Bicentennial birthday bash: How Ottawa is celebrating its 200th year

Celebrating 200 years of existence is no easy feat, but Ottawa pulled out all the stops during Saturday’s Ottawa 200 Block Party at city hall.

“I’m just listening to the music,” Chris Vickers said. “I got a poutine and I got a nice, tasty beverage from a local brewery.”

Ottawa 200 was a free, all-ages celebration of all things Ottawa.

The Ottawa of today was first established in 1826 during the construction of the Rideau Canal. Initially, it was named Bytown after the British military engineer, Colonel John By, the man responsible for the Rideau Waterway construction project.

In 1855 it would be renamed Ottawa, deriving its name from the Algonquin word “adawe” meaning “to trade.”

For Aaron Taylor, the day was a long-awaited opportunity to experience Ottawa as a community.

“I think they’ve put on a fabulous event,” Taylor said.

“We came downtown to check everything out, walked around, sampled one of the local beers which was really nice and got some swag.

“It’s nice to see everyone so happy,” he said. “People are really enjoying the day, enjoying the sunshine and celebrating the city.”

The block party was just one of many events held by the city to celebrate the bicentennial. Ever since June, all kinds of events have been held across the city, such as an opportunity to try 200 different sports all for free on June 6 and June 7, Family Fun Day held on July 25 and a community Thanksgiving meal set to be held on Oct. 10.

The event area was split into four zones: a performance zone, a family zone, a food zone and an interactive art zone.

Performances included live music from Ottawa-based artists such as Izzy Rose, musical duo The Blind And The Beautiful and Jessy Lindsay.

Some partygoers found the music to be the highlight of the event, with the performances bringing “an exciting vibe to the place,” Vickers said.

The family zone held many stalls ranging from information booths and miniature art studios held by the Ottawa Art Gallery, to pop-up markets selling merchandise themed around the city made by Ottawa locals.

The most busy zone — besides the food area, of course — was the interactive art zone.

Seniors, adults and children took part in all sorts of activities including wood carving, a chalk art station and a live mural creation by Ryan Smeeton commemorating the anniversary of the city.

For many people, however, the real highlight of the day wasn’t the party itself, but what it represents. For Ottawa residents, 200 years means an endless amount of memories.

Hary Ngo’s fondest memories are also some of the most recent.

“It was last year, my first time in the city,” Ngo said. “It was winter, so not much to do, but I had an opportunity to go skating on the canal. It was a really great experience with my friends.”

Taylor shared the same sentiment.

“Skating on the canal is 100 per cent the best, hands down,” he said.

“You get a BeaverTail, spend time with friends and maybe get some bruises, too. I fall a few times on the canal every time, for sure.”

For some, the best memories may be the experiences they have in the city; for others it’s the relationships they grow from within their communities.

Vickers said one of the best parts about his nearly two decades living in Ottawa was joining his local ultimate frisbee team. He said joining his team is what made Ottawa finally feel like home.

“The crew that I met there have become essentially lifelong friends now,” he said.

Beyond Taylor’s cherished memories skating on the canal, he said Ottawa has also given him so much more than he could ever ask for.

“I’ve been living here for 10 years,” Taylor said. “Ottawa really feels like home for me and my husband. We met each other here.”