HERITAGE OTTAWA

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of historian, journalist, heritage advocate and tireless volunteer Robert Smythe who died on Friday, November 15 at the Ottawa Heart Institute.

Robert was a Centretown giant who contributed so much to the community for many decades. He was the long-time editor of the Centretown BUZZ (named for his style of haircut) and remained a regular contributor writing articles about local history, architectural heritage and urban affairs.

He was the creator and author of Urbsite, a blog and website dedicated to the history, urban planning, and architecture of Centretown. A treasure trove of information, each entry was researched in depth and illustrated with photos, maps and plans.

Robert was a sought-after lecturer on the history of downtown Ottawa. He generously gave his time to Heritage Ottawa’s lecture series with two recent talks on the birth of Ottawa’s department stores and the rise of apartment towers in the post Second World War years.

He readily agreed to contribute his knowledge and research skills to Heritage Ottawa’s book From Walk-Up to High-Rise: Ottawa’s Historic Apartment Buildings, first published in 2017. As well as writing several sections, he helped to review content and promote the book.

Robert worked as a staffer to Councillor Diane Holmes, and volunteered with the Centretown Community Association and the Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation, a non-profit dedicated to affordable housing. A prolific walker, Robert was a recognized figure on Elgin Street and elsewhere around Centretown.

DONATIONS IN ROBERT'S MEMORY

Heritage Ottawa extends our condolences to Robert’s family and friends. We are deeply honoured that his family requested that donations in Robert's memory be directed to Heritage Ottawa. Thank you in advance. CLICK HERE to make a donation in Robert's memory. 

A private family service will be held at a later date.

CLICK HERE for the tribute to Robert Smythe in the Centretown BUZZ.