She was first elected to Ottawa city council in 1982 in a surprise victory over veteran alderman Joe Cassey . On city council, her priorities include housing, urban planning, community development, transportation, social services, women's issues and social justice causes. As a previous head of Heritage Ottawa she worked to preserve heritage structures. She

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324-461: The best known addresses in all of Canada for many years was "56 Sparks Street, Ottawa" as it was the tag line used in a large number of radio and television commercials and commentaries made by Lotta Hitschmanova , founder of the humanitarian charity USC Canada , which moved to an office at 56 Sparks Street soon after it was created in 1945. On September 14, 2019, the O-Train 's Confederation Line

351-566: The buildings on the south side are owned and operated by the National Capital Commission . Buildings on the north side of the mall were expropriated by the Government of Canada in 1973, and are currently operated by Public Works and Government Services Canada . Located one block south of Wellington Street (the home of the Parliament of Canada ), Sparks Street is one of Ottawa's more historical streets and features

378-426: The downtown area became less centralized and commerce spread to neighbouring streets. Government ministries, requiring larger offices, also went elsewhere. In 1959, the street's streetcar line (Bank Street to Rideau Canal) was closed. Starting in 1960, the street was closed to vehicular traffic in the summers in an attempt to improve commerce. This plan was modelled on Toledo, Ohio , which along with Kalamazoo were

405-631: The eastern end of Sparks at Elgin Street is the National War Memorial and across Elgin from Sparks is the National Arts Centre . The eastern section of the street has a number of the city's older buildings, including Ottawa's post office from 1939; the Ottawa Electric Building, built in 1926 by the founders of the Ottawa Electric Railway , Ottawa's streetcar system; Ottawa's first high-rise :

432-416: The first North American cities to close downtown streets in an attempt to recapture customers. The success of these temporary summer closings convinced the city to close the street permanently to vehicles in 1967. Although initially successful, the mall began to decline in the 1970s. Urban planning professor David Gordon, of Queen's University, blames the growth of suburban shopping malls. Another major problem

459-484: The pedestrian mall is open year-round and extends from Elgin to Kent Streets. Although the mall is quite busy during the week, it is only lightly used on the weekend. The National Capital Commission remains committed to operating and improving the mall. The street's landscaping has been updated. The Commission was successful in bringing the CBC Ottawa Broadcast Centre to a location on the mall, and

486-692: The street is overshadowed by the C.D. Howe Building , the home of Industry Canada to the south, and the headquarters of the Bank of Canada to the north. West of the bank is the Ottawa Marriott Hotel and Place de Ville 's Podium Building and Tower C, once the tallest building in Ottawa and home of Transport Canada . On the north side is home of the Department of Justice in St. Andrew's Towers and

513-762: The street steadily becomes more residential, home to low rise apartment buildings. Elgin ends at the Queensway , where it turns into Hawthorne Avenue before turning east and going over the Rideau Canal at the Pretoria Bridge . At the southern end of Elgin is the headquarters of the Ottawa Police Service . The street is now nicknamed " Sens Mile ", similar to the Red Mile in Calgary and

540-525: The street was in the early twentieth century, when a number of Beaux-Arts buildings that still stand were erected. At the time, the eastern end of Sparks Street continued across the Rideau Canal on Sappers Bridge . Where the War Memorial and Confederation Square stands today, was the Russell House hotel, and Ottawa's old Post Office. The square was built in the 1930s. As the city expanded,

567-547: The west. South of the park, just past Laurier Avenue , is the Ottawa Court House , across from the First Baptist Church and Grant house (1875 mansion), followed by City Hall (former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton Headquarters) and Knox Presbyterian Church . South of this, the street becomes mainly a business area, home to a number of stores, restaurants, and bars. Progressing south,

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594-622: Was Thomas D'Arcy McGee who, in 1868, was assassinated outside his home at the corner of Sparks and Metcalfe. The street also became Ottawa's commercial hub in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was home to a number of the city's banks and the lumber companies of the Ottawa Valley , as well as "the best shops, hotels, dining rooms, and theatres.". It once contained the Murphy-Gamble (later Simpson's ), Morgan's , C. Ross, and Bryson-Graham's department stores. The peak of

621-573: Was easily re-elected in 1985 and 1988. She considered a bid for the mayoralty in 1991, but ended up supporting fellow progressive Nancy Smith who came in a strong second (36%) to Jacquelin Holzman (40%). Holmes was easily re-elected to council in 1991. In 1994 Holmes moved to the council of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton , facing little opposition in her bid. She was acclaimed in 1997 and retired from council in 2000 when

648-522: Was officially completed. The project included sewer and water main replacement, burying overhead utility lines, adding bike lanes at the south end, new bus shelters, widening the sidewalks, lane reduction to two lanes with traffic calming measures, public art installations and the creation of a public square (Boushey Square). Boushey Square hosts the weekly Elgin Street Market in the summer months. Diane Holmes Diane Holmes (born c. 1939)

675-679: Was opened, under Queen Street and one block south of Sparks. Both Lyon and Parliament ( Parlement in French) stations serves the area. Elgin Street (Ottawa) Elgin Street ( / ˈ ɛ l ɡ ɪ n / EL -ghin ; Ottawa Road #91 ) is a street in the Downtown core of Ottawa , Ontario , Canada . Originally named Biddy's Lane , it was later named after Lord Elgin . The north/south running street begins at Wellington Street in Confederation Square , just east of

702-425: Was the growth of highrise government offices with internal concourses in the area. Gordan and Bray wrote that Sparks became "an isolated island of pedestrian-friendly space in a traffic-dominated district" in a 2003 report. Additionally, the Government of Canada is a major landlord on the street, its buildings presenting a "blank face" to the street, and discouraging shops from investing in the area long-term. Today,

729-479: Was unveiled at the corner of Elgin and Albert Streets by Queen Elizabeth II during her royal tour of Canada. As of November 2011, the former National Art Gallery at 90 Elgin is being torn down to be replaced with a new 17 storey (8 floors on Elgin) office building that will house the Federal Finance Department. Furthermore, behind Grant House and First Baptist Church at 150 Elgin, there was

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