events

2025 Walking Tour Season

Explore the history and heritage of some of Ottawa's most interesting neighbourhoods with our knowledgeable tour guides!

Please note:

  • Tours take place rain or shine, and last approximately 1.5 hours, unless otherwise indicated. We recommend wearing comfortable sturdy shoes.
  • For safety reasons, dogs on leashes (with the exception of service animals) cannot be accommodated on our tours.
  • Space is limited
    • Online Pre-registration and Pre-payment are required for all participants using our secure online payment method below.
    • No registrations or payments can be accepted on site by the volunteers hosting the tours.

Heritage Ottawa Members: $10 | Non-members: $25

IMPORTANT! Heritage Ottawa members, to receive your automatic 60% discount you must log-in to the website before placing your order. (How else will we know you're a member?) 

 

THE SCIENTIFIC LANDSCAPE OF THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM

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Photo of workers in Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa Canada.

Ottawa's Central Experimental Farm (CEF) is a world-renowned scientific landscape. Founded in 1886, the Farm developed, tested and promoted critical agricultural knowledge that propelled the growth of Canada's economy. The tour will explore the history of the site with an emphasis on its scientific value -- past and present -- for food production, soil health and addressing climate change.  

When
Depart from

South of Neatby Building, in parking lot
960 Carling Avenue
Ottawa ON K1Y 4X2
Canada

Guide

Dr. Malcolm Morrison is an Oilseed Physiologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. His deep interest in the history of research at the CEF is enriched by his childhood growing up on the Morden Research Station in Manitoba. 

A JOURNEY THROUGH OTTAWA'S HERSTORY

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Nellie McClung, one of the Women are Persons Sculpture, Ottawa | Nellie McClung, du sculpture Les Femmes song des personnes, Ottawa

NEW TOUR: Women have always played critical roles in Ottawa, but their contributions are often underappreciated or miscredited. Although frequently overlooked in walking tours and history books alike, women have played key roles in shaping our urban environments and creating our communities. From early tavern owners in rowdy Bytown, to formidable landscape architects, the imprint of women's history is everywhere. Join us for a walk through Ottawa's herstory, where we explore the unique contributions of women, both ordinary and famous, and consider their lasting impact on the communities we call home. 

When
Depart from

Valiant's Memorial, east of the War Memorial | Monument aux Valeureux, à l'est du Monument commémoratif
Elgin Street near steps leading down to the canal | La rue Elgin près des marches descendant vers le canal
Ottawa ON K1P 5A4
Canada

Guide

Brittney Anne Bos (PhD, Queen's) is a professional historian specializing in commemoration and interpretation, gender history, and public history. She is a contract instructor at Carleton University and a Project Manager at ERA Architects.

ASHTON VILLAGE

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Photo: Wikimedia

NEW TOUR: The Village of Ashton is on the western edge of Ottawa's city boundary. The Village has changed relatively little since the first settlement in 1818. This heritage setting on the banks of the Jock River boasts three church spires and plenty of well-preserved heritage homes and businesses. The tour will highlight the preserved, repurposed and active historical buildings that made Ashton a thriving community, finishing with some social time in the old Grist Mill (now Ashton Pub). Heritage Ottawa thanks the Goulbourn Township Historical Society for developing this tour. 

When
Depart from

Parc Ashton Park
8930, rue Flewellyn Road
Ottawa ON K0A 1B0
Canada

Guide

John Bottriell, board member, Goulbourn Township Historical Society.

BASKETBALL HISTORY & HERITAGE

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Photo capturing young people playing basketball on outdoor neighbourhood court

NEW TOUR! Ottawa has a long and proud sport tradition that includes key events in the story of basketball and its inventor: James Naismith. With his friend, Thomas Duncan (TD) Patton, Naismith travelled from Ottawa to Springfield College, Massachusetts, where both enrolled. Naismith would invent basketball, organizing the first-ever game there on December 21, 1891. Patton was recognized as basketball's "first player." 

This fascinating tour shines light on the lost history of how Naismith and Patton played a role in Ottawa being an "early adopter" of basketball. The first recorded game outside the U.S. took place at Ottawa's YMCA on October 3, 1892, making Ottawa "Canada's basketball birthplace." The tour discusses the people involved, and the places where basketball took root. It highlights the important role of sport in Ottawa, and basketball in particular, in bridging people from a range of cultures, communities and neighbourhoods. 

Please Note: The tour ends at St. Luke's Park at the corner of Elgin and Frank streets.

When
Depart from

151 Sparks Street
Ottawa ON K1P 5B5
Canada

Guide

Leo B. Doyle M.A., serves as the chair of Eastern Ontario Basketball and is the founder of the Ottawa Basketball Network (OBN), an advocacy group focused on promoting basketball and ensuring equitable access to opportunities that facilitate youth and community development. In addition to his work with OBN, Doyle volunteers with Indigenous Sport and Wellness Ontario, and sits on the boards of the Ottawa Shooting Stars Basketball Club and Nutrition Blocs, a non-profit organization dedicated to combating food insecurity among school-aged children in Ottawa. He is the community advisor to the Ottawa BlackJacks professional basketball team of the CEBL, and passionate about Ottawa's history and heritage.

ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING ALONG THE RIDEAU CANAL

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View of Rideau Canal locks | Vue des écluses du canal Rideau

Lieutenant Colonel John By supervised the construction of the Rideau Canal and had a major influence on its design, from the Ottawa locks to Kingston. This tour begins at the foot of the locks and travels to the Corktown Bridge, exploring the architecture and engineering of buildings and structures along the Rideau canal, as well as of the canal itself. A world heritage site since 2007, the Rideau Canal corridor exemplifies nearly 200 years of change, while retaining the elements that made the canal such a remarkable achievement. 

When
Depart from

Bytown Museum, Rideau Canal Locks
1 Canal Lane
Ottawa ON K1P 5P6
Canada

Guide

David Jeanes is a retired professional engineer and a former president of Heritage Ottawa with a strong interest in transportation. He has led many tours over the past 20 years, including tours highlighting the history and engineering of the Rideau Canal 

HOGS BACK - BEYOND THE FALLS

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Hogs Back - Beyond the Falls, Sunday August 17, 2025 at 2 pm

NEW TOUR! The landscape of the Hogs Back area, which is part of the Rideau Canal World Heritage Site, has been shaped by nature, history and urban design. Join us to learn more about how the natural conditions of the area were transformed by Rideau Canal engineering in the early 19th century and reconfigured through the building of Capital driveways, parks and federal buildings in the 20th century. Enjoy views of bridges, waterways and historic buildings that showcase a corner of Ottawa that is known by name, but with an almost hidden history that contributes towt-2025-10 what makes Ottawa unique. 

When
Depart from

Hogs Back Refreshment Stand
North side of Hogs Back Road near the falls.
Ottawa ON K2C 0B1
Canada

Guide

Julie Harris, Chair of the Heritage Ottawa Walking Tours Committee, is a professional public historian whose work has included studies for various government clients about the area. 

HINTONBURG: AN EARLY STREETCAR SUBURB

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Hintonburg: An Early Streetcar Suburb, Sunday August 24, 2025 @ 2 pm

Present day Hintonburg began as several rural estates stretching west from Bytown along the Richmond Road (now Wellington St. West). As these estates were subdivided into residential lots, the population grew, spurred on by the job opportunities found nearby with the railways, lumber yards and Central Experimental Farm. Arrival of the streetcar in 1891 promoted even more growth and the Village of Hintonburg was incorporated in 1893.

The early streetcar suburb grew quickly after annexation to the City of Ottawa in 1907. Just as the streetcar led to rapid growth in the early 20th century, the LRT is bringing new pressures to Hintonburg.

The tour will take you through the heart of this interesting, eclectic and socially varied neighbourhood, rich in heritage, now undergoing intensification pressures. 

When
Depart from

Saint-François-d'Assise Church
Southwest corner of Wellington St. West and Fairmont Ave.
Ottawa ON K1Y 2K2
Canada

Guide

Linda Hoad, long-time area resident, heritage activist and Heritage Ottawa board member. 

ART AND NATURE - LANDSCAPES OF CORNELIA OBERLANDER

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Art and Nature - Landscapes of Cornelia Oberlander, September 14, 2025 at 2 pm (Photo credit: National Gallery of Canada)

Explore the landscapes around the National Gallery of Canada created by pioneering Canadian landscape architect, Cornelia Oberlander. She collaborated with National Gallery architect Moishe Safdie from 1984-88 to design interior and exterior spaces of the Gallery with schemes referencing art in the Gallery's collection. Her work represented a radical departure for Ottawa gardens at the time. In addition to the Taiga Garden alluding to the art of the Group of Seven, Oberlander designed the Minimalist Courtyard, Pin Oak Allée, and the Op Art path behind the Gallery. 

The tour will also include some of the outdoor sculptures installed by the National Gallery and will terminate at the newly landscaped Kìwekì Point (formerly Nepean Point). 

When
Depart from

Under large Crack Willow Tree, north end of Major's Hill Park
South of Murray Street leading to Alexandra Bridge, facing National Gallery (Photo credit: National Gallery of Canada)
Ottawa ON K1N 9N4
Canada

Guide

Ian Ferguson is a former diplomat who studied art history following his retirement. An active Heritage Ottawa volunteer, he has also served as a docent at the National Gallery and written several articles for their online magazine, including one highlighting Cornelia Oberlander's engagement with the landscapes around the Gallery. 

ISLAND PARK DRIVE

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ISLAND PARK DRIVE | Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 2 pm

A heritage asset of the National Capital Commission opened in 1923, Island Park Drive was designed to extend the Capital parkway system, which continues to preserve the original design intentions as well as many of the original homes along its entire length. As one of Ottawa's most prestigious historical neighbourhoods, Island Park Drive has been home to many prominent Canadians who contributed significantly to the economic and cultural development of Ottawa. Residents have included legendary jeweller Jack Snow, printing tycoon Rolla Law Crain, W.H. Taylor Arkley, "the tailor," and Daniel and Lucy Rochester, and Dr. Stafford Kirkpatrick, a Queen's University metallurgical genius. 

When
Depart from

Kitchissippi United Church
630 Island Park Drive, immediately south of the Queensway.
Ottawa ON K1Y 0B7
Canada

Guide

Jennifer Hornby Gillespie is a loong-time resident, long-time board director and Past-President of the Island Park Community Association, who worked for 30 years in the technology sector.

NEW EDINBURGH

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NEW EDINBURGH | Sunday, September 28, 2025 at 2 pm

Explore New Edinburgh's architectural variety and beautiful streetscapes through a walking tour that highlights its amazing history and the community's efforts to protect the area's history and heritage. 

The neighbourhood is centred on a mill town founded in 1829. As one of Canada's earliest planned communities, it still presents a largely 19th-century face to the world. The tour will look at the industrial roots of the village, introduce some early inhabitants, and show how the community has evolved over time.

When
Depart from

Fraser Schoolhouse
62 John Street (near Sussex Drive in New Edinburgh)
Ottawa ON K1M 1P5
Canada

Guide

Janet Uren is a professional writer, author or co-author of four books on local history, and the author of a planned history of New Edinburgh. She also worked with fellow New Edinburgh historian Katherine Arkay to develop the content of the tour.

THANK YOU TO OUR WALKING TOUR SPONSORS