Confederation Park
Confederation Park is a downtown park in Ottawa, 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, by Elgin Street and the Lord Elgin Hotel.
The park was originally the site of the Roxborough Apartments, a luxury apartment complex that had once been home to many Ottawa elites, such as Prime Ministers William Lyon Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent. It and a number of buildings were expropriated and demolished by the federal government to build "the National Museum of Science" in 1965. The museum was never built (the Canada Science and Technology Museum currently occupies a converted building in Ottawa's east end, and is still in search of a permanent home), and part of the site was ultimately used for the construction of the National Arts Centre. In 1967, the remainder of the site was turned into a park, named to commemorate the Canadian Centennial (the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation).
Many events are held in this park due to its central location and its proximity to most public transit lines. The Ottawa International Jazz Festival's main events are often held here, as well as other festivals that spill over from the neighbouring plaza in front of Ottawa City Hall. The park serves as a common shortcut for pedestrians heading from Elgin Street and/or Centretown to destinations to the north and east (the National Arts Centre, Rideau Street, Sussex Drive, the Rideau Centre and/or the Byward Market), since it is a more direct route than walking uphill on Elgin and Wellington Streets.
In addition to the trees and benches that characterize many urban parks, Confederation Park also contains a central fountain (commemorating Colonel John By; that had stood in Trafalgar Square in London from 1845 to 1948.[1] The twin of this fountain is located in Wascana Park, Regina), a totem pole (donated to the City of Ottawa to commemorate British Columbia's 1971 centennial), the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument and the Boer War memorial statue. From 1971 to 1993 it was also home to Ed Zelenak's massive sculpture, "Traffic." The controversial work was a large brown tube of fiberglass that was compared to a large worm or piece of dung, and led to much debate over modern art in Ottawa. It was later relocated to a more obscure location by the National Gallery.[2]
Notes
External links
Photos, maps, and other images
- Pictures from Flickr] - Pictures on Flickr of Confederation Park.
- Webcam from the Lord Elgin Hotel - Webcam overlooking Confederation Park.
- 360 Panorama from OttawaKiosk.com - 360 Degree picture of Confederation Park during Winterlude.