THE NEW YORK TIMES, by Katie Arnold

OTTAWA has always had image problems. Back in 1857, when it beat out its rivals Toronto and Montreal in a bid to become Canada's national capital, the Governor General bemoaned Parliament's move to what seemed a frontier outpost on the Ottawa River as an “exile to wilderness.” Since then, this city of 1.2 million has been written off as a staid hub of government. But beneath Ottawa's buttoned-up, civil-servant demeanor lies a surprisingly vibrant community, with enough green space, trails and water within city limits to satisfy the most hyperactive of travelers. (Go ahead, call it the San-Francisco of eastern Canada — it's worthy.) This summer, as the unlikely capital celebrates its 150th anniversary, Ottawa is embracing its wilder side.

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