HERITAGE OTTAWA

SAVE THE DATES: MAY 5 - 6, 2018

Jane's Walk is an annual weekend festival of free neighbourhood walking tours throughout Ottawa-Gatineau, led by local citizens who care passionately about where they live, work and play.  The event takes its name from the late urban activist and writer Jane Jacobs, born 102 years ago on May 4, 1916. 

Jacobs had a profound influence on the way we consider urban space, urban life and urban infrastructure.  Her 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities roundly criticized the large-scale destruction of neighbourhoods resulting from urban renewal policies of the 1950's and 60's.  Many of her groundbreaking ideas about urbanism remain relevant today, and are now considered "common sense" by many contemporary architects and planners.

After starting in May 2007 in Toronto, Jane's Walk spread quickly to other cities—including Ottawa—in 2008 and is now a global event.

Tours offer insights into local history, planning, design and civic engagement.  The 2018 edition of Jane's Walk Ottawa-Gatineau features a wide range of interesting walks, in both English and French, including such places as Centretown, Hintonburg, the Central Experimental Farm, Prime Ministers Row, Victoria Island, Stittsville, and the architecture and history of the Château Laurier led by Heritage Ottawa president David Jeanes and architectural historian / photographer Peter Coffman.

Visit the Jane's Walk website for the full schedule of events!

 

Jane's Walk Ottawa | Architecture of the Château Laurier

Sunday, May 6, 2018 at 2:30 pm | Meet on the Plaza on the south side of Rideau Street, beside the former Union Station

Heritage Ottawa is pleased to be a supporter of Jane's Walk.

 

See the following links more information about Jane Jacobs:

The Woman Who Saved New York from Superhighway Hell / Vanity Fair, April 14, 2017

Learning from Jane Jacobs, Who Saw Today's City Yesterday / The New York Times, April 20, 2017

Review | 'Citizen Jane: Battle for the City' Elicits Challenging Discussion on Urbanization / The Globe & Mail, April 21, 2017

At 100, Jane Jacobs More Relevant than Ever / Toronto Star, May 6, 2016