St. Anthony of Padua (Ottawa)
Encyclopedia
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...
, 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...
. Founded in 1908 it has long been the focal point of Ottawa's Italian-Canadian
Italian-Canadian
An Italian Canadian is a Canadian of Italian descent or heritage. According to the 2006 census of Canada, 1,445,335 Canadians consider themselves to be of Italian origin. The Italian-Canadian population climbed by more than 12% and half have combined Italian origins along with another ethnic...
community. The church is located at 427 Booth Street in the heart of Little Italy
Little Italy, Ottawa
Little Italy is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, situated in Centretown West and the cultural centre of Ottawa's Italian community. Bounded by Albert Street to the north, Carling Avenue to the south, the O-Train tracks to the west, and approximately Bronson Avenue to the east, Little...
. The first church was a small chapel, but burnt down in 1913 and another church, designed by Guido Nincheri
Guido Nincheri
Guido Nincheri was a Canadian artist working mainly in stained glass and fresco.-Biography:Born in Prato, Italy, he studied art in Florence and immigrated to Montreal in 1915 after a short stay in Boston where he decorated the Boston Opera House.Nincheri designed the interior decoration of many...
, was erected to replace it. This structure was completed in 1925, however it was severely damaged by a fire just four years later. It was again rebuilt, this time with very little wood.
The church has long been the social centre of the Italian-Canadian community in Ottawa. Across the street is St. Anthony's School, a Catholic elementary school. The church is also the base for the St. Anthony Italia Soccer Club, one of Ottawa's most competitive amateur soccer teams. In front of the church is Piazza Dante where major social events are held. The largest of which is the Feast of St. Anthony every June that attracts several thousand people.