Elgin Street (Ottawa)
Encyclopedia
Elgin Street is a street
in the Golden Triangle 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 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 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, 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 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, Scotiabank Place
is located far out of the city's downtown core in the suburb of Kanata
.
On January 1, 2010, The Elgin Street Community launched an online portal that represents both its residential and business sectors. See the external links below.
As of November 2011, the former National Art Gallery at 90 Elgin is beign torn down to be replaced with a new 17 storey (8 floors on Elgin) office building that will house the Federal Finance Departement. Furthermore, behind Grant House and First Baptist Church at 150 Elgin, there was a 23 Floor (300ft)office building called "Preformance Court" under construction.
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
in the Golden Triangle of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Originally named Biddy's Lane, it was later named after Lord Elgin
James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin
Sir James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, KT, GCB, PC , was a British colonial administrator and diplomat...
.
The north/south running street begins at Wellington Street
Wellington Street (Ottawa)
Wellington Street is an important street in Ottawa, Canada most notable for being one of the first two streets laid out in Bytown in 1826 Wellington Street (French: Rue Wellington) is an important street in Ottawa, Canada most notable for being one of the first two streets laid out in Bytown in...
in Confederation Square
Confederation Square
Confederation Square is an urban square in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and is considered the second most important ceremonial centre in Canada's capital city, after Parliament Hill...
, just east of the Parliament buildings and just west of the bridge over the Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
. In the centre of Elgin Street for the first two blocks is Confederation Square
Confederation Square
Confederation Square is an urban square in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and is considered the second most important ceremonial centre in Canada's capital city, after Parliament Hill...
, home of Canada's National War Memorial
National War Memorial (Canada)
The National War Memorial , is a tall granite cenotaph with acreted bronze sculptures, that stands in Confederation Square, Ottawa, and serves as the federal war memorial for Canada....
. To the south of this on the east of Elgin is the National Arts Centre
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
; to the west is the British High Commission
High Commission of the United Kingdom in Ottawa
The British High Commission in Ottawa is the main diplomatic mission of the United Kingdom in Canada. It is located at 80 Elgin Street in downtown Ottawa, across the street from the National Arts Centre and not far from Parliament Hill.- History :...
. Continuing south, Elgin is fronted by Confederation Park
Confederation Park
Confederation Park is a park in downtown Ottawa and a National Historic Site of Canada. It is bordered on the south by Laurier Avenue and Ottawa City Hall; on the east by the Rideau Canal; on the north by the Mackenzie King Bridge, the Rideau Centre and the National Arts Centre; and, to the west,...
to the east and the Lord Elgin Hotel
Lord Elgin Hotel
The Lord Elgin Hotel is a prominent hotel in downtown Ottawa, Canada with 355 guest rooms, located at 100 Elgin Street at Laurier Avenue, across from Confederation Park...
to the west. South of the park, just past Laurier Avenue
Laurier Avenue (Ottawa)
Laurier Avenue is a central east west street running through Ottawa, Canada. Originally known as "Maria Street" and "Theodore Street" , it was renamed in honour of Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier...
, is the Ottawa Court House, across from the First Baptist Church
First Baptist Church (Ottawa)
First Baptist Church is a prominent Baptist church in downtown Ottawa, Canada. It is part of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec. It was designed by James Mather.The church was first founded in 1857, the first Baptist congregation in Ottawa...
and Grant house (1875 mansion), followed by City Hall
Ottawa City Hall
The current Ottawa City Hall is the city hall of Ottawa, Canada. The downtown complex consists of two connected buildings: a modern wing located on Laurier Avenue and a 19th century heritage wing located on Elgin Street...
(former Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton
The Regional Municipality of Ottawa–Carleton was a regional government area and census division in Ontario, Canada which existed from 1969 until 2001...
Headquarters) and Knox Presbyterian Church
Knox Presbyterian Church (Ottawa)
Knox Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is named after John Knox, a founder of Presbyterianism in Scotland.It was founded as a result of the split within the congregation of St...
.
South of this, the street becomes mainly a business area, home to a number of stores, restaurants, and bars. Progressing south, the street steadily becomes more residential, home to low rise apartment buildings. Elgin ends at the Queensway
Queensway (Ottawa)
The Queensway is a major controlled-access freeway running through Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, from Kanata in the west to Orleans in the east. It is the primary east-west transportation artery in the Ottawa-Gatineau area....
, where it turns into Hawthorne Avenue
Hawthorne Avenue (Ottawa)
Hawthorne Avenue is a short street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Although short, the western half of the street serves as a major connector for residents of Old Ottawa East and Old Ottawa South with the downtown core, as Hawthorne becomes the Pretoria Bridge in the west which crosses over the Rideau...
before turning east and going over the Rideau Canal at the Pretoria Bridge
Pretoria Bridge
The Pretoria Bridge is a lift bridge in Ottawa, Canada. It crosses the Rideau Canal linking the Glebe and Centretown to Old Ottawa East. The bridge was built in 1915, replacing an earlier wooden swing bridge on Argyle Street just to the north...
. At the southern end of Elgin is the headquarters of the Ottawa Police Service
Ottawa Police Service
The Ottawa Police Service serves the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.-History:The OPS roots come from the formation of the "Bytown Association" in 1847. In 1855 Roderick Ross was the first Chief Constable for the newly formed City of Ottawa...
.
The street is now nicknamed "Sens Mile", similar to the Red Mile
Red Mile
The Red Mile is the name given to a several-block stretch of 17th Avenue S.W. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada during the Calgary Flames 2004 Stanley Cup playoff run...
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
and the Blue Mile in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
- a street for Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
celebrations in the 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The plan originated as a grassroots campaign upon realization that the home of the Ottawa Senators, Scotiabank Place
Scotiabank Place
Scotiabank Place is a multi-purpose arena, located in Kanata, a suburban district of Ottawa, Ontario. It is home to the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. It has also hosted the Canadian University Men's Basketball Championship...
is located far out of the city's downtown core in the suburb of Kanata
Kanata
Kanata is an aboriginal word meaning "village" or "settlement."- Name of Canada :Until the mid-20th century, the Mohawk word "kanata" was thought to have been the origin of Canada's name...
.
On January 1, 2010, The Elgin Street Community launched an online portal that represents both its residential and business sectors. See the external links below.
As of November 2011, the former National Art Gallery at 90 Elgin is beign torn down to be replaced with a new 17 storey (8 floors on Elgin) office building that will house the Federal Finance Departement. Furthermore, behind Grant House and First Baptist Church at 150 Elgin, there was a 23 Floor (300ft)office building called "Preformance Court" under construction.