The Gloucester Historical Society

Gloucester Reeves and Mayors
Gloucester Police and Fire Chiefs
Gloucester Township Clerks
Carleton County Wardens from Gloucester
Eastview/Vanier Reeves and Mayors
Eastview/Vanier Police and Fire Chiefs
Eastview Clerks and Treasurers
Rockcliffe Park Reeves and Mayors 

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1783 - United Empire Loyalists start moving to the north shore of the St. Lawrence River following the American Revolution.
1783-1784 - Crawford Purchase is negotiated by Captain William Redford Crawford on behalf of the Crown with the Mississauga tribe. As part of the treaty, land is included up to one day travel time north of the St. Lawrence River and the Bay of Quinte, and was surveyed two to three townships north of the riverfront. This treaty is now regarded to include land from the Trent River to the east boundary of Leeds County. Chief Mynass also included land as far north as the Ottawa River, however, when surveying in Marlborough Township, Oswegatchie Onondaga tribesmen stopped the surveyors on their hunting territory. The Crown negotiated with Akwasasne (St. Regis) Mohawk and Oswegatchie Onondaga tribes for land on the St. Lawrence front. Both tribes eventually settled. The Oswegatchies moved to the south shore and were eventually dispersed by the American government. It is now regarded that the Crown had not settled with Algonquian tribes, whose traditional lands were in the Ottawa River valley. Gloucester Township is considered unceded territory [Indian Land Surrenders in Ontario 1763-1867 by Robert J. Surtees] View Report.
1788 - Lunenburg District created, including the area that later became Gloucester Township.
1792 - Township of Gloucester first surveyed and known as Township B.
1793 - (July 13) Gloucester Township named after William Frederick (nicknamed Silly Billy), second Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, nephew of King George III. Gloucester Township was first known as Township B. Gloucester Township is part of Dundas County in the Eastern District. [Carleton Saga, p.162]
1800 - Russell County established. Gloucester Township included.
1812- Braddish Billings is the first permanent settler.
1813 - Braddish Billings marries Lamira Dow in Merrickville and returns to Gloucester with his bride.
1815 - Sabra Billings is the first Caucasian child born in Gloucester.
1815 - Following a visit to family in Merrickville, the Billings family is swept over Hog's Back Falls. Philamon Wright rescues the family.
1816 - Gloucester Township becomes part of the Ottawa District.
1820 - Township survey completed.
1823 - Braddish Billings constructs a sawmill on a creek running through his property near today's Bank Street. This creek has been known as Sawmill Creek ever since.
1825 - Braddish Billings appointed as Clerk and Assessor for Gloucester Township. The first assessment lists 12 families.
1826 - Construction of Rideau Canal commences.
1827 - Thomas McKay builds his first home, a double frame structure with a stone barn behind at the corner of John Street and Stanley Avenue [Ottawa Journal, March 1, 1967 p.36].
1827 - James Johnston settles at Hardscrabble, near today's Rideau-Carleton Raceway.
1829 - (October 21) Billings family move into their new home known as Park Hill (now a City of Ottawa museum).
1829- Dam at Hog's Back is washed out. A previous washout took place in 1828. The dam was completed in 1829.
1830 - Farmer's Bridge later known as Billings Bridge is completed, linking Gloucester Township with Nepean Township and Bytown.
1830 - Jean-Baptiste St. Louis erects the first sawmill at Rideau Falls. This is the beginning of the industrial complex at this location.
1831 - Thomas McKay purchases Lot 1, 2, 3, and 4, Junction Gore. This is the present site of New Edinburgh, most of Rockcliffe Park and parts of Vanier.
1832- Municipal Reform Act establishes roles for municipal officers but not responsible to electorate.
1832 - Rideau Canal completed.
1832 - (January 2) First town meeting held at John Cunningham's Inn on the site of present day Ottawa airport.
1833 - The east side of the Rideau River near Rideau Falls is named New Edinburgh by Thomas McKay. He encouraged other Scotsmen who had worked on the Rideau Canal to settle there.
1833 - Village of Long Island Locks first settled.
1834 - Assessment lists 156 householders.
1834 - First residents arrive in area of Blackburn Hamlet.
1834 - Stagecoach service begins between Bytown and Prescott via Billings Bridge, Bowesville and South Gloucester. The road is known as the Bytown & Prescott Carriage Road.
1834 - The approximate year during which the first church opened in Gloucester, a Methodist church at Long Island Village. Another Methodist Church opened at Leitrim in 1837.
1837 - The first Cummings Bridge was built as a collective project of the citizens of Bytown. It connected Rideau Street to Montreal Road via an island in the middle of the Rideau River. Charles Cummings and his family moved to the island in 1840 [Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 22, 1922 p.5]. This became the post office named Cummings Bridge in 1879, serving the community of Janeville and later Eastview [Library and Archives Canada Post Office and Post Master Index].
1837 - The first school in New Edinburgh is erected and opens as a school in 1838. First known teacher is James Fraser. A plaque has been erected in front of the building at 62 Sussex Drive.
1838 - Gloucester Township becomes part of Carleton County in the Bathurst District.
1838 - Rideau Hall, first known as 'The Castle' was completed and owned by Thomas McKay. Thomas McKay was the contractor who built a number of the locks on the Rideau Canal.
1838 - Rockcliffe Manor House, now known as the Apostolic Nunciature in Ottawa, was built by Duncan Rynier MacNab, a rival of Thomas McKay. Mr. McNab dies before it is completed. It is the name of this house that gave us the name Rockcliffe [Ottawa Journal, March 27, 1971 p.6]
1842 - (March 19) District of Dalhousie proclaimed. Gloucester Township included.
1843 - Ferry Service operated between Rockcliffe to Gatineau Point. The first operator was James O'Hagan, also first mayor of Gatineau Point. The Seguin family operated the ferry from 1875 until at least 1971, first by Jean Seguin. The ferry and a boathouse was located below the Rockcliffe Lookout and was accessed by a winding road and a stone stairway from a former streetcar station. Bernard Seguin sold the boathouse in 1985 which continues to operate as a restaurant [Ottawa Journal, March 27, 1971 p.6, August 22, 1964 p.37].
1844 - The current route of Bank Street (then known as Prescott Road) between Billings Bridge and South Gloucester is established.
1844 - (August) The current route of Smyth Road established by the Dalhousie District Municipal Council by resolution number 15 [The Packet, March 17, 1849 p.4].
1846 - New Edinburgh Bridge replaced at Green Island. Early bridges built in the 1830s frequently washed out over Rideau Falls.
1847 - Billings Bridge washed out. Further washouts took place in 1862, 1876 and 1913.
1849 - Baldwin Act passed establishing municipal government.
1849 - Gloucester Orange Lodge No. 222 is chartered. The first meeting takes place in January 1850. It first meets at various homes in the southern part of Gloucester, and the first lodge building is built in the 1860s on Bank Street near Blossom Park.
1849 - (February 19) First complete survey of Long Island reported by Robert Bell. [Manotick in the Early British Age p.36]

1900 - Rockcliffe Streetcar barn built at the corner of Sir Georges-Etienne Cartier Parkway and Princess Avenue [Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 1900 p.1] Read News Clipping.
1900 - (August 18) Rockcliffe streetcar extended to Dominion of Canada Rifle Association Rifle Range [Ottawa Citizen, August 17, 1900 p.1] Read News Clipping.
1900 (October 1) With the completion of the international bridge at Cornwall, the Ottawa and New York Railway began offering rail service between Ottawa and New York City via Tupper Lake twice daily [Ottawa Citizen, October 1, 1900 p.7].
1901 - Minto Bridge opens connecting New Edinburgh with Lowertown. Named to honour the fourth Earl of Minto, Governor General of Canada from 1898 until 1904.[Ottawa Journal, May 29, 1901 p.6] View News Clipping.
1901 (May 31) - The Earl of Minto, Governor General of Canada donates the Minto Cup initially for the senior's mens lacrosse championship.
1901 (August 26) - Ottawa Powder Company Dynamite Factory at Green's Creek suffers a major explosion killing manager, John Hudson. [Ottawa Journal, August 26, 1901 p.9] View News Story [Ottawa Journal, August 27, 1901 p.9] View News Story.
1901 - (December 6) Bert Harper drowns in the Ottawa River below Rockcliffe in a failed attempt to rescue Bessie Blair. Both had been ice skating on the river and fell through the ice. On November 18, 1905, a Sir Galahad statue was unveiled in memory of this sad event. It is now located in front of Parliament Hill.
1901 - The practice of maintaining township roads by statute labour was abolished. Thereafter, residents no longer had the option of maintaining roads themselves for a specified number of days per year in lieu of paying taxes for road maintenance.
1902 - Eastman's Springs renamed Carlsbad Springs after famous spa in Czechoslovakia. First bowling alley in Ottawa area located at Spa/Hotel.
1902 - (July 1) A monument was erected to the memory of Wesley Hull, who was killed on June 7, 1900 in South Africa during the Boer War. The monument was located next to the Orange Hall at Billings Bridge but was removed as a result of road improvements around 1960. It was rededicated on June 8, 1997 at St. George's Hawthorne Cemetery on Russell Road.
1902 - (July 30) A span of Hurdman's Bridge collapses [Ottawa Journal, July 31, 1902 p.6]. View News Story.
1903 - Minto Skating Club founded by the Earl and Countess of Minto initially making use of an outdoor rink at Rideau Hall with membership from the previous Rideau Skating Club founded in 1885. The Earl and Countess also donated the Minto Cup for the Canadian Men's Figure Skating Championship and the Minto Challenge Cup for pairs. [Ottawa Citizen, November 3, 1948 p.1 & p.20] The club made use of various Ottawa rinks before building a new facility on Lancaster Road in 1986 and 1987. The club's most famous member was Barbara Ann Scott who won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1948.
1904 - (April 28) New Edinburgh Canoe Club organized. [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1904 p.8] View News Story.
1904 - (June 18) The last timber raft is sent down the Ottawa River to Quebec City. The first raft was sent down the river in 1806.
1904 - (June 20) The City of Ottawa leases the 12 acre Rockcliffe Park to the Ottawa Improvement Commission for 15 years [Ottawa Land Records].
1904 - Daughters of Wisdom build a prestigious residential school and convent in Janeville (Eastview).
1904 - Company of Mary builds Novitiate building at Cyrville [Ottawa Citizen, July 12, 1904 p.5]. View News Clipping.
1904 - Watermain extended to Rifle Range and Beechwood Cemetery via Rockcliffe Park [Ottawa Journal, August 10, 1904 p.1]. View News Clipping.
1905 - As part of a widespread concrete sidewalk building project, sidewalks are installed on Stanley Avenue, Crichton Street and Dufferin Road in New Edinburgh [Ottawa Citizen, February 18, 1905 p.9].
1905 - (December 30) Snow family sells farm adjacent to Rockcliffe Rifle Range after near misses [Property Records].
1905 - Council limits the number of taverns in the township to 8.
1906 - (April 18) Adolph Guilbault's Rideau Hotel is destroyed by fire. It was the largest building built in approximately 1888 at Hurdman's Bridge and was located near the CPR crossing. It was vacant and under renovation pending obtaining a new liquor license [Ottawa Citizen, April 18, 1906 p.3]. View News Story.
1906 - (Fall) Reinforced concrete Hurdman's Bridge opens. This bridge would remain in use until 1955 [Ottawa Citizen, June 14, 1906 p.1, Sepember 22, 1906 p.12, December 13, 1906 p.4].
1906 - St. Thomas Aquinas Separate School opens at Billings Bridge. [Billings Bridge My Village, My Life by Gérard & Bernard Pelot, 1999, p.41, 42]
1907 - Rockcliffe Streetcar barn expanded [Ottawa's Streetcars by Bill McKeown p.126].
1907 - (March 26) Telephone service being extended on Metcalfe Road (Bank Street) between Billings Bridge and Leitrim [Ottawa Citizen, April 2, 1907, p.9].
1907 - (March 29) Worst Rideau River flood in years inundates Clarkstown, Janeville, Hurdman's Bridge and Billings Bridge.
1907 - (July 25) New Edinburgh fire destroys the W.C. Edwards Co. Ltd. mills on Sussex Drive, Ottawa Fire Station Number 6 and surrounding buildings. The mill was re-built. The fire station was rebuilt in 1910. [Ottawa Journal, Ottawa Citizen, July 25, 1907 p.1].
1907 - (October 12) Upton Farm is purchased by the Ottawa Hunt Club and officially opened by Earl Grey [Ottawa Journal, October 4, 1907 p.11]. Kennels were previously located opposite the Telegraph office at Billings Bridge and hunts took place at the Upton and surrounding farms [Ottawa Journal, November 5, 1906 p.2].
1908 - (December 11) Janeville, Clarkstown and Clandeboye incorporated as the village of Eastview. Also included with the Floraville, Bellewood (Bellwood) and Frederickburgh (Fredville) subdivisions [Ottawa Citizen, December 12, 1908 p.2 View News Story , January 28, 1908 p.1 View News Story. ].
1908 - (January 31) Rockcliffe Park incorporated as a Police Village [Ottawa Journal, January 31, 1908 p.9]. View News Clipping.
1908 - Warren J. Soper, co-founder of the Ottawa Electric Railway Company, builds a new house in Rockcliffe Park named Lornado [Ottawa Journal, March 21, 1908 p.16]. Previously, this location had a summer home, also known as Lornado and also owned by Warren J. Soper [Ottawa Journal, August 22, 1895 p.7].
1908 - (June 23) Swing bridge collapses over the Cornwall canal interrupting service on the Ottawa and New York Railway. There were no injuries. The collapse was caused by a canal washout [Ottawa Citizen, June 23, 1908 p.1]. Service was restored via a temporary bridge on August 15, 1908 [Ottawa Citizen, August 14, 1908 p.4]. A new swing bridge was to be put into service on May 1, 1909 [The Gazette, March 26, 1909 p.10].
1908 - (July 6) Hamilton Powder Company receives a permit from Gloucester council to build a storehouse or magazine for dynamite at the Robillard Quarries (Rockville) on Montreal Road. Powder had previously been stored relatively unprotected [Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 1908 p.2]. Following a massive explosion at the General Explosive Company in Hull on May 8, 1910 [Ottawa Citizen, May 9, 1910 p.1] in which eleven were killed, there was considerable pressure to close the Gloucester magazine [Ottawa Citizen, June 1, 1910 p.1] but a prior court decision gave the company a right to operate [Ottawa Citizen, June 2, 1910 p.12].
1909 - (December 5) Canadian Northern Railway opens running through Gloucester from Hurdman's Bridge to Orléans via Cyrville. Initial service had a local train to Lachute via Hawkesbury departing at 8:30 a.m. daily except Sunday and daily sleeper service to Quebec City departing at 8:30 p.m. [Ottawa Citizen, December 4, 1909 p.6].
1909 - (October 29) Ottawa Hunt Club opened by Lord Grey, Governor General of Canada. The property had been acquired from the Upton family in 1907 [Ottawa Journal, October 29, 1909 p.1,6]
1909 - The first Eastview Town Hall opens on Palace Road.
1909 - Eastview Police Force Department established.
1909 - St. Jean Baptiste Society established at St. Charles Parish, Eastview.
1909 - First constable appointed for Cyrville.
1909 - (February 2) Novitiate of the Sisters of Wisdom blessed on Montreal Road [Ottawa Citizen, February 3, 1909 p.5].
1909 - (November 10) Eastview Volunteer Fire Brigade formed [Ottawa Citizen, November 10, 1909 p.1] View News Story.
1909 - (November 22 to 24) Ottawa bound CPR passenger train from Toronto and Peterborough takes over 26 hours to arrive because of winter storm and hundreds of downed telegraph poles. Work train precedes passenger train to clear track. Diner car exchanged from Montreal bound train to keep passengers fed [Ottawa Citizen, November 24, 1909 p.1].
1910 - Ashbury College relocates to Rockcliffe Park (1911 class photo). It was originally founded in 1891 on Wellington Street.
1910 - The Ottawa Ski Club was formed. The club's first activities emphasized ski jumping and the first primitive ski jump was built at 'Suicide Hill' in Rockcliffe Park [Ottawa Journal, February 15, 1910 p.5]. The Canadian Jumping Championships take place here in 1914. The club acquired Camp Fortune in 1920.
1910 - Besserer's Grove renamed Hiawatha Park and the Jubilee House Hotel updated and renamed Hiawatha Hotel. The resort is to be opened in the spring of 1910. A new railway station named Hiawatha Station is built on the nearby Canadian Northern Railway line. The hotel appears to have remained in operation until 1924 and the resort put up for sale in 1926 and again in 1937. The Hiawatha Railway Station also closed around 1924 and the Orléans Station relocated to just east of the Cumberland boundary. Picnicing at the site appears to have quickly declined in the late 1920s and ended entirely around 1937. The 1910 plan included lots for cottages [Ottawa Citizen, January 15, 1910 p.11, August 10, 1926 p.7, May 14, 1937 p.6, July 5, 1937 p.5 (last newspaper reference regarding public use)].
1910 - (April 6) Hiawatha Park subdivision approved. A previous plan had been registered on August 13, 1901 and an even earlier one for the Besserer Estate on March 11, 1897.
1910 - (May 15) There was a wash out at the Hog's Back dam [Ottawa Citizen, May 16, 1910 p.9] View News Clipping.
1910 - Gloucester experiences Real Estate boom in which several farms were subdivided for suburban development. The boom continued until 1912.
1910 - Water service extended into Rockcliffe Park. [Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 1910 p.12]
1910 - (July 27) Rockcliffe Parkway opens between Rideau Hall and the Rockcliffe Lookout. Two different routes were built. [Ottawa Citizen, July 28, 1910 p.1]
1911 - Gloucester votes by a slim majority but fails to achieve the 60% requirement in order to invoke the Local Option to prohibit the retail sale of liquor in every tavern, inn, or any place of public entertainment [Ottawa Journal, January 4, 1911 p.1]. Another attempt failed in 1913 and does not reach a vote [Ottawa Journal, December 2, 1913 p.13].
1911 - Council grants a franchise to the Willowdale Telephone Company to operate a rural telephone system in the township.
1911 - A telephone was first installed in the Township Hall.
1911 - 'Casa Loma' built by Mr. & Mrs. H.S. Southam in Rockcliffe [Ottawa Citizen, February 7, 1944 p.13].
1911 - Ottawa Wine Vault Co. responds quickly to typhoid epidemic caused by contaminated city water supply. "Tally-Ho" pure spring water is delivered from an Ottawa Hunt Club spring. "Tally-Ho" provided water and soft drinks through the 1910s and 1920s [Ottawa Journal, February 8, 1911 p.7].
1911 - Blossom Park subdivision approved. Construction did not begin until 1953.
1911 - Sir Robert Borden pledges to provide rural mail delivery. Over the following years, rural route delivery is introduced resulting in the closure of many rural Gloucester post offices.
1911 - Notre Dame de Lourdes Grotto, Eastview originated [Ottawa Journal, June 1, 1961 p.44].
1911 - (July 19) The footbridge at the west end of Donald Street opens to provide streetcar access to the new Overbrook Annex subdivision [Ottawa Citizen, July 19, 1911, p17]. View News Story.
1911 - (July 31) Paardeburgh Park subdivision registered at the corner of Walkley Road and Albion Road. Most of this subdivision was never developed and became a transportation corridor following World War II. The most easterly portion became part of the Ellwood subdivision.
1911 - (August 9) Overbrook subdivision plan registered and it would first appear on a map the following year. The first streets are named after members of the Royal family including the recently crowned King George V and his wife Queen Mary.
1911 - (September 18) Bannermount subdivision registered. This subdivision was developed along Tremblay Road after World War II when it became known as Eastway Gardens. The streets were named by letter only.
1911 - (November 17) Manor Park subdivision registered. Most of the subdivision was returned to Gloucester Township because of tax arrears. Sewer and water services were extended in 1949 allowing fast development in the area.
1912 - Dominion Bridge Company sets up plant in Eastview [Ottawa Citizen, February 20, 1968 p.8].
1912 - (March 12) Brookfield subdivision registered. This market garden community located where Brookfield Road once intersected with the CPR tracks, was expropriated by the federal government between 1957 and 1964. The streets were closed in 1965 and completely disappeared when the Airport Parkway was built in the 1970s.
1912 - (November 27) Rideau Lawn Tennis Club established by former members of the Ottawa Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club.
1912 - First street lights installed at Billings Bridge to as far south as Heron Road.
1913 - (January 1) Eastview incorporated as a town [Ottawa Journal, January 6, 1913 p.2]. Eastview creates its own Police Department, which was absorbed by the Ottawa Police Service in 1984.
1913 - Construction begins on Ottawa and Morrisburgh Electric Railway running through Gloucester from Billings Bridge to South Gloucester following Metcalfe Road (Bank Street). This railway was never completed.
1913 - (January 25) Municipal Isolation Hospital opens on Porter's Island to treat smallpox patients, replacing former buildings on the site. This was named Hopewell Hospital in honor of the mayor at the time [Ottawa Journal, January 22, 1913 p.1].
1913- Canadian Northern Railways purchase Upton and Langstaff farms for the purpose of creating a gravel pit. A railway spur is extended to the site just east of Bowesville.
1913- Mappin Block added to Rideau Hall.
1913 - (Late January) New Railway bridge opens replacing 'White Bridge' near today's Carleton University. [Ottawa Journal, January 13, 1913 p.2, Ottawa Journal, January 27, 1913 p.2] View News Story.
1913 - (January) Bishopric Wall Board Factory opens near Billings Bridge. It appears to have been located at the intersection of today's VIA Rail and Trillium Lines and with road access via Brookfield Road. The factory was already demolished in a 1938 air photo.[Ottawa Journal, January 27, 1913 p.2] View News Story.
1913 - (March 21) During spring flooding, the centre span of Billings Bridge collapses. [Ottawa Citizen, March 22, 1913 p.1]
1913 - (June 15) Two new Rural Routes commence operation from Billings Bridge. The first to Johnston's Corners via Bowesville and River Road. This became Rural Route #2 Billings Bridge. The second ran to Ramsayville via Hawthorne [Ottawa Citizen, May 19, 1913 p.1].
1913 - (October 3) Amalgamation of Ottawa Canoe Club and the New Edinburgh Canoe Club adopted. The new club will be named the Ottawa New Edinburgh Aquatic Club [Ottawa Citizen, October 4, 1913 p.8] View News Story.
1913 - (November 5) Eastview post office name changed to Eastview Center [Ottawa Citizen, November 6, 1913 p.12].
1913 - (November 24) Preston Streetcar line opens and is connected to Rockcliffe on that date [Ottawa Citizen, November 21, 1913 p.13]. View News Clipping
1914 - 'Stornoway' built in Rockcliffe Park by Alan Keefer for Ottawa grocer Asconio J. Major.
1914 - (January 5) Canadian Northern Railway opens Ottawa-Napanee line running through Gloucester from Hurdman's Bridge to Rideau River at Wass via Billings Bridge. It is now the VIA rail line between Ottawa and Toronto [Ottawa Journal, December 18,1913 p.2].
1914 - (January 25) L'Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario relocated to Eastview after being founded in Ottawa in 1910 in order to promote Franco-Ontario rights.
1914 - (March 29 at 11 a.m.) New temporary Billings Bridge completed and opened to traffic. The old bridge closed the previous day when tressle work from underneath the bridge was swept down river [Ottawa Journal, April 6, 1914 p.10, Ottawa Citizen, March 31, 1914 p.12 View News Story ].
1914 - (May 1) Eastview Council moves to a new City Hall in a former separate school. The police and fire station also located there [Ottawa Journal, March 23, 1914 p.7].
1914 - (May 15) Carleton Tennis Club opens including a new club house on the west side of Victoria Street (now Montgomery)[Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 1914 p.6].
1914 - (May 19) Chemical engine to arrive for Eastview fire brigade [Ottawa Journal, May 21, 1914 p.11].
1914 - (June 29) Canadian Northern Railway first provides through Ottawa - Toronto passenger service. Previous passenger service ran from Hurdman's Bridge to Chaffey's Locks only [Ottawa Citizen, June 4, 1914 p.1].
1914 - (July 1) Gloucester Gardens was subdivided under Plan 379. It was located on the east side of Bank Street, south of Rideau Road (south half of Lot 26, and north half of Lot 27, Concession 5, Rideau Front). The plan was registered on May 13, 1915. Lots were lost to tax arrears in the 1930s and purchased by Gloucester Township. On June 22, 1959, Gloucester Council sought cancellation of the subdivision, which was granted. The property was purchased by D. Cameron Merkley in trust for the Ottawa Brick & Terra Cotta Limited on July 27, 1959. [Ottawa Citizen, July 17, 1958 p.2] View Nws Story.
1915 - Rockcliffe Preparatory School opens. It was renamed Elmwood School in 1923 as a school for young women.
1915 - The Novitiate of Grey Nuns of the Cross (Grey Nuns Convent) opens near Hurdman's Bridge.The convent costing $150,000 was under construction in 1913 [Ottawa Citizen, May 10, 1913 p.27]
1915 - The second Eastview Town Hall was located at the corner of Montreal Road and Cyr Street with a Fire Hall attached. It was destroyed by fire in 1972.
1915 - (January 23) A new 115 foot tall ski jump opens at Rockcliffe [Ottawa Journal, January 19, 1915 p.5]
1915 - (May 10) Ski jump at Rockcliffe blown over [Ottawa Journal, May 10, 1915 p.4]
1915 - (September 2) Present day Billings Bridge opens at 3:00 p.m. [Gloucester Council Minutes, September 13, 1915, Ottawa Journal, September 3, 1915 p.14]
1915 - First constable appointed for St. Joseph's village (Orléans).
1916 - Overbrook Public School (Gloucester School Section 25) opens. It closes in 2001. School Section 25 was previously in Janeville.
1916 - (March 10) Sister of Wisdom Convent destroyed by fire in Cyrville. [Ottawa Journal, March 10, 1941 p.8] View News Story.
1916 - (May) The footbridge between Strathcona Park and the Rideau Lawn Tennis Club is swept away by high water. [Ottawa Citizen, May 29, 1916 p.6] View News Story.
1916 - Regular streetcar service beyond McKay's Lake to the Rockcliffe Rifle Range is discontinued. Occasional jigger service is occasionally provided until around 1924 [Ottawa Journal, December 4, 1916 p.3] View News Story.
1916 - (September 18) Prohibition takes affect in Province of Ontario. Sale of liquor is prohibited except by druggists [Ottawa Journal, September 18, 1916 p.2].
1917 - (June 23) New Rockcliffe pavilion openst, which still exists [Ottawa Citizen, June 20, 1917 p.3]. View News Clipping..
1917 - National Research Council first acquires land on Montreal Road.
1917 - By-law enacted to set minimum standards for fencing, and to end the practice of allowing livestock to roam freely throughout the township.
1917 - New school built at Blackburn Corners. [Ottawa Citizen, July 13, 954 p.3]
1917 - (May 17) Reeve Caleb Hardy dies in office. [Gloucester Council Minutes, June 4, 1917, p.45]
1917 - (December 24) By federal Order-in-Council, new purchases of liquor for importation into Canada was prohibited immediately, with importation of previous purchases to end on January 31, 1918. The transportation of liquor into dry jurisdictions including the Province of Ontario was prohibited starting on April 1, 1918 [Ottawa Journal, December 24, 1917 p.3].
1918 - The Royal Air Force conducts experimental mail flights between Ottawa and Toronto, using a field adjacent to the Rifle Range at Rockcliffe.
1918 - First steel Mud Creek Bridge over Green's Creek on Innes Road is built. The previous bridge was wooden [Ottawa Journal, March 25, 1918 p.13].
1918 - Retail Merchants' Association of Eastview founded. [Ottawa Journal, June 29, 1918 p.9]
1918 - Eastview Hotel temporarily converted into a hospital to handle influenza patients [Ottawa Journal, February 24, 1967 p.6]
1919 - (April 1) Daylight savings time first introduced in Ottawa [Ottawa Citizen, April 1, 1919 p.1].
1919 - (June 8) Rideau Lawn Tennis Club clubhouse destroyed by fire [Ottawa Journal, June 9, 1919 p.14].
1919 - (July 1) Ottawa Electric Railway operator strike begins. Strikebreakers brought in on July 8th [Ottawa Citizen, July 8, 1919 p.1].
1919 - (July 19) A Curtis JN4 biplane is the first known plane to land at what is now the MacDonald-Cartier Airport, called Hopewell Field in the early days. Lieutenant George Mercer was the pilot and Mr. E.J. Draper was passenger [Ottawa Journal, July 21, 1919 p.4].
1919 - Cosy Theatre opens on Montreal Road at Ethel Street in Eastview. It closed in 1922. This was the first movie theatre to open on the original territory of Gloucester Township.
1919 - An agreement is signed to extend Ottawa water and sewer services into Eastview.
1919 - (July 26) Ottawa Hunt an Motor Club officially opens as an amalgamation of the Ottawa Hunt Club and Ottawa An Motor Club [Ottawa Journal, July 23, 1919 p.2]. View News Clipping.
1919 - (September) Three and half miles of concrete sidewalk installed in Overbrook by W.O. Wood [Ottawa Journal, September 6, 1919 p.1].
1919 - (October) Glen Ogilvie Women's Institute organized.
1919 - (October 20) Ontario residents vote to remain 'dry' on four questions and retain prohibition under the Ontario Temperance Act [Ottawa Journal, October 21, 1919 p.1].
1919 - (December) Ottawa Suburban Roads Commission appointed. [Ottawa Journal, December 22, 1919 p.2]
1920 - Ottawa Air Station opens at Rockcliffe. Airfield used for military aerial photography for topographic mapping, air transportation, and aeronautical experimentation.
1920 - Hog's Back Falls officially named Prince of Wales Falls. Prince of Wales Drive was named at the same time for the future King Edward VIII [Ottawa Journal, January 15, 1920 p.5].
1920 - The Dominion Police is merged with the Royal Northwest Mounted Police to form the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the national headquarters relocated to Ottawa. In 1921, the RCMP began to make partial use of the former Rifle Range facility at the north end of St. Laurent Blvd. They fully took over this location in 1925.
1920 - William Birch is the last tollgate keeper at Billings Bridge.
1920 - Provincial Bank of Canada is the first bank to open in Orléans [Orléans 1950-1960 Saint Joseph Boulevard Remembers, p.33].
1920 - Bowesville Road improved including new macadamizing between Hog's Back and Manotick Road intersection [Ottawa Journal, March 19, 1921 p.20]
1920 - (January 10) Three ski jumps of varying size being built at Rockcliffe [Ottawa Journal, January 10, 1920 p.23].
1920 - (February) Ottawa Suburban Roads Commission expropriates toll roads including Montreal Road, Russell Road, Metcalfe Road, Bowesville Road, Merivale Road, and Richmond Road [Ottawa Journal, January 29, 1920 p.20 and February 9, 1920 p.5
1920 - (April) Metcalfe Road designated a Provincial County Highway [Ottawa Journal, April 14, 1920 p.1].
1920 - (September 1) Montreal Road east of Eastview (and St. Joseph Blvd.) becomes a Provincial Highway and in 1925 it is numbered Highway 17.
1921 - (July 13) Current St. Patrick Street bridge opens [Ottawa Journal, July 13, 1921 p.2].
1921 - First fire truck purchased for Eastview.
1921 - Metcalfe Road improved including widening to 66 feet, macadamizing, and construction of new bridges and culverts [Ottawa Journal, March 19, 1921 p.20].
1921 - (May) Hog's Back bridge re-planked to make it safe for motor vehicle traffic [Ottawa Citizen, May 17, 1921 p.3].
1921 - (April 18) Ontario votes in favour of prohibiting the importation of liquor. Gloucester Township majority vote opposes with the north half of the township opposing and south half mostly in favour of the extra prohibition measures [Ottawa Journal, April 18, 1921 p.1 and 2].
1921 - (August 15) The Dominion of Canada Rifle Association Rifle Range opens new Connaught Rifle Range at Shirley's Bay, Nepean, with the Rockcliffe facility closing in 1923 [Ottawa Journal, August 6, 1921 p.24]. The Rockcliffe site later becomes the RCMP barracks "N" Division and the home of the RCMP Musical Ride. Streetcar service to the former rifle range was discontinued on August 21, 1924 [Ottawa's Streetcars by Bill McKeown p.137]. The Connaught range had been expropriated in 1912 and laid out by 1914 but the Great War had delayed the completion of the site.
1922 - (August 15) Overbrook (covering areas south of McArthur Avenue) and St. Joseph d'Orléans (Orléans) become Police Villages as a result of a by-law passed by Carleton County Council [Ottawa Journal, August 16, 1922 p.3 View News Story, Ottawa Citizen, June 15, 1922 p.8 View News Story].
1922 - (January 21) Passenger train derails as it approaches Ellwood Station on a run from Prescott to Ottawa. Engineer Howard Edward White dies and 12 passengers are hospitalized [Ottawa Citizen January 23, 1922 p.1 View News Story p.14 View News Story].
1922 - (February 1, Noon) Current Cummings Bridge opens [Ottawa Journal February 1, 1922 p.4].
1922 - (July 1) An 18 hole golf course officially opened at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club [Ottawa Journal, June 24, 1922 p.22].
1922 - (September 2) Private telephone exchange established for all federal offices in Ottawa allowing dial service [Ottawa Citizen, September 1, 1922, p.2].
1922 - (September 9) The first meeting to found the Rockcliffe Lawn Tennis Club took place. The club was incorporated on September 8, 1923 and the current location at 465 Lansdowne Road North was leased from Charles H. Keefer on October 28, 1923. The land title was transferred to the club on July 25, 1956. Club History
1923 - (August 4) The Ottawa New Edinburgh Canoe Club opens a new boathouse at Rockcliffe, which still exists today. Construction had commenced in 1914 but was delayed because of wartime. It replaced its predecessor at Governor's Bay, which was destroyed by fire on December 3, 1922 [Ottawa Journal, December 4, 1922 p.2] View News Story [Ottawa Citizen, May 14, 1931 p.19] [Ottawa Citizen, August 4, 1923 p.12 View News Story p.21 View News Story ].
1923 - Canada Theatre opens on Montreal Road at Bradley Street in Eastview. It closed in 1926.
1923 - Eastview grants franchise for bus service [Ottawa Citizen, June 28, 1923 pg. 12].
1923 - Rockcliffe Lookout built [Ottawa Citizen, May 8, 1923 p.4]. View News Clipping. [Ottawa Citizen, July 27, 1923 p.5] View News Clipping.
1923 - (February 15) Overbrook Community Hall on Russell Road (River Road) opens [Ottawa Citizen, February 16, 1923 p.12].
1923 - (March 7) By-law enacted requiring all Eastview municipal employees to be bilingual henceforth.
1923 - (August 3) Contract awarded to George Farmer to apply bituminous penetration pavement to Metcalfe Road. The pavement extended for a distance of 5 miles south of Heron Road.
1923 - (September 29) Final competition at Rockcliffe Rifle Range [Ottawa Citizen, October 1, 1923 p.5]. View News Clipping.
1924 - Eastview Town Council turns down proposal from Ottawa Electric Railway (OER) to extend streetcar service. Eastview contracts its own bus service (Eastview Bus Lines), which continues in operation until the service was taken over by the Ottawa Transportation Commission in December 1950. The OER sets up a competing bus service on June 25, 1924 [Ottawa Journal, June 25, 1924 p.1], which runs until April 3, 1929.
1924 - Electrical power introduced into Gloucester Township by Ontario Hydro.
1924 - Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) enacted, with Ottawa Air Station at Rockcliffe being one of its bases.
1924 - Cloverdale loop replaces wye to prepare for one man operations on the Rockcliffe streetcar line [Ottawa Citizen, February 17, 1926 p.5]. View News Clipping.
1924 - (May 5) Gloucester Township Council approves the installation of street lights at intersections in Overbrook [Ottawa Citizen, May 6, 1924 p.5].
1924 - (May 17) The Riverdale Tennis Club opens in Overbrook just north and opposite (west side) of the intersection of North River Road (then Russell Road) and King George Street. The official opening took place on May 24, 1924. The club operated until 1935 [Ottawa Citizen, May 17, 1924 p.13]. In 1936, the site is taken over by the Tel-Aviv Tennis Club.
1924 - (July 26) J.C.S. Wolff was arrested for conversion of funds for personal use. Mr. Wolff had been the Eastview Clerk-Treasurer and had been dismissed by Eastview Town Council on June 20, 1924. He was found guilty on July 31, 1924 [Ottawa Citizen, July 28, 1924 p.5, June 21, 1924 p.5, Ottawa Journal, July 31, 1924 p.1].
1924 - (October 23) The majority of Eastview and Gloucester ratepayers vote against the Ontario Temperance Act, however, the majority of Ontario votes in favour. The Ontario Temperance Act remains in force [Ottawa Journal, October 24, 1924 p.1 and 14].
1924 - (October 23) The first red Ottawa Electric Railway street car runs on the Laurier - Rideau - Somerset - Holland - Civic Hospital route. The new cars featured close side and front boarding. [Ottawa Journal, October 24, 1924 p.11 ].

1925

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1925 - (April 8) Gloucester Horticultural Society established. Meets at Hawthorne School. Relocates to former Ramsayville School in 1975. [Ottawa Citizen, March 21, 2000 p.F3] View News Story.
1925 - (June 3) Four tennis courts open at the Ottawa New Edinburgh Canoe Club with two more courts to follow shortly. [Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 1925 p.10] View News Story.
1925 - New Elmwood School built in Rockcliffe Park. [Ottawa Citizen, June, 12, 1924 p.4] View News Story.
1925 - (October 1) Lindenlea Ottawa Electric Railway street car extension opens with 5 minute peak period service and 10 minute service at other times [Ottawa Citizen, September 30, 1925 p.2].
1926 - (February 22) Rockcliffe Park incorporated as a village by a vote by Carleton County Council. Nominations for the first village election were held on March 6th with the first Reeve, Major David Livingstone McKeand, acclaimed and the first council election was held on March 13th. The first council winners were Montague G. Powell, Andrew D. Watson, Samuel Short, William H. Connor. [Ottawa Citizen, December 30, 1924 p.9] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, February 4, 1926 p.3] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, March 8, 1926 p.5] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, March 8, 1926 p.1] View Picture of Major D.L. McKeand. [Ottawa Citizen, March 15, 1926 p.4] View News Story.
1926 - (April) Major Rideau River flood affects Ottawa South, Billings Bridge and Hurdman's Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, April 23, 1926 p.1].
1926 - (May 13) Two buildings destroyed by fire at the Billings Estate including 22 carriages and Gloucester Township records [Ottawa Journal, May 13, 1926 p.1].
1926 - (October 8) McLaurin Farm, Metcalfe Road (Bank Street) at Ellwood (south of Walkley Road) was destroyed by fire. [Ottawa Journal, October 9, 1926 p.3] View News Story.
1926 - (October 22) Commandeurs de l'ordre de Jacques Cartier established at St. Charles Parish in Eastview as a male society, to ensure the public interest of French speaking Catholics in Canada. It was dissolved on Feb. 27, 1965.
1926 - Bus service to Hurdman's Bridge operated by Mrs. M. Gorman commences operation.
1926 - 2 1/2 miles of Metcalfe Road (Bank Street) to be paved south of Leitrim by July 1st [Ottawa Citizen, May 22, 1926 p.1].
1927 - (May 7) Carleton Tennis Club on Victoria Street (Montgomery) closes but will be replaced by the Victoria Tennis Club for 1927. Official opening date was May 7 [Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 1927 p.11, Ottawa Journal, April 30, 1927 p.31].
1927 - (June 1) First Ontario Government Liquor Store opens in Ottawa. Prohibition ends. The Ontario Temperance Act is replaced with the Ontario Liquor Control Act in order to end bootlegging [Ottawa Journal, June 2, 1927 p.2].
1927 - (July 2) Charles Lindbergh flies into Hunt Club airfield for Canada's 60th Anniversary celebrations. Pilot Lieut. Thad Johnson is killed in a plane crash as he approaches airfield. Airfield becomes known as Lindbergh Field following this but later becomes known as Uplands Aerodrome and later, Uplands Airport.
1927 - (September 25) Rockcliffe streetcar barn destroyed by fire, 40 streetcars lost. This ended the era of open streetcars. [Ottawa Citizen, September 27, 1927 p.18][Ottawa Journal, September 26, 1927 p.1, 7] View News Clipping. View News Lipping 7.
1927 - (December 8) Former township clerk treasurer Hugh Braddish Billings found guilty of missappropriating $20,000 [Ottawa Citizen, December 9, 1927 p. 14].
1928 - (January 14) Ottawa Flying Club incorporated and operates out of Lindbergh (Uplands) airfield.
1928 - (February 14 and 22) Billings Bridge name change suggested. Possible names include 'Dawson' and 'Southmount'.
1928 - (April 30) New Victoria Tennis Club house completed on Victoria Street (Montgomery) Eastview [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1928 p.31].
1928 - (October 1) The Dominion Bureau of Statistics (now Statistics Canada) locates in the old Edwards Mill on Green Island. The facility is shared with the National Research Council. The Dominion Bureau of Statistics relocates to Tunney's Pasture in 1952. The Edwards Mill was demolished in the summer of 1957.
1928 - (October 18) Footbridge between Strathcona Park and the Rideau Lawn Tennis Club is washed away. [Ottawa Citizen, October 19, 1928 p.1] View News Story.
1928 - Scheduled bus service to Cyrville commences operation. It was taken over by the Ottawa Transportation Commission in 1950.
1929 - (January 16) Eastview Police Commission established [Ottawa Journal, January 17, 1929 p.15].
1929 - (May 14) The Rockcliffe Park Crown Game Preserve was established in order to combat excessive hunting and poaching. It was further expanded on January 14, 1931 and covered Rockcliffe Park, the Rockcliffe Air Station, Beechwood Cemetery, and other lands extending as far east as Skead Road (Blair Road) and as far south as Montreal Road. It was cancelled in 1945.
1929 - (May 29) A major sewer explosion affects parts of Ottawa, Eastview and New Edinburgh. There was one fatality, several injuries and considerable property damage. This was followed by a second serious explosion on January 28, 1931. Inadequate sewer venting, and leakage (or dumping) of illumination gas, gasoline and dry cleaning chemicals were the suspected causes. [Ottawa Journal, May 29, 1929 p.1, 2, 20] View News Story. View News Story 2. View News Story 20.
1929 - (June 23) First special demonstations for St. Jean Baptiste day at St. Joseph d'Orléans. A statue for St. Jean Baptiste donated by J.A.J Guerin is benedicted [Ottawa Journal, June 24, 1929 p.13].
1930 - Billings Bridge Horticultural Society founded [Ottawa Citizen, May 20, 1935 p.20].
1930 - Overbrook Volunteer Fire Brigade established. Charles Weatherall is the first chief and L. White deputy chief [Ottawa Citizen, April 17, 1930 p.2].
1930 - (September 3) Reeve Thomas Andrew Spratt dies while in office. [Gloucester Council Minutes, September 8, 1930 p.89]
1930 - (March 12) World War I flying ace William George Barker crashes into the frozen Ottawa River and dies while performing aerial demonstrations at Rockcliffe airport [Ottawa Citizen, March 20, 1930 p. 13].
1930 - Provincial highways named "The King's Highways" to show respect for the King and the monarchy. The familiar provincial highway sign design with the crown is unveiled.
1931 - Hydro towers first erected across Gloucester. Some of these collapsed during the 1998 ice storm.
1931 - Two islands at Billings Bridge, including the island that the bridge crossed over and an island at Hurdman's Bridge are removed the Rideau River as a relief project [Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 1931 p.1].
1931 - (January 28) A second round of major sewer explosions affected Sandy Hill, Eastview and New Edinburgh. [Ottawa Citizen, January 29, 1931 p.17, 18, 21] View News Story. View News Story 18. View News Story 21.
1931 - (July 30) Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh and wife Anne Morrow arrive by Lockheed Sirius Monoplane on the Ottawa River at the Rockcliffe Aerodrome while on a vacation trip to Japan. They departed on August 1st. [Ottawa Journal, July 31, 1931 p.5]
1931 - (December 14) Rockcliffe streetcar service replaced with bus service entering village. The bus service was discontinued on April 30, 1932 [Ottawa Journal, December 11, 1931 p.25, View News Clipping April 29, 1932 p.1][Ottawa Citizen, April 9, 1932 p.30] View News Clipping. [Ottawa Citizen, April 18, 1932 p.1] View News Clipping.[Ottawa Citizen, December 12, 1931 p.2] View News Clipping.
1931 - (December 21) Street car routes are identified with an illuminated letter starting this date [Ottawa Journal, December 21, 1931 p.4]. View News Clipping.
1932 - Buena Vista loop built on Rockcliffe streetcar line to allow abando nment beyond to Cloverdale Avenue [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1932 p.2]. View News Clipping.
1932 - (September 18) Rockcliffe streetcar barn again burns. Additional equipment destroyed. [Ottawa Citizen, September 19, 1932 p.2], [Ottawa Journal, September 19, 1932 p.7] View News Clipping.
1933 - (June 7) Severe hailstorm strikes area from Rockcliffe and Eastview through Cyrville, Hawthorne to Russell and Embrun. Considerable damage to local greenhouses, windows and crops. Hailstones measure as large as eggs and fists. [Ottawa Citizen, June 7,1933 p.1]
1933 - (July 2) The Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission purchases land on Russell Road south of Smyth Road for broadcasting transmitters. This was used by CBO radio [Property Records].
1933 - (August 13) The last green street cars are removed from Ottawa Electric Railway service on the Hull - St. Patrick route and Bank - Rideau - Laurier route. As of this date, the conductor and motormen positions were merged and became 'Operators'. Passengers were to enter at the front door. All street cars after this date were red. [Ottawa Citizen, August 9,1933 p.2]
1933 - Steel Mud Creek bridge over Green's Creek on Innes Road re-built. [Ottawa Citizen, March 6, 1934 p.1] View News Clipping.
1934 - (January 17) Rockcliffe Streetcar right of way beyond the Beuna Vista loop is transferred to the Federal District Commission for $1 [Ontario Land Registry records].
1934 - (July 14) RCAF air show at Rockcliffe Aerodrome [Ottawa Journal, July 13, 1934 p.15].
1934 - (August 26) Parson's Dairy Farm, Heron Road destroyed by fire. [Ottawa Journal, August 27, 1934 p.16] View News Story.
1935 - The former Soper residence is acquired by the United States government as the residence for the American Ambassador to Canada. The Honourable Norman Armour takes up residence in early November 1936 following extensive renovations [Ottawa Journal, November 4, 1936 p.8, January 10, 1953 p.3].
1935 - (May 1) Ontario government steps in to manage Eastview's debt and finances under the Municipal Affairs Act [Ottawa Journal, January 11, 1936 p.6]. Read Clipping.
1935 - (May 3) Inaugural meeting of the Carleton Tennis Club takes place at the Talmud Torah Hall. This became the Tel-Aviv Tennis Club which opened on June 18, 1935 using the Victoria Tennis Club facility on Victoria Street (now Montgomery) in Eastview [Ottawa Journal, May 3, 1935 p.31, Ottawa Citizen, June 18, 1935 p.15].
1935 - (August 4) Hailstorm causes widespread crop damage on a strip between Metcalfe, Kars, Manotick, Metcalfe, Carlsbad Springs and Orléans [Ottawa Journal, August 5, 1935 p.1].
1936 - Tel-Aviv Tennis Club takes over Riverdale Tennis Club facility on River Road in Overbrook starting with the 1936 season. It had used the Victoria Tennic Club facility in Eastview for 1935 [Ottawa Citizen, April 13, 1936 p.2].
1936 - (August 15) New Hog's Back bridge and dam opens [Ottawa Citizen, August 14, 1936 p.1]. View News Clipping.
1936 - (July 28) Hail storm causes widespread crop damage in Cyrville, Navan Road, Russell Road and further east in Cumberland Township [Ottawa Journal, July 29, 1936 p.1].
1936 - Hog's Back beach opens just south of the bridge. It was replaced by Mooney's Bay in 1952.
1936 - Metcalfe Road becomes King's Highway 31 from Carleton County Line to Ottawa. The section within Dundas County had been Highway 31 previously [Ottawa Citizen, August 20, 1936 p.5, February 12, 1937 p.17].
1936 - A special Ward 6 Separate School Board is created in Eastview by Provincial Act [Ottawa Journal, January 14, 1963 p.44].
1937 - 'The Rockeries' Park is created from land donated by the Ottawa Electric Railway, when streetcar rails are lifted on abandoned right of way to former Dominion Rifle Association Rifle Range at Rockcliffe. This is a location known for spectacular daffodil plantings [Ottawa Journal, July 30, 1937 p.12] View News Clipping.
1937 - (March 24) Rockcliffe ski jump being demolished [Ottawa Journal, March 24, 1937 p.19].
1937 - (May 14) Coronation Park named for the park adjacent to the Gloucester Township Hall at Billings Bridge in honour of the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The park was maintained by the Billings Bridge Horticultural Society . The park disappeared when the township hall was sold in the early 1960s [Ottawa Citizen, May 17, 1937 p.5].
1937 - (June 23) Rockcliffe streetcar barn burns a third time. 40 older streetcars were destroyed [Ottawa Citizen, June 23, 1937 p.1, 4]. View News Clipping. View News Clipping 4.
1937 - (November 21) Dial telephone service introduced for 15,000 Ottawa and Hull customers [Ottawa Journal, November 17, 1937 p.15].
1938 - Former Bronson Avenue swing bridge to replace fixed bridge north of Dickenson Mill in Manotick.[Ottawa Citizen, May 6, 1938 p.4] View News Story.
1938 - (January 1) Carleton County Police Force disbanded. Three Ontario Police officers named to serve in Carleton County [Ottawa Journal, December 22, 1937 p.3].
1938 - (August 20) Department of Transport officially opens Uplands Airport. It is at this point that permanent runways, hangars, and terminal are built.
1938 - (October 17) Trans-Canada Air Lines inaugurate air express freight service at Uplands Airport.
1938 - (October 18) New No. 6 New Edinburgh fire hall opens on McKay Street at Vaughan Street replacing Sussex Street fire hall [Ottawa Jounral, October 19, 1938 p.5].
1938 - Le Séminaire des Pères Blancs (White Fathers Seminary) opens in Eastview in order to train missionaries for Africa. It closed in 1974 and was demolished in 1977. The Vanier City Hall later located on the same site in a new building.
1939 - (August 24) Reeve John Innes dies in office. [Gloucester Council Minutes 1938-1939, September 5, 1939 p.102]
1939 - (July 28) CNR abandons old Canadian Northern Railway L'Orignal subdivision between Hurdman's Bridge and Hawkesbury via Orléans [Ottawa Citizen, July 31, 1939 p.3]. Abandonment had first been proposed in 1935 [Ottawa Citizen, January 25, 1935 p.18].
1939 - (April 1) Trans Canada Airlines begin commercial passenger flights at Uplands airport. [Ottawa Citizen, June 30, 1960, Ottawa Airport Section p.2]
1939 - Rockcliffe airfield paved in preparation for World War II operations.
1939 - French Embassy opens on Sussex Drive on land purchased from the Blackburn family in 1931.
1939 - (September 1) No 1 Provost Company is called into active service by the army and trains at the RCMP "N" Division, Rockcliffe. This company is composed of RCMP volunteers.
1940 - The first portion of Alta Vista Drive opens between Smyth Road and Randall Avenue. It was known as Churchill Avenue prior to annexation in 1950.[Gloucester Township Minutes and Financial Statement for the year 1939-1940 p.77]
1940 - Rail spur built from Wass Junction to Uplands Airport to facilitate Air Training School construction.
1940 - British Commonwealth Air Training Plan begins at Uplands airfield (construction of 37 buildings and 6 new runways commences on May 14 and the training school opens August 5) [Ottawa Journal, August 6, 1940 p.3] (Canadian Forces Base Uplands History) and at Rockcliffe airport to train pilots for the war effort, using Harvard and Yale aircraft. Continues until 1944.
1940 - Department of National Defence purchases land near Blackburn to establish Proving Grounds.
1940 - Crown Princess Juliana of the Netherlands and her children take up residence in Rockcliffe Park until 1944. Part of their stay was at Stornoway, later the residence of the Leader of the Opposition. Princess Margriet was born at Ottawa Civic Hospital on January 19, 1943.
1940 - Sundial plaque and cairn erected by the Gloucester Horticultural Society at the corner of Walkley Road and Russell Road in memory of Reeve John Innes who died in office in 1939.
1940 - (April) Eastview Chamber of Commerce formed [Ottawa Citizen, April 19, 1940 p.9].
1940 - (July 5) Uplands Bus Lines commences hourly bus service from Bank and Grove to Uplands airport and Bowesville. A terminal and station is opened at 1270 Bank Steet in Ottawa South in 1941. [Ottawa Journal, July 6, 1940 pg. 9]
1940 - (July 13) Don McDiarmid of the Rideau Lawn Tennis Club wins the Canadian men's singles tennis championship in Quebec City [Ottawa Citizen, July 15, 1940 p.10]. He won the National Capital Tennis Association City Championship in 1938, 1941, 1946, 1947 and 1948. There was no championship given out in 1942 through 1945.
1940 - (September 27) Yale Training aircraft crashes two miles south of Uplands killing Wing Commander Grenville Hammerton Shaw, Westmount Quebec of the Royal Air Force and Flying Officer Donald Sidney Thomson Young, Montreal Quebec of the RCAF. The plane crashed into a rock outcrop on the Kemp farm in Leitrim [Ottawa Citizen, September 28, 1940, p.12, Ottawa Journal, September 28, 1940 p.32].
1940 - (October 1) Remainder of the Rockcliffe streetcar barn is demolished [Ottawa Citizen, September 30, 1940, p.23].View News Clipping.
1941 - (January) George H. Rochester named as Chief Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden for the Ottawa district [Ottawa Citizen, January 8, 1941, p.12].
1941 - Air Raid Precautions (ARP) established in Ottawa area including fire fighting auxiliaries, anti-sabotage controls, first aid, black out patrols, and police duty. Firefighting equipment and air raid sirens are to purchased. Local districts include north district (Quebec), west district, central district including Billings Bridge and Hog's Back, east district including Eastview, Overbrook, Rockcliffe and Rockcliffe Annex, a district covering the Ottawa River and a district for railway infrastructure including Hurdman's Bridge and Cyrville. ARP was first established in coastal areas shortly after war declaration in 1939 [Ottawa Citizen, March 1, 1941, p.25].
1941 - (Filming commenced July 16 in Ottawa area) The Hollywood movie'Captains of the Clouds' (Wikipedia link) (A historical North Bay perspective of the film) starring James Cagney was filmed at Uplands Airport, with the full cooperation of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. This was Mr. Cagney's first technicolor movie and was the first Hollywood movie filmed entirely on location in Canada. The film was also shot at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, and in Trenton, and near North Bay. The film was released in 1942 and was Mr. Cagney's second top grossing film in his career. [Ottawa Citizen, July 16, 1941 p.1]
1941 - #1 Special Wireless Station opens at Rockcliffe. It relocated to Leitrim in 1942, and it was known as Ottawa Wireless Station starting in 1949. Since 1966, it has been named CFS Leitrim .
1941 - The J.H. Parkin Building is the first building to open on the National Research Council's Montreal Road campus.
1941 - The Novitiate of Grey Nuns of the Cross, Alta Vista Drive is taken over by the Department of National Defense for the duration of the war and becomes the Rideau Military Hospital.
1941 - Alta Vista drive extended between Smyth Road and Russell Road to serve the Rideau Military Hospital. [Gloucester Township Minutes and Financial Statements for the year 1940-1941 p.69]
1941 - Township approves the placement of sand piles in various locations to be used by residents as a fire extinguisher in the event of enemy attack. [Ottawa Citizen, Dec. 12, 1941 p.15]
1941 - (January 7) Harvard Training aircraft crashes between Uplands and Edwards. Leading Aircraftmen J.R. (Earl) Dority of Ottawa and H.N. Dawson of Winnipeg were killed [Ottawa Citizen, January 7, 1941 p.1].
1941 - (May 5) Trainer plane crashed just north of the Hunt Club Golf Course on the farm of Bert H. Dowler. Flying Officer D.F. (Donny) Phelan of Toronto and LAC Jack W. Munro of Ottawa were killed [Ottawa Journal, May 6, 1941 p.13].
1941 - (June 17) Overbrook and Bannermount lots offered for sale by Gloucester Township. The lots had previously been lost to tax arrears.
1941 - (September 13) Twin engined Cesna monoplane crashes on the farm of R.P. Brouse, two miles south of Ramsayville. Squadron Leader Francis Evan Robert Briggs of Ottawa and Flight Lieutenant Wallace Richards of the Rockcliffe RCAF station were killed [Ottawa Journal, September 15, 1941 p.13].
1941 - (October 20) Approval given by Gloucester Township Council to build a new Manotick Public School [By-law 19 for 1941].
1941 - (November 3) Taxi License By-Law 21 approved by Gloucester Township Council.
1941 - (November 16) Two planes collided over Gloucester Township, one crashing on the west side of Bowesville Road about 3 miles south of Uplands while the second plane crashed on the farm of James Quinn on the east side of Bowesville Road. Pilots LAC Richard Wallace Heath of Lebanon, New Hampshire and LAC James Ward Anderson of Montreal were killed [Ottawa Journal, November 17, 1941 p.7] [Ottawa Citizen, November 17, 1941 p.3] View News Story..
1941 - (December 2) Engineer Frank Burrows was killed and twenty-four injured in a CPR passenger train derailment at Hurdman's Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, December 2, 1941 p.1, 12]. View News Clipping. View News Clipping 12. [Ottawa Journal, December 2, 1941 p.1, 12]. View News Clipping. View News Clipping 12. [Ottawa Journal, April 11, 1942 p.32]. View News Clipping.
1942 - (July 8) Uplands Bus Lines acquires a new bus and inaugerates service to Manotick [Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 1942 p.7, July 9, 1942 p.10]
1942 - (July 11) Uplands Bus Lines terminal opens in Ottawa South at 1270 Bank Street [Ottawa Citizen, July 11, 1942 p.6 includes photos and timetable].
1942 - (August 16) Victoria Tennis Club house destroyed by fire on Victoria Street (Montgomery) in Eastview [Ottawa Citizen, August 17, 1942 p.9].
1942 - (October 14) Head-on railway collision on CNR line just west of Metcalfe Road (Bank Street) at Billings Bridge. 20 horses were killed or euthanized and 6 crewmen were injured [Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1942 p.15].
1942 - (February 2) 1450 acres of the Mer Bleue are to be sold to the federal government for a bomb testing zone. This included Lots 1 to 6 Concession 5 and Lots 1 to 4 Concession 6 Ottawa Front [Gloucester Township Minutes and Financial Statements for the year 1941-1942 p.19]
1943 - Canadian Forces Station Gloucester opens, originally named Number 1 Station HMCS Bytown.
1943 - Federal Government serves expropriation notice for 24 Sussex Drive, which was not settled until 1946. It was used by the Australian High Commission from 1947 to 1950, at which time the house was substantially renovated. Louis St. Laurent is the first Prime Minister to reside there in 1950.
1943 - (February 16) Eastview Bus Company garage destroyed by fire including all but 3 buses. Bus service to Eastview, Overbrook and Rockcliffe Airport disrupted. [Ottawa Citizen, February. 16, 1943 p.1]
1943 - (May 13) RCAF Sergeant George Bennett of Eastview breaks world record by making his 1,300 parachute jump near Rockcliffe Air Station. [Ottawa Journal, May 15, 1943 p.2]
1943 - (May 15) RCAF Squadron Leader George V. Miscampbell of Eastview is killed in a crash landing of a Mosquito aircraft at Rockcliffe Airport. Also killed, was Sergeant F.M. Dickinson of Woodstock NB [Ottawa Journal, May 18, 1943 p.17].
1943 - (November 12) Federal District Air Raid Precautions (ARP) being disbanded. Ottawa is considered not vulnerable to enemy action. Volunteer auxiliary fire services and equipment is offered to municipalities including Gloucester Township [Ottawa Citizen, November 13, 1943 p.21].
1943 - (late) Gloucester Volunteer Fire Association established. John Brown is hired as chief [Ottawa Journal, December 8, 1944 p.2].
1944 - (January) Rideau Veteran's Home originally named the Rideau Health and Occupational Centre accepts first patients on Smyth Road. It relocated to Russell Road in 1995. The full facility was not completed until 1945. [Ottawa Citizen, December 28, 1943 p.2]
1944 - (July 19) Ottawa Expansion Committee established to deal with post-war planning, development and growth [Ottawa Citizen, July 20, 1944 p.7]. Read Clipping
1944 - (September 28) Ottawa-Gloucester Expansion Committee named established to determine the advisibility of the annexation of 7,500 acres of Gloucester Township into Ottawa and the extension of city services into Gloucester [Ottawa Citizen, September 29, 1944 p.20]. Read Clipping. Their report was submitted to Ottawa Board of Control on January 12, 1946 and later accepted in principle by both Ottawa and Gloucester councils. [Ottawa Citizen, April 4, 1949 p.8]
1944 - Gloucester Township Volunteer Fire Brigade established with district Air Raid Precautions (ARP) personnel including president John R. Murphy of Billings Bridge. [Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 1944 p.12]
1944 - (February 5) 'Casa Loma', home of Mr. & Mrs. H.S. Southam in Rockcliffe is seriously damaged by fire. [Ottawa Citizen, February 7, 1944 p.13]
1944 - (February 7) St. Thomas Aquinas Separate School, Billings Bridge destroyed by fire. [Ottawa Citizen, February 8, 1944 p.7] A new 16 classroom school opens in 1945 on the east side of Bank Street. It closed in about 1970. [Billings Bridge, My Village, My Life by Gérard & Bernard Pelot, 1999, p.57]
1944 - (March 10) Capital Carbon and Ribbon Company factory, John Street, Eastview, destroyed by fire. $50,000 damage and George Golden dies in the fire [Ottawa Journal, March 10, 1944 p.1].
1944 - (June 6) Cowan Ice House destroyed by fire at Billings Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 1944 p.2, Ottawa Journal, June 7, 1944 p.20 View News Story ].
1944 - (August 17) Township authorizes purchase of Air Raid Precaution (ARP) fire equipment from the War Assets Corporation for Gloucester and Overbrook. A truck is to go to Overbrook. A new fire hall for Overbrook is to be built on the south side of King George Street near the railway tracks. [Ottawa Citizen, August 18, 1944 p.5, View News Story September 5, 1949 p.3 (picture) View News Story]. The Overbrook Volunteer Fire Brigade was disbanded in 1950 after city annexation.
1944 - (December) New Fire truck is received. Fire apparatus designed and built by Wilfred Beauchamp of Hurdman's Bridge [Ottawa Journal, December 8, 1944 p.2 (picture)].
1945 - The first township park was purchased at Leitrim.
1945 - Commuter service commences from Sarsfield to Ottawa
1945 - First demonstration in Canada of jet aircraft takes place at RCAF Station Rockcliffe.
1945 - Pineland dance hall opens on Bowesville Road next to the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club.
1945 - (June 29) School Area 1 formed from School Sections 3, 6 and 7 [Gloucester By-Law 5 for 1945].
1945 - (June 29) School Area 2 formed from School Sections 9, 10 and 25 [Gloucester By-Law 6 for 1945].
1945 - (September 24) Rideau Health and Occupational Centre officially opens on 280 acres facing the Rideau River and on Smyth Road. This would later become the Rideau Veterans' Home. [Ottawa Journal, September 25, 1945 p.20].
1946 - School bus service commences to transport high school students from Gloucester, Nepean and Cumberland to Ottawa schools.
1946 - Families are living in emergency shelters at the Rockcliffe Air Force barracks and the army barracks on Porter's Island, as a result of a post-war housing shortage. The Porter Island barracks were demolished shortly thereafter. The Rockcliffe facility was known as the 'Rockcliffe Emergency Shelter' with a Post Office name of Finter. It was closed in 1954 and demolished.
1946 - (June 1) Don McDiarmid of the Rideau Lawn Tennis Club is named to Canada's Davis Cup Tennis Team [Montreal Gazette, June 3, 1946 p.17].
1946 - (July 28) Harvard training plane crashes on the farm of Ovide St. Jean near Blackburn. Two pilots were killed including Flight Officer T.A. Seeman of Ottawa [Ottawa Journal, July 29, 1946 p.20].
1946 - (December 19) Eastview Theatre opens on Montreal Road at Kendall Street [Ottawa Journal, December 20, 1946 p.25]. It closed on February 15, 1958.
1946 - (October 30) First meeting of the National Capital Planning Committee, under the direction of Jacques Gréber, develop and subsequently implements the Gréber plan [Ottawa Journal, October 31, 1946 p.17]. Read Clipping
1947 - New garbage disposal area established near Billings Bridge, east of Bank Street in a ravine behind St. Thomas Aquinas Separate School near Kilborn Avenue. [Ottawa Journal, May 26, 1947 p.3] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, May 27, 1947 p.11] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, September 25, 1947 p.12] View News Story.
1947 - (January 21) Rideau Branch (Eastview) of Royal Canadian Legion is founded with the first President being Leo Cantin [Ottawa Citizen, September 15, 1947 p.12] View News Clipping. [Ottawa Citizen, January 27, 1947 p.12] View News Clipping.
1947 - (February 6) Inaugural meeting of the Ottawa Planning Area Committee (later Board) operating under the Ontario Planning Act to review and recommend development plans in the Ottawa region [Ottawa Citizen, February 7, 1947 p.3] Read Clipping. It recommended a form of regional government or as an alternative, the annexation of surrounding communities.
1947 - First Air Force Day celebrated at Rockcliffe Airport. [Ottawa Citizen, June 5, 1959 Aviation Supplement p.1, p.2]
1947 - One of the worst Rideau River floods. [Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 1947 p.12]
1947 - Uplands Bus Lines introduces bus service to the Rideau Veterans Home on Smyth Road. Uplands Bus Lines also operated a bus service to Uplands airport and Bowesville, which was inaugurated around the start of World War II. These were the first suburban bus services introduced into the southern part of Gloucester. They were taken over by the Ottawa Transportation Commission in July 1950.
1947 - (January 18) Capital Lumber Company, 255 Montreal Road, Eastview, owned by Marius Vachon was destroyed by fire. The business was re-built before going out of business in 1961 [Ottawa Journal, January 20, 1947 p.24]. Read Clipping
1947 - (March 11) $500,000 fire at Plastics and Chemicals Company Limited on Hilton Avenue (now Marguerite Avenue) and Stephenson Street (now Stevens Avenue). 80 left jobless [Ottawa Citizen, March 12, 1947 p.4]. Read Clipping
1947 - (May 15) Uplands emergency shelter opecy shelter opens in former RCAF buildings. It closed on August 31, 1951.ns in former RCAF buildings. It closed on August 31, 1951.
1947 - (July 6) One of the worst hail and thunderstorms hits Ottawa. W.J. Gladman greenhouses, King George Street, Overbrook, is shattered by hail [Ottawa Journal, July 7, 1947 p.22].
1947 - (October 1) Expropriation Notices served to 200 property owners on the east shore of the Rideau River from Overbrook to Mooney's Bay [Ottawa Journal October 1, 1947 p.1].
1947 - (November 7) By Federal Order-In-Council, the Public Works Department was authorized to acquire land in Gloucester for future Ottawa industrial development. This would become the areas east of Hurdman's Bridge and south of Cyrville. [Ottawa Citizen, April 4, 1949 p.8]
1947 - (November 7) The National Capital Planning Board approves a report of the railway sub-committee to remove all railways from Ottawa and much of Gloucester except to serve future industrial areas in Gloucester. [Ottawa Citizen, April 4, 1949 p.8]
1947 - (August 25) Linden Theatre opens on Beechwood Avenue. It was renamed the Towne Cinema in July 1968 and became a repertory theatre in February 1973. It was renamed the New Edinburgh Cinema in May 1989 but closed in August of that year [Ottawa Citizen, August 23, 1947 p.25]. Read Clipping
1947 - (September 11) Cowan Ice House at Mooney's Bay destroyed by fire.[Ottawa Citizen, September 11, 1947 p.4]. Read News Story
1948 - Street Lighting installed on Bank Street from Heron Road to Walkley Road, in Rideau Park, Cyrville, Orléans, Russell Road east of Hurdman's Bridge (now Terminal Avenue) and on St. Laurent Boulevard (then Base Line Roade) from McArthur Avenue to Arundel Avenue and on Arundel Avenue in Manor Park [Gloucester Council Minutes 1948].
1948 - Sidewalks installed in Overbrook[Gloucester Council Minutes 1948].
1948 - Whale bones found at Foster's sandpits at Uplands and again in 1955 [Ottawa Journal, November 19, 1955 p.29].
1948 - Eastview Public libary opens at 259 Ste. Anne Avenue [Ottawa Citizen, June 21, 1976 p.5]. Read Clipping.
1948 - City of Ottawa Municpal tree nursery established on land owned by the Federal District Commission at the corner of Smyth Road and Alta Vista Drive [Ottawa Citizen, November 27, 1948 p.30]. Read Clipping.
1948 - (January 1) Municipal Pension Plan established as required by Section 404, Paragraph 41a of the Municipal Act [Gloucester By-Law 2 1948].
1948 - (April 28) Garbage Dump approved between Billings Bridge and Hurdman's Bridge between Riverside Drive and the Rideau River. [ Gloucester Council Minutes 1948 By-Law 34] [Ottawa Journal, May 17, 1948 p.17] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, November 27, 1948 p.7] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, April 6, 1954 p.12] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, August 24, 1961 p.7] View News Story.
1948 - (May 17) Gloucester Township Council requests to establish Gloucester High School District [Gloucester Council Minutes 1948].
1948 - (June 11) Vampire Jet Fighter crashed 400 feet west of Skead Road (Blair Road) near the Ottawa River. Flying Officer Rooney Alexander Hodgins of Ottawa and Campbells Bay was killed [Ottawa Journal, June 12, 1948 p.3].
1948 - (July 1) Carleton Health Unit established serving Gloucester and Nepean Townships [Gloucester By-Law 1 1948].
1948 - (August 13) The Ottawa Electric Railway Company including streetcars operating in New Edinburgh, Lindenlea and Rockcliffe Park are taken over by the City of Ottawa and operate under the name Ottawa Transportation Commission. [Ottawa Journal, August 13, 1948 p.1, 16, 17] View News Story. View News Story 16. View News Story 17.
1948 - (August 28) Gloucester Township dump catches fire threatening homes on Heron Road. [Ottawa Citizen, August 30, 1948 p.12] View News Story.
1948 - (August 31) Overbrook Recreation Commission created [Glouceseter By-law 35 from 1948]
1948 - (November 4) Fire destroys Epstein and Tenebaum Hotels in Carlsbad Springs. [Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 1948 p.1] View News Story.
1948 - (November 15) By-law passed to have the Ontario Provincial Police patrol Gloucester, beginning with one car. The police station is situated at Bank Street and Ridgemont. The building still exists. OPP service begins December 1, 1948 [Ottawa Citizen, November 16, 1948 p.16] View News Clipping.
1948 - (December 3) Riverside Campsite tourist cabins to be sold off by the Federal District Commission. The business had been set up by Charles Weatherall in 1937 [Ottawa Citizen, December 3, 1948 p.10]. View News Clipping.
1949 - (October 9) Cornerstone laid for the new Roman Catholic Seminary near Hurdman's Bridge by His Excellency Most Reverend Alexandre Vachon, Archbishop of Ottawa [Ottawa Citizen, October 10, 1949 p.1, 12] View News Clipping. View News Clipping 12. It became RCMP headquarters in January 1953 and never served as a seminary.
1949 - (March) New dial telephone exchange installed at RCAF Rockcliffe and to serve the National Research Council offices on Montreal Road replacing a manual service [Ottawa Citizen, March 9, 1949, p.3]
1949 - (May 7) Ottawa Senators win Allan Cup (National Senior Hockey Championship Trophy) with veteran Overbrook native, Cornell "Connie" Tudin [Ottawa Citizen, May 10, 1949 p.20] View News Clipping. Connie had played briefly with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1941-1942 season [Ottawa Journal, November 20, 1941 p.23] (View News Clipping) before joining the RCAF on April 8, 1942 [Ottawa Journal, April 10, 1942 p.20]. View News Clipping. He died in a car accident on October 24, 1988 at the corner of Rideau and Albion Roads [Ottawa Citizen, October 26, 1988 p.B3] View News Clipping. [Ottawa Citizen, October 27, 1988 p.C6] View News Clipping.
1949 - (July 29) Storm overturns footbridge at Rideau Tennis Club and blows off roof of Holy Rosary Novitiate and Scholasticate and destroys neighbouring barn in Orléans [Ottawa Citizen, July 30, 1949, p.1, 12, 18, 27] View News Story. View News Story 12. View News Story 18. View News Story 27.
1949 - (August 18) Billings family home damaged by fire. There was $20,000 in damage including the loss of many family heirlooms. [Ottawa Journal, August 18, 1949 p.1]
1949 - (September 19) Both Gloucester Township Council and Ottawa City Council approve plan to annex 14.605 acres of Gloucester land into Ottawa [Ottawa Citizen, September 20, 1949 p.12]. Read Clipping
1949-1950 - Most of the village of Ellwood is expropriated to allow for the construction of the Walkley Rail Yards and the Metcalfe Road (now Bank Street) overpass.

1950

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1950 - (January 1) 14,605 acres of the township is annexed by the City of Ottawa. This included Overbrook, Hurdman's Bridge, Billings Bridge, Ellwood, Hog's Back, Manor Park, Rideau Park, Hawthorne and the developing communities of Riverview and Alta Vista.
1950 - Fire Department was housed behind Town Hall. Annexation places Gloucester Town Hall, Fire and Roads Department miles inside of Ottawa city limits.
1950 - A citizen's trust purchases 'Stornoway' as the home for the Leader of the Opposition. The Federal Goverment purchases it in 1970. The Hon. George S. Drew is the first Leader of the Opposition to reside there.
1950 - The former Grey Nuns Convent and Rideau Military Hospital, Alta Vista Drive becomes the headquarters of the CBNRC (Communications Branch of the National Research Council, now the Communications Security Establishment) and is known as the Rideau Annex. It remains there until 1961 when it relocates to the Sir Leonard Tilley Building, Confederation Heights.
1950 - 333 acres acquired from the Grey Nuns of the Cross by the City of Ottawa, which would later become the Riverview Park subdivision [Ottawa Journal, July 14, 1950 p.1].
1950 - Final Gréber Plan released.
1950 - (March 28) U.S. Ambassador Laurence Steinhardt was killed in a plane crash near Ramsayville. The crash site was located near Baseline Road (now Ramseyville Road) and Leitrim Road on the farm of A.R. Gould. It was a C-47 Dakota Transport plane that had departed from Rockcliffe Air Station. The plane had caught fire and exploded before impact. Also killed were Allan Harrington, Captain Thomas Archibald, Lt. Col. W.F. Trueblood, and Lieut. Mark Belanger. There was one survivor. [Ottawa Journal, March 28, 1950 p.1]. News Story Video
1950 - (April 27) Gloucester Volunteer Fire Commission established [Ottawa Journal, April 28, 1950 p.34] Local fire brigades to be established in various parts of the township.
1950 - (July 1) Uplands Bus Lines service replaced by the Ottawa Transportation Commission for service to Bowesville/Uplands Airport, Metcalfe Road and Rideau Park [Ottawa Citizen, June 29, 1950 p.17]. Read Clipping
1950 - (July 7) First traffic lights installed in Eastview on Montreal Road at the two intersections of Montgomery and Lajoie [Ottawa Citizen, July 8, 1950 p.28].
1950 - (September 12) Department of Transport announces the expropriation of 3,800 acres for Uplands airport expansion [Ottawa Citizen, September 13, 1950 p.20]. Read Clipping
1950 - (November 24) Overbrook Community Centre opens at Overbrook Public School [Ottawa Journal, November 25, 1950 p.24].
1950 - (December 26) Cyrville Bus Lines service taken over by the Ottawa Transportation Commission. This included a bus route to Cyrville via McArthur Avenue and Base Line Road (St. Laurent Boulevard. [Ottawa Journal, December 23, 1950 p.8]
1950 - (December 29) Eastview Bus Company service taken over by the Ottawa Transportation Commission. Ottawa buses extended to serve Eastview, Overbrook, Manor Park, Ward 6 (Clarkstown) and Rockcliffe Airport. [Ottawa Journal, December 29, 1950 p.5]
1951 - Bowesville expropriated for expansion of Uplands Airport (now Ottawa's MacDonald-Cartier International Airport).
1951 - Eastview Telephone Exchange building to be completed at Montreal Road and Olmstead Street [Ottawa Citizen, July 4, 1950 p.29].
1951 - (June 3) St. Charles Tennis Club opens in Eastview [Ottawa Citizen, June 4, 1951 p.19]. In 1952, it acquired some equipment from the closing Victoria Tennis Club. It appears to have lasted until 1955.
1951 - (July 10) The 200 foot outdoor New Edinburgh Swimming Pool opens on the former site of the Flat Rocks Swimming hole. It was located west of the end of Stanley Avenue on the edge of the Rideau River and was filled with river water [Ottawa Journal, July 10, 1951 p.12].
1951 - (July 13) Aladdin Drive-In Theatre opens on Albion Road. It closed in 1993 [Ottawa Journal, July 12, 1951 p.8].
1951 - (August 30) Star-Top Drive-In Theatre opens on Cyrville Road. It closed in 1974 [Ottawa Journal, August 30, 1951 p.11].
1951 - Lester Road built between Highway 31 and Albion Road.
1951 - Albion Road named and opened between Lester Road and Johnston's Corners in order to provide a replacement road for Bowesville Road being closed for airport expansion.
1951 - Rothwell Heights begins to be subdivided.
1951 - Les Soeurs Antoiniennes de Marie opens next to the White Fathers Seminary in Eastview. It later became the Vanier Public Library.
1951 - OTC bus waiting room opens near Rideau and Wurttemburg to serve buses from Manor Park, Rockcliffe Airport, Eastview, Cyrville and Overbrook [Ottawa Citizen, January 2, 1954 p.7]. Initially after the December 1950 take over of the Eastview Bus Company and Cyrville Bus Lines, buses were routed via Rideau, Charlotte, Besserer and Wurtemburg [Ottawa Citizen, January 10, 1951 p.20]..
1951 - (February 16) Bank and Grove waiting room opens as the terminus for Bank streetcars and Uplands and Metcalfe Road bus lines [Ottawa Journal, February 16, 1951 p.1].
1951 - (April 2) Bus service extended to Hawthorne [Ottawa Citizen, April 2, 1951 p.11].
1951 - (May) Parking meters inaugerated in Eastview on Montreal Road [Ottawa Citizen, May 10, 1951 p.1]. Parking meters were not implemented in the City of Ottawa until 1958.
1951 - (June 16) Harvard plane crashes into Uplands airport runway during Ottawa Flying Club air show. Flight Lieutenant Vrooman is killed [Ottawa Journal, June 18, 1951 p.3].
1951 - (December 24) Bronson Trolley bus service commences operation. The former Toronto wooden streetcars were retired on December 22nd [Ottawa Citizen, December 24, 1951 p.2].
1952 - The eastern portion of the Rockcliffe Driveway between Acacia Avenue and the RCMP Barracks is renamed Lady Alexander Driveway in honour of the wife of the Governor General [Ottawa Journal, January 7, 1952 p.6].
1952 - (November) Gloucester Glen Women's Institute founded [Ottawa Journal, December 12, 1952 p.19]. View News Clipping.
1952 - (November 10) Improved Highway 17 opens which had been rebuilt mostly following old Canadian Northern Railway railbed in vacinity of Orléans [Ottawa Citizen, November 11, 1952 p.1].
1952 - CMHC (Central Mortage and Housing Corporation, later the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) opens its headquarters on Montreal Road. It was originally established in 1946 to provide housing to returning war veterans.
1952 - (February 21) SHerwood 6 dial telephone exchange opened in Eastview [Ottawa Citizen, February 22, 1952 p.1, p.8].
1952 - (April 19) Victoria Tennis Club closes. The property is to be re-developed [Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 1952 p.25, April 18, 1952 p.1, p.26].
1952 - (May 26) Footbridge at Rideau Lawn Tennis Club swept down river by strong currents. It was not rebuilt [Ottawa Journal, May 27, 1952 p.1, p.3]. [Ottawa Citizen, July 27, 1952 p.1, 6, 12] View News Story. View News Story 6. View News Story 12.
1952 - (July 1) Mooney's Bay Beach opens, replacing the Hog's Back beach that closed the same day.
1953 - Alta Vista water tower built [Ottawa Journal, March 11, 1953 p.3 photo, May 1, 1953 p.3 photo].
1953 - (July) Bank Street railway overpass at Ellwood opens [Ottawa Journal, July 28, 1953 p.14].
1953 - (October 11) St. Louis Marie de Montfort Hospital is officially opened [Ottawa Journal, October 17, 1953 p.29].
1953 - Eastview Broadcasting Corporation established to broadcast radio. The project is abandoned.
1953 - Ottawa Dairy Ice House (also owned by the Cowan family) west of Bank Street demolished. It had been originally expropriated in 1947 [Ottawa Journal, December 27, 1949 p.14].
1953 - (January) RCMP Headquarters relocates to Hurdman's Bridge on the former site of a seminary.
1953 - (June 24) Cessna 140 monoplane crashes at the farm of Kenneth Boyd, killing RCMP Constables John Derrie McWhinney and Willard Boehler.
1953 - (June 30) Hog's Back cottage eviction deadline. This included cottages on Cowan's Lane near today's Terry Fox Sports Complex. Final removal or demoliton was extended until September 15 [Ottawa Citizen, July 2, 1953 p.14, Ottawa Citizen, July 31, 1953 p.34]. The cottages are to replaced by parkland.
1953 - (November 30) A new bus service inaugurated between Bank and Grove and the south end of Elgin Street at the Pretoria Bridge via Bank Street, Alta Vista Drive through Riverview Park and Hurdman's Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, November 28, 1953 p.7 including schedule and map].
1953 - (October 19) Streetcar service discontinued between Sussex and John to Buena Vista loop in Rockcliffe and replaced by a peak period bus on a reduced schedule [Ottawa Journal, November 17, 1953 p.1, 16]. View News Clipping. View News Clipping 16. A trial all day bus service into Rockcliffe village began on October 31, 1953 [Ottawa Journal, October 29, 1953 p.3]. View News Clipping. The trial bus service ended on November 14, 1953 [Ottawa Journal, November 16, 1953 p.1, 16]. View News Clipping. View News Clipping 16. The bus service resumed during peak periods only starting on November 30, 1953 [Ottawa Citizen, November 27, 1953 p.1] View News Clipping.
1953 - (November 18) New cross-town railway tracks open at Walkley Yards, and from Wass Junction to Hawthorne Road [Ottawa Journal, November 18, 1953 p.18]. Wass Junction is named after Silas B. Wass, who was a railway consultant for the Federal District Commission and responsible for negotiating and the construction of this track.
1953 - (December 10) Clairson Lumber Company, Carillon Street, Eastview destroyed by fire. [Ottawa Journal, December 10, 1953 p.1 and p.24]. Read Clipping 1. Read Clipping 2. The fire damage was not fully covered by insurance and the company was forced into bankruptcy in 1954 [Ottawa Citizen, June 1, 1954 p.32]. Read Clipping
1954 - (November 16) Queen Mother officially opens Bytown Bridges connecting Lower town with New Edinburgh and Rockcliffe at Green Island [Ottawa Journal, November 16, 1954 p.1].
1954 - Passenger service discontinued on Ottawa and New York railway between Ottawa and Cornwall.
1954 - Customs and Immigration office added at Uplands airport to accommodate direct transatlantic flights [Ottawa Journal, March 8, 1954 p.1].
1954 - (January 18) Sussex Streetcar that had looped at Sussex and John since October 19, 1953 was replaced by buses. The new bus route ends west of the Rideau River. Rockcliffe peak period bus service extended to the west side of the Rideau River via the Minto bridges [Ottawa Citizen, January 16, 1954 p.4]. View News Clipping. This would facilitate the construction of the Bytown Bridges at Green Island.
1954 - (March 15) Ogilvie Road named. Known previously since 1952 as Gauvin Road. [Gloucester 1954 By-Law 10]
1954 - (March 24) Eastview voters defeat plebicite that would have allowed the sale of liquor in restaurants and taverns [Ottawa Journal, March 25, 1954 p.1 and 3].
1954 - (July 12) Sod turning for new school at Blackburn Corners that is to open in September 1954. [Ottawa Citizen, July 13, 1954 p.3]
1954 - (July 13) Steetcars replaced with buses on Crichton Street in New Edinburgh. A temporary bus circulator was implemented that ran from Crichton and Beechwood to Baird and Cumberland via the Minto Bridges. All St. Patrick streetcars were redirected via Lindenlea [Ottawa Citizen, July 13, 1954 p.4] View News Clipping.
1954 - (September 30) Rockcliffe bus service cancelled [Ottawa Citizen, September 23, 1954 p.43]. View News Clipping.
1954 - (October 21) Billings Bridge Plaza opens [Ottawa Journal, October 21, 1954 p.39].
1954 - Rideau River blasting commences to prevent spring flooding in New Edinburgh, Eastview and Billings Bridge.
1955 - (August 13) Canadian National Railways relocate freight operations from Elgin Street to Walkley Yards at Ellwood [Ottawa Journal, August 13, 1955 p.3].
1955 - (May 2) Lockheed Lightning aircraft crashes just south of Uplands Airport killing pilot C.P. McEvoy of Edmonton. Gloucester farmers Donald and Murray Hope witness crash.
1955 - (May) Hog's Back Park and pavilion opens [Ottawa Journal, May 28, 1955 p.3].
1955 - (Summer) CBO radio transmitter relocated from Russell Road south of Smyth Road to the north side of Russell Road and west of Anderson Road. The old property was for sale in 1956 [Ottawa Citizen, June 24, 1955 p.15, May 4, 1956 p.48].
1955 - (September 7) Rockcliffe Driveway via the Ottawa Rockcliffe Club through Mile Circle to Birch Avenue in Manor Park is opened. This replaces a narrow winding route via Hillsdale Road. The new road was paved in the summer of 1956. The Lady Alexander Driveway winding around Mile Circle would be abandoned [Ottawa Citizen, September 7, 1955 p.1].
1955 - (September 15) Roman Catholic Minor Seminary opens on Carson Road. It was blessed on October 2 by His Excellency Marie-Joseph. Lemieux, Archbishop of Ottawa. This Seminary first opened in 1925 on Rideau Terrace and was later located in St. Joseph's Orphanage [Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 3, 1955 p.3]. This is now the site of La Cité collegiale.
1955 - (December 12) Explosion in the heating plant at the National Research Council Montreal Road campus kills three employees. Ray Stroud, Jean Seguin and Gerald Carriere are killed. [Ottawa Citizen, December 13, 1955 p.1]
1955 - (December 19) New Hurdman's Bridge opens. The Queensway will eventually use it.
1955 - (December 19) Dunbar Bridge opens extending Bronson Avenue to Heron Road. Named after the Hon. George Dunbar.
1955 - (December 28) Ellwood and Quarries School Sections dissolved ending sharing of schools between Gloucester Township and the Ottawa School Board. The dissolution of the Hawthorne School Section was to follow. [Ottawa Citizen, May 6, 1955 p.3]
1956 - (October 31) First zoning bylaw passed. [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1974 p.2][Ottawa Journal, October 31, 1956 p.47] View News Story.
1956 - First Orléans fire hall built on St. Joseph Boulevard [Ottawa Journal, July 26, 1960 p.3] The earliest reference to the Orléans Volunteer Fire Brigade in action was on October 7, 1954 [Ottawa Journal, October 7, 1954 p.42]..
1956 - (October 7) Bank Street telephone exchange building to be completed and the REgent 3 exchange inaugurated [Ottawa Journal, September 22, 1956 p.1, Ottawa Citizen, September 24, 1956 p.5]
1956 - (April 25) Dominion Store on Montreal Road at Olmstead Street suffers $100,000 fire [Ottawa Citizen, April 26, 1956 p.26]. View News Clipping.
1956 - (October 18) Landriault Shopping Plaza opens at 55 to 71 Montreal Road, Eastview. [Ottawa Journal, October 18, 1956 p.8] View News Story.
1956 - (December 2) The last Ottawa manual telephone service switched to dial service and with it the end of 5 digit telepone numbers. The new exchanges included PArkway 2, 8 and 9 and CEntral 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 [Ottawa Citizen, December 1, 1956 p.4]
1956 - Housing being removed at Nordic Circle near Billings Bridge following years of flooding. [Ottawa Journal, June 8, 1956 p.53]
1956 - (January 9) Fairfield Public School (School Section 9) opens in Cardinal Heights. It closed in June 1985. Prior to the 1950 annexation, School Section 9 was Quarries Public School. [Gloucester Leader, June 1985 p.5]
1956 - (May 15) Fighter plane crashes into the Villa St. Louis Convent operated by the Grey Nuns near Orléans. 15 killed. [Ottawa Journal, May 16, 1956 p.2]
1956 - (June 25) Bus service to Elmvale Acres inaugerated to Bank and Grove terminal. [Ottawa Citizen, May 21, 1956 p.2]
1956 - (November 15) Swing bridge over Rideau River at Manotick replaced with high level bridge [Ottawa Journal, October 16, 1956 p.3] [Ottawa Citizen, November 16, 1956 p.38] View News Report..
1957 - Billings Avenue flag station abandoned by CPR [Ottawa Journal, July 10, 1957 p.19].
1957 - (February 14)] Ottawa and New York Railway (New York Central) abandoned . [Ottawa Citizen, February 15, 1957 p.29]
1957 - (July 1) A joint Gloucester-Nepean Police Department was established with the first Chief John Rankin, 4 constables, two radio cars and the station at the Billings Bridge Township Hall. [Ottawa Citizen, June 14, 1957 p.7] Read News Clipping
1957 - (October 15) Queen Elizabeth launches Queensway construction just east of Hurdman's Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1957 p.1]. Read Clipping
1957 - (October 26) CPR discontinues passenger service on old Bytown and Prescott Railway [Ottawa Journal, October 28, 1957 p.21] Read News Clipping.
1957 - Military flight testing and development operations relocated from RCAF Station Rockcliffe to RCAF Station Uplands.
1957 - First fire station opens in Orléans. [Orléans 1950-1960 Saint Joseph Boulevard Remembers, p.38]
1957 - (January 31) Manor Park Shopping Centre opens. [Ottawa Citizen, January 31, 1957 p.18].
1957 - (May 1) Major fire destroys half a block of Cyrville including the Post Office operated by Wilfrid Cyr, a furniture store and leaving 32 homeless. [Ottawa Citizen, May 2, 1957 p.1].
1957 - (July 15) Orléans street names changes and made bilingual is approved by Gloucester Township Council. Ottawa Street becomes Boul. St-Joseph Boulevard [Ottawa Citizen, July 16, 1957 p.4].
1957 - (September) The cornerstone of the Major Seminary of Ottawa on Kilborn Avenue near Bank Street is blessed by His Excellency Marie-Joseph Lemieux, Archbishop of Ottawa, on November 25, 1956 and opened in September 1957 [Ottawa Citizen, November 26, 1956 p.7].
1957 - (September 25) Eastview residents vote 67.5% in favour of cocktail lounges and liquor being served in restaurants. [Ottawa Citizen, September 26, 1957 p.3].
1957 - (October 31) The new City of Ottawa Municipal tree nursery is officially opened on the north side of Montreal Road near the sewage disposal plant. Part of the property was later found unsuitable for a tree nursery due to drainage problems [Ottawa Citizen, October 29, 1957 p.3]. Read Clipping.
1957 - First trees infected in the Ottawa area with Dutch Elm Disease [Ottawa Citizen, August 27, 1957 p.3]. Read Clipping
1957 - North Gloucester Little League Baseball organized.
1958 - Tender to remove or demolish the Tel-Aviv Tennis Club house. 1957 appears to the last active year for the club [Ottawa Citizen, October 8, 1958 p.8].
1958 - Construction begins at Confederation Heights office campus [Ottawa Citizen, May 26, 1958 p.34]. Read Clipping [Ottawa Citizen, July 21, 1958 p.3]. Read Clipping [Ottawa Citizen, November 12, 1958 p.36]. Read Clipping
1958 - (October 22) Federal government authorizes Federal District Commission (now the National Capital Commission) to acquire 37,500 acres including 22,500 acres of Gloucester farmland for the Greenbelt [Ottawa Citizen, November 11 1958 p.4 and 5 of "Suburbia"]. Read Clipping
1958 - The Merkley Brickyard at Billings Bridge closes after being expropriated by the federal government in 1954. This became the site of the RA Centre. The brickyard was demolished at the end of 1960.
1958 - Vincent Massey Park named [Ottawa Citizen, December 16, 1958 p.17].
1958 - Cyrville Fire Hall opens. [Gloucester Council Minutes, December 8, 1958] It was officially opened on May 22, 1959 [Ottawa Citizen, May 23, 1959 p.5].
1958 - (March 29) Fine's Flowers greenhouses owned by Harry Fine officially opened on Riverside Drve [Ottawa Journal, March 28, 1958 p.10].
1958 - (Early May) New bridge opens over west channel of Rideau River at Manotick [Ottawa Citizen, May 8, 1958 p.20] View News Story.
1958 - (May 12) Alta Vista fire hall located at Alta Vista Drive and Randall Avenue is officially opened [Ottawa Citizen, May 13, 1958 p.3].
1958 - (June 28) Mooney's Bay beach extended northward to form a 1200 foot beach. The original beach was 250 feet and south of the point of land [Ottawa Citizen, June 27, 1958 p.3].
1958 - (August 2) Ottawa City Hall is officially opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret on Green Island [Ottawa Citizen, August 1, 1958 p.73].
1958 - (September) First library opens in the basement of Saint Joseph School. The first library board was established by the Orléans Police Village in 1962.
1958 - (September) Cyrville Road overpass for the future Queensway opens [Ottawa Citizen, September 10, 1958 p.1]
1958 - (December 7) Talbot 2 telephone exchange inaugerated replacing rural multi-party telephone service in the southern parts of Gloucester [Ottawa Citizen, December 5, 1958 p.2].
1959 - (January 12) Streetcar service discontinued on Bank-St. Patrick route. [Ottawa Journal, January 12, 1959 p.17].
1959 - (February 11) Children's Aid Society of Ottawa administration building is officially opened at 1370 Bank Street (Billings Bridge). The Children's Aid relocated in 1993 and Billingswood Manor Seniors' Residence opened at this site in 2001 after the building was substantially renovated. This had originally the site of St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church, which had relocated nearby to Kilborn Avenue. [Ottawa Citizen, February 11, 1959, p.4] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, November 25, 2000 p.H5] View News Story.
1959 - (February 16) Streetcar service discontinued on Holland-Laurier route. [Ottawa Journal, February 14, 1959 p.2].
1959 - (early April) Fire boxes begin to be converted to telephones at Alta Vista and Randall and Bank and Riverside Drive [Ottawa Citizen, April 6, 1959 p.1].
1959 - (April 6) Streetcar service discontinued on Preston-Rideau route. [Ottawa Journal, April 3, 1959 p.15].
1959 - (May 1) Final Streetcar service along the Britannia line discontinued. There was a streetcar parade through downtown on May 2 [Ottawa Citizen, April 29, 1959 p.2, Ottawa Journal, May 1, 1959 p.1]. Bus waiting room near Rideau and Wurttemburg is closed as east end bus routes are extended in 1959 to and through downtown. It was declared surplus and sold in 1960 [Ottawa Citizen, June 1, 1960 p.13]. Post streetcar bus routes were improved on June 29, September 28, October 5 and December 14, 1959 [Ottawa Journal, June 25, 1959 p.15 map, Ottawa Citizen, September 25, 1959 p.22 map, Ottawa Citizen, October 3 1959 p.2, Ottawa Citizen, December 10, 1959 p.5].
1959 - (July 3) New Mud Creek Bridge built over Green's Creek on Innes Road [Ottawa Citizen, July 4, 1959 p.19].
1959 - (August 5) Accidental sonic boom seriously damages new Uplands Airport terminal, delaying opening until the following year [Ottawa Journal, August 6, 1959 p.1] View News Story.
1959 - Pineview Golf Course established as a semi-private course operated by the Leo Kelly family on land leased from the National Capital Commission. [Gloucester Leader, November, 1990 p.4]
1959 - (June 28) Archbishop Lemieux officially opens the Villa Madonna Retreat House on St. Joseph Boulevard (Old Montreal Road), Orléans. It is operated by the English speaking Oblate Fathers. It replaced a previous facility on Carling Avenue [Ottawa Journal, June 29, 1959 p.3]. The building was sold by the church in 1970 and demolished in 2008 and replaced with a more modern building, which is now the Madonna Care Community [Ottawa Journal, June 5, 1970 p.3].
1959 - (June 29) Buses replaces trolley coaches on Bronson Avenue [Ottawa Citizen, June 26, 1959 p.23] View News Story.
1959 - (July 6) Ahearn & Soper Company Ltd. were the first to turn sod for a new office and warehouse in the Belfast Road industrial area. [Ottawa Citizen, July 7, 1959 p.7]
1959 - (July 10) McArthur Shopping Plaza opens at 320 McArthur Avenue. [Ottawa Citizen, July 9, 1959 p.12, 13] Read News Clipping 12. Read News Clipping 13. [Ottawa Journal, July 9, 1959 p.8, 9] Read News Clipping 8. Read News Clipping 9.
1959 - (September 2) Coca-Cola truck crashes into Bank and Grove bus terminal. There were no injuries. [Ottawa Citizen, September 2, 1959 p.7] View News Story [Ottawa Journal, September 2, 1959 p.5] View News Story.
1959 - (October 23) R.A. Centre officially opened by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker [Ottawa Journal, October 24, 1959 p.17]. The laying of the cornerstone was officiated also by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker on July 21, 1958 [Ottawa Journal, July 22, 1958 p.3] and the building opened for use in May 1959 [Ottawa Journal, May 30, 1959 p.36]. The R.A. Centre was opened was opened for the Civil Service Recreation Association and was also known as the W. Clifford Clark Memorial Recreation Centre. W. Clifford Clark was the Deputy Minister of Finance who elicited government support for the project. [Ottawa Journal, July 25, 1959 p.31]
1959 - (November 13) First comprehensive zoning by-law passed for all of Gloucester Township. [Gloucester Council Minutes 1958-1959, p.177-200 By-Law 26 for 1959]
1959 - (December 5) Curling Club officially opened at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club [Ottawa Journal, December 7, 1959 p.17] View News Story. The Curling Club survived the 1962 fire.
1959 - (December 24) Alta Vista (now Vanier Parkway) Queensway interchange opens. The old Hurdman's Bridge is closed to traffic. [Ottawa Journal, December 23, 1959 p.5] View News Story.
1959 - (December 27) Orléans fire hall building damaged by fire that left the Lavertue family of 10 homeless, who were living in adjoining living quarters. Emile Lavertue was a volunteer fireman. The fire hall portion of the building was saved from significant damage. [Ottawa Journal, December 28, 1959 p.17, Ottawa Citizen, December 28, 1959 p.9 photo].
1960 - Sawmill Creek diverted at Billings Bridge so that it enters the Rideau River east of Bank Street. It originally crossed Bank Street at the Gloucester Township Hall and just to the north of Billings Bridge Plaza and entered the Rideau River west of Bank Street. This was necessary to allow for the twinning of Riverside Drive. [Ottawa Citizen, May 25, 1960 p.3] View News Story.
1960 - (May 14) Former Manotick Swing Bridge dismantled and reused by the New Edinburgh Tennis Club to connect there clubhouse on the Ottawa River to the shoreline. [Ottawa Journal, May 16, 1960 p.36 ] View News Story.
1960 - (July) A new Orléans fire hall was under construction. There was a plebescite on October 17, 1960 to authorize an $8,000 debenture to complete the fire hall [Ottawa Citizen, July 27, 1960 p.22 photo, Ottawa Journal, September 23, 1960 p.44]
1960 - (June 15) New terminal opens at Uplands airport. Official opening on June 30th. Construction had begun in 1957. [Ottawa Journal, June 14, 1960 p.1] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, June 15, 1960 p.27] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, June 30, 1960, Ottawa Airport Section p.1] View News Story Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9
1960 - (July) Capital Golf Gardens opens on Highway 31 adjacent to Kempark. The golf course was abandoned in 2018. [Ottawa Citizen, June 30, 1960 p.23] View News Story.
1960 - (September 1) The Eastern Parkway opens between Montreal Road and Ogilvie Road. [Ottawa Citizen, August 31, 1960 p.22] View News Story.
1960 - (September 3) The Ottawa Transportation Commission (now OC Transpo) opens its new headquarters on St. Laurent Blvd.[Ottawa Journal, September 2, 1960 p.40] View News Story.
1960 - (October 25) Robert Campeau purchases 500 acres including the Hopkins and Watson farms that will later become the Beacon Hill neighbourhood. [Ottawa Journal, October 25, 1960 p.1] View News Story. View News Story Page 5.
1960 - (November 21) Bank and Grove waiting room re-opens following 1959 closure serving as the terminus for Alta Vista, Metcalfe Road and Uplands bus routes [Ottawa Journal, November 18, 1960 p.2] View News Story. The waiting room remained in use until December 1973.
1960 - (November 24 3 p.m.) Twinned Riverside Drive between Bank Street and Dunbar Bridge opens. [Ottawa Journal, November 21, 1960 p.5]. View News Story.
1960 - (November 25) Queensway opens from Hurdman's Bridge to Green's Creek. [Ottawa Journal, November 24, 1960 p.4]. View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, November 24, 1960 p.3] View News Story.
1960 - (December 15) Canadian Tire Store at 248 McArthur Avenue destroyed by fire [Ottawa Journal, December 16, 1960 p.3] View News Clipping.
1960 - (December 23) St. Laurent fire hall officially opened. [Ottawa Journal, December 24, 1960 p.23] View News Story.
1961 - (October 11) National Defense Medical Centre officially opened. First known as Tri-Services Hospital [Ottawa Journal, October 11, 1961 p.25] View News Story.
1961 - Gloucester Historical Society founded.
1961 - St. Laurent Boulevard railway overpasses constructed. [Ottawa Jounral, January 31, 1961 p.1] View News Story.
1961 - Billings Bridge rebuilt with a new deck. [Ottawa Jounral, January 31, 1961 p.1] View News Story.
1961 - Riverside Drive twinned between Heron Road and Brookfield Road [Ottawa Citizen, June 8, 1961 p.8]. View News Story.
1961 - (June 29) Elmvale Shopping Centre opens.[Ottawa Citizen, June 30, 1961 p.3] View News Story.
1961 - (September 22) Aladdin Bowling Lanes opens at 435 Donald Street. It closed in 2000. [Ottawa Journal, September 22, 1961 p.18] View News Story.
1961 - (November 16) First major expansion of Billings Bridge Plaza opens. [Ottawa Citizen, November 15, 1961 p.35] View News Story.
1962 - (March 10) Ogilvy's Department Store opens at Billings Bridge Plaza as part of major expansion of the shopping centre [Billings Bridge Plaza, A Swan's Tale, p.12].
1962 - (March 20) The official opening date for the second expansion of Billings Bridge Plaza. [Ottawa Citizen, March 19, 1962 p.35] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, March 19, 1962 p.36] View News Story.
1962 - (May 10) Gloucester-Nepean Police Station relocates from the second floor of the Billings Bridge Township Hall to the new Leitrim Township Hall [Ottawa Citizen, May 11, 1962 p.4]. View News Story
1962 - (May 12) New School Area 1 approved to add 6 rooms to Ramsayville School by merging it (School Section 13) with School Section 18 (Carlsbad Springs) and School Section 20 (Piperville) [Ottawa Citizen, May 14, 1962 p.26]. View News Story
1962 - (June 16) New Township Hall officially opens at Leitrim. Fire and Works Departments also transferred to Leitrim. The township first moved into the building on May 2nd [Ottawa Journal, June 18, 1962 p.3] [Ottawa Journal, May 2, 1962 p.23] View News Story [Ottawa Journal, June 15, 1962 p.9] View News Story
1962 - (August 8) Shoppers City East opens on Ogilvie Road at Blair Road including Freimart Department Store and Shop-Rite Foodmart. [Ottawa Citizen, August 7, 1962 p.19] View News Story.
1962 - (August 14) Towers Discount Department Store opens on Cyrville Road. [Ottawa Citizen, August 11, 1962 p.18] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, August 13, 1962 p.25] View News Story. Discount Foods opened on September 19, 1962. [Ottawa Citizen, September 18, 1962 p.22] View News Story.
1962 - (February 25) Clubhouse destroyed by fire at Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club [Ottawa Journal, February 26, 1962 p.1] View News Story.
1962 - (September 1) Rideau-Carleton Raceway opens for harness racing. [Ottawa Citizen, August 31, 1962 p.22] View News Story.
1962 - (September 21) McArthur Lanes opens on McArthur Avenue. It opened with 5 pin bowling. [Ottawa Citizen, September 20, 1962 p.22]
1962 - Wind tunnel built at Uplands Airport. [Ottawa Citizen, February 15, 1962 p.7] View News Story.
1962 - New concrete Riverside Drive bridge over the CPR (Trillium Line) opens replacing a dangerous wooden hump-backed bridge [Ottawa Citizen, July 27, 1962 p.2]. View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, June 8, 1961 p.8] View News Story.
1963 - Gloucester Coat of Arms designed by Allan Beddoe and approved by council. The coat of arms was officially put into use on January 1, 1968.

1963 - First Official Plan for the Township approved.
1963 - (January 1) Eastview incorporated as a city. [Ottawa Citizen, December 31, 1962 p.1] Read News Clipping.
1963 - (March 9) Riverside Garbage Disposal closes. Effective March 11, 1963, garbage was to be taken to Nepean Bay. [Ottawa Citizen, March 7, 1963 p.9] Read News Clipping.
1963 - (May 5) Direct Dial Long-Distance Telephone Service inaugerated [Ottawa Journal, May 4, 1963 p.16].
1963 - (September 3, official opening November 1) Gloucester High School opens, the first high school opened in Gloucester Township [Ottawa Journal, September 3, 1963 p.4, November 2, 1963 p.9].
1963 - (June 3) Green's Creek Pollution Control Centre, now known as the R.O. Pickard Environmental Centre, opens.
1963 - (July 12) Mooney's Bay pavilion opens [Ottawa Citizen, July 17, 1963 p.9].
1963 - (August 26) Gloucester Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 1484 founded. http://www.ottawafirefighters.org/index.cfm?Section=10&pagenum=242&titles=0
1963 - (August 28) Odeon Queensway drive-in theatre officially opened north of Montreal Road near the Queensway [Ottawa Journal, August 24, 1963 p.32]. It closed in 1986.
1963 - (November 15) Walkley Road Arena opens to the public named 'Walkley Arena' after the pioneer family [Ottawa Journal, November 15, 1963 p.12]. Read News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1963 p.5] Read News Story.
1963 - (December 26) There is a major fire at the McArthur Shopping Plaza [Ottawa Citizen, December 27, 1963 p.1, 3, 34]. Read the News Clipping 1. Read News Clipping 3. Read News Clipping 34
1964 - (January 1) Gloucester Police Department established and begins with 3 patrol cars. [Ottawa Citizen, Sept. 24, 1964 p.5, Ottawa Citizen, August 13, 1963 p.3]
1964 - (February 3) Ridge Road Garbage Disposal Area opens. The Nepean Bay disposal area closed on Februay 1, 1964. [Ottawa Citizen, February 3, 1964 p.31] View News Story.
1964 - (June 4) St. Patrick's Home for the Aged, first established in 1865, relocates to Riverside Drive opposite from Mooney's Bay.. The Home was officially opened on October 31, 1964 by Archbishop M. Joseph Lemieux.
1964 - (July 9) Agreement signed to proceed with the Beacon Hill development, which introduced development fees for the first time in Gloucester. Fees funded the extension of water mains, sanitary and storm sewers. Fees ranged from $200 for lots up to 6.000 square feet to $300 for lots greater than 7,500 square feet, $350 for duplexes and $1,200 per acre for multiple units [Ottawa Citizen, July 10, 1964 p.1].
1964 - CPR abandons old Bytown and Prescott Railway between Sussex Drive and Beechwood Avenue.
1964 - National Aeronautical Collection amalgamated at Rockcliffe Airport for public display.
1964 - The first Township Recreation Board, GCCB, is established.
1964 - Uplands Airport renamed Ottawa International Airport.
1964 - Flying Operations cease at RCAF Station Rockcliffe.
1964 - The Carleton West-Russell Historical Society founded, amalgamating local historal groups including the members of the Gloucester Historical Society.
1964 - The distinctive new CBC Headquarters (Edward Drake Building) opens at 1500 Bronson Avenue in Confederation Heights. It was CBC Heardquarters from 1964 until 1997. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Drake_Building
1964 - (December 7) The establishment of Gloucester Hydro approved by referendum [Ottawa Citizen, December 10, 1964 p.42]. View News Story.
1965 - National Capital Commission acquires Mer Bleue. [Gloucester Leader, March 1984]
1965 - Johnson's Hotel at Carlsbad Springs is for sale. It first opened in 1900 [Ottawa Citizen, June 12, 1965 p.10]. View News Clipping.
1965 - (January 1) Local school boards replaced by Gloucester Public School Board (elementary schools only).
1965 - Ritchie Feed and Seed Ltd. opens new mill and warehouse on Innes Road [Ottawa Journal, October 9, 1971 p.9].
1966 - (March) Gloucester library board established.
1966 - (July 31) New Railway Station opens on Tremblay Road [Ottawa Journal, August 2, 1966 p.3]. Read news story.
1966 - Terminal Avenue Railway Freight Terminals open [Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 1966 p.33]. Read News Story..
1966 - Morrison-Lamothe Bakery building is completed on St. Laurent Boulevard. This was leased to the federal government in 1967 for the Museum of Science and Technology which became its permanent home. [Ottawa Journal, March 27, 1967 p.2].
1966 - (November 18) Overbrook Community Centre opens [Ottawa Citizen, November 21, 1966 p.23].
1966 - (June 15) CPR abandons the old Bytown and Prescott Railway (Sussex Street subdivision) between Beechwood Avenue and Hurdman.
1966 - (July 17) CPR abandons the old Bytown and Prescott Railway (Sussex Street subdivision) between Hurdman and Bank Street.
1966 - Orléans telephone exchange to be completed on Boyer Road. Service to be transferred from Eastview telephone exchange. New '824' service [Ottawa Journal, October 16, 1965 p.1].
1966 - Orléans water system being built [Ottawa Journal, October 4, 1966 p.3].
1966 - Ottawa Municipal tree nursery opens on Leitrim Road opposite the Fred Barrett Arena [Ottawa Citizen, , March 17, 1966 p.1]. Read news story.
1966 - (July) Gloucester approval allows construction to commence on 650 acre Blackburn Hamlet development by Costain Estates Limited. [Ottawa Citizen, August 3, 1966 p.13]
1966 - (June 23) Alta Vista Drive re-routed westward and twinned between Caledon Street and the Queensway interchange [Ottawa Journal, June 24, 1966 p.3]. Read News Story.
1966 - (August 2) Gloucester approval allows construction to commence on 700 acre development to become known as Beacon Hill as a joint Minto/Campeau project. [Ottawa Citizen, August 3, 1966 p. 13] Development briefly known as Eastgate. [Ottawa Citizen, March 8, 1966 p.20]
1966 - (August 10) Heron Road Bridge collapses while under construction. 9 killed.
1966 - (August 30) Smyth Road Bridge opens. Its official name is the George McIlraith Bridge named after a former Liberal MP, senator and cabinet minister [Ottawa Citizen, August 29, 1966 p.1]. Read News Story. [Ottawa Journal, August 31, 1966 p.3]. Read News Story (photo).
1966 - (November) St. Louis Home for the Aged, Orléans, opened replacing St. Charles Home and is operated by the Grey Nuns of the Cross. It was officially dedicated on September 10, 1967 [Ottawa Journal, September 11, 1967 p.2].
1966 - (November 8) Hurdman Interlock Tower is demolished..
1966 - (December 13) Henry Munro Public School opens, originally with 6 classrooms in Beacon Hill. It is named after the person who obtained the original Crown land grant for the property [Ottawa Journal, December 14, 1966 p.57]. It became a middle school in September 1971 [Ottawa Journal, March 16, 1971 p.36].
1967 - (October 21) Centennial Pool, the first indoor pool opens on Ogilvie Road, next to Gloucester High School [Ottawa Journal, October 23, 1967 p.39].
1967 - (January) Riverside Hospital opens.
1967 - (October 4) St. Laurent Shopping Centre opens.
1967 - St. Laurent Cinemas open in the St. Laurent Shopping Centre. It closed in 2001 but reopened as the Rainbow Cinemas later.
1967 - (May 20) Air Canada DC-8 crashes at Uplands airport. 3 crew members die.
1967 - (June 28) Gloucester Ratepayers vote in favour of a "wet" Gloucester allowing the sale of liquor in restaurants, lounges and taverns. [Ottawa Journal, June 29, 1967 p.2].
1967 - (June 29) Heron Road Bridge opens to traffic [Ottawa Citizen, June 29, 1967 p.2].
1967 - (November 15) Canada Science and Technology Museum opens on St. Laurent Blvd. [Ottawa Journal, November 15, 1967 p.17]
1967 - Queen Elizabeth II donates 6 pairs of white mute swans to the City of Ottawa for Canada's Centennial. The "Royal" Swans are housed at the City of Ottawa nursery at Leitrim each winter. Eight swans were released into the Rideau River on June 28th. [Ottawa Journal, June 29, 1967 p.3]
1967 - (November 15) Memorial unveiled for men killed in the Heron Road Bridge collapse on August 10, 1966 [Ottawa Citizen, Nov. 16, 1967 p.21].
1967 - (November 17) Orléans Public Library opens at 4 p.m. above the bank in the Jean Gauthier building at 2744 St. Joseph Boulevard [Ottawa Journal, November 17, 1967 p.36]. In November 1978, the Orléans Branch was renamed the Bériault Branch, in honour of Dolores and Marcel Bériault, founders of the library. It relocates to the Orléans Recreation Complex in August 1982. A further move occurs in 1993 to 1705 Orléans Boulevard.
1967 - Maple Leaf-Almrausch Club opens (Bavarian Folk Dance Group and Soccer Club). The building was destroyed by fire on January 13, 1980 and rebuilt.
1968 - Gloucester Lions Club established.
1968 - Russell Road re-routed as some of the springs at the Boyd Hotel, Carlsbad Springs are capped [Ottawa Journal, August 13, 1968 p.3] View News Story.
1968 - (July 30) Grant McIntosh of McIntosh & Watts China Store is granted a new franchise in the Central Junior A Hockey League with the name Ottawa M & W Rangers [Ottawa Journal, July 31, 1968 p.21 View News Story]. He purchased the dormant Ottawa Montagnards hockey club whose owners were also vying for an Ottawa franchise at the time. [Ottawa Journal, June 18, 1968 p.12 View News Story] View League History, . The team played out of the Leitrim Arena when it opened in September 1969. Originally, the team played at the Bell Arena with their first game taking place on October 18, 1968 with the first home game on October 22, 1968 [Ottawa Journal, October 16, 1968 p.14 View News Story]. The team relocated to the Earl Armstrong Arena with the first game being played on January 21, 1971 [Ottawa Citizen, January 19, 1971 p.18] View News Story.
1968 - Gloucester Hockey Association founded. [Ottawa Journal, October 25, 1968 p.16]
1968 - (January 8) Skead Road renamed Blair Road [Ottawa Journal, January 9, 1968 p.2].
1968 - (January 17) Blair Road Queensway Interchange opens [Ottawa Citizen, January 18, 1968 p.4].
1968 - (March 15) Dominion Bridge Company closes its Charlevoix Street, Eastview plant [Ottawa Citizen, February 20, 1968 p.8].
1968 - (August 26) Eastview Tennis Club opens on the grounds of the White Fathers Seminary in Eastview [Ottawa Journal, August 23, 1968 p.21].
1968 - (September 27) Tender deadline for removal of the two CNR bridges near Hurdman's Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, September 18, 1968 p.58] View News Story. Demolition of the south bridge commenced on November 20th, while the north bridge was already demolished [Ottawa Citizen, November 23, 1968 p.27] View News Story.
1968 - (December 19) Tender deadline for removal of the concrete abutments for the two CNR bridges near Hurdman's Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, December 7, 1968 p.51] View News Story.
1969 - (January 1) Carleton County dissolved. Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton replaces it.
1969 - Carleton Board of Education formed which includes Gloucester schools. With this ends local school section and school area boards.
1969 - (March 12) Ottawa-Gloucester Guardian starts publication.
1969 - (April 12, 13) 500 tombstones toppled in Notre Dame Cemetery [Ottawa Journal, June 23, 1969 p.4].
1969 - (January 1) City of Eastview renamed City of Vanier to honour the memory of Governor General Georges Vanier who died in 1967. [Ottawa Citizen, January 14, 1969 p.3] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, December 31, 1968 p.1] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, December 31, 1968 p.3] View News Story.
1969 - (June 9) Construction begins on Highway 417 starting at Ramsayville. [Ottawa Citizen, June 11, 1969 p.5]
1969 - (September 27) Leitrim Arena opens. It was renamed the Fred G. Barrett Arena July 9, 1984 following his death.
1970 - (May 15) Airport Drive-In opens on Uplands Drive [Ottawa Journal, May 15, 1970 p.23]. It was converted into airport parking following the 1997 drive-in season.
1970 - The Blackburn Hamlet Community Association requests bus service.[Ottawa Journal, February 17, 1970 p.16]. View News Story.
1970 - Gloucester Council passes by-law to clarify the name of the Third Line as 'Innes Road' east of Cyrville Road. Other names in use included Blackburn Road, Bearbrook Road, Cyrville-Navan Road and Navan-Cyrville Road [Ottawa Journal, February 4, 1970 p.14]. Innes Road west of Cyrville Road was likely named shortly after the 1950 city annexation.
1970 - Leitrim resident Fred Barrett joins the NHL. He plays most of his career with the Minnesota North Stars. He retired in 1984. Brother John also made the NHL in 1980 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played until 1987.
1970 - Gloucester lacrosse organized.
1970 - Youville Farm sold to Costain, which later became the Convent Glen subdivision and the Youville Industrial Park. [Orléans 1950-1960 Saint Joseph Boulevard Remembers, p.18]
1970 - Madonna Retreat House on St. Joseph Boulevard, Orléans sold by the Roman Catholic church and becomes the Madonna Nursing Home [Ottawa Journal, June 5, 1970 p.3].
1970 - The minor seminary on Carson's Road sold by the Roman Catholic church to the federal government and becomes the Language Training Centre [Ottawa Journal, June 5, 1970 p.3].
1970 - (January 1) Ottawa Board of Education founded replacing the Collegiate Institute Board of Ottawa. [Ottawa Journal, September 13, 1969 p.3]
1970 - (August 19) K-Mart in Blossom Park opens. [Ottawa Citizen, August 18, 1970 p.39]
1970 - Bryan Adams lives in Beacon Hill and attends Henry Munro Middle School for Grade 6, 7 and 8 and Colonel By Secondary School before moving to Vancouver with his family in 1974. Class Picture 1971-1972
1970 - (October 5) New main Ottawa Post Office opens on Alta Vista Drive [Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 7, 1970 p.12].
1970 - (November 22) Gloucester Police Station opens in the former Leitrim Public School.
1971 - (January) St. Joseph's Orphanage, 71 Rideau Terrace, Rockcliffe was being demolished. It was known as Mount St. Joseph Home for disturbed children since 1966 and operated by the Sisters of Charity since 1968 [Ottawa Journal, January 9, 1971 p.20].
1971 - (April 3) Earl Armstrong Arena officially opens, including the Ogilvie Road branch of the Public Library [Ottawa Journal, April 5, 1971 p.18] View News Story. The Ottawa M & W Rangers first played here on January 21, 1971 [Ottawa Journal, January 21, 1971 p.18] View News Story.
1971 - (September) Colonel By Secondary school opens. The school was founded in September 1970 but shared the Gloucester High School building until the new school was ready.
1971 - Robert Hopkins Public School opens. Named after a former Gloucester Reeve [Ottawa Journal, August 31, 1971 p.26].
1971 - Lamira Dow Billings Elementary School opens. Named after the wife of Braddish Billings, the first permanent settler of Gloucester Township who was also the township's first school teacher [Ottawa Journal, August 31, 1971 p.26]. The school closed in 2002 [Ottawa Citizen, August 8, 2002 p.A1]
1971 - Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (Tom Cruise) moves to Beacon Hill with father Thomas III (Canadian military consultant), mother Mary Lee Pfeiffer and sisters Lee Anne, Marian and Cass. Tom attends Grade 3, 4 and 5 at Robert Hopkins Public School and Grade 6 at Henry Munro Middle School before returning to the United States in 1974. Read about Tom Cruise's early life.
1971 - (July 5) Beacon Hill Bullet bus service inaugurated (to and from downtown). [Ottawa Citizen, July 5, 1971 p.3] View News Story [Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 1972 p.12] View News Story. It was taken over by OC Transpo on March 2, 1973. [Ottawa Citizen, August 17, 1971 p.4] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, August 27, 1971 p.11] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, May 31, 1972 p.3] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, October 3, 1972 p.43] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, January 9, 1973 p.42] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, January 12, 1973 p.3] View News Story.
1971 - (July 6) New Edinburgh Swimming Pool closes because it did not meet provincial regulations. The location is now tennis courts [Ottawa Citizen, July 6, 1971 p.3].
1971 - (late) Bearbrook Road running across the north edge of Blackburn Hamlet closed and redirected into the centre of community on the former Parkburn Boulevard [Ottawa Citizen, October 27, 1971 p.40].
1971 - Gloucester Skating Club started.
1972 - Blackburn fun fair inaugurated.
1972 - Gloucester Ringette Association established. The first teams in Gloucester were established at the end of 1970. (History Link)
1972 - Canadian Forces Station Gloucester closes.
1972 - Orléans Minor Softball Association founded by Frank Bender [Ottawa Citizen, August 14, 2003 p.C2].
1972 -Lycée Claudel opens at 1635 Riverside Drive, previously the University of Ottawa High School. Lycée Claudel is a private french language school offering elementary and secondary education. It was first established in 1962.
1972 - (August 9) Tornado touches down along the Dolman Ridge Road causing damage at the Komerani, O'Shea and Greenough residences. The path of the tornado was from Pineglen in Nepean to Billings Bridge via Mooney's Bay and reappeared in the Mer Bleue bog and continued to near the village of Cumberland with touchdowns at Pineglen, Dolman Ridge and Cumberland [Ottawa Citizen, August 10, 1972 p.21].
1972 - (September 21) First section of Highway 417 opens from Ramsayville to Vars. [Ottawa Journal, September 22, 1972 p.3] The final leg at 'the split' was not completed until 1975.
1972 - (November 6) OC Transpo extends city bus service into Gloucester Township suburbs of Beacon Hill (Route 24), Blackburn Hamlet and Pineview (Route 25), Cardinal Heights and Carson Grove (Route 27), Blossom Park and Windsor Park (Route 82). Initially, only off-peak service was delivered to North Gloucester. Private peak hour service continued for the time being. [Ottawa-Gloucester Guardian, October 31, 1972 p.1] [Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 1972 p.18] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, October 18, 1972 p.15] View News Story
1972 - Pineview Golf Course revived as a joint venture between the City of Ottawa, Gloucester Township and the National Capital Commission to serve as a membership based municipal golf course.
1972 - (February 3) The Vanier City Hall was relocated to Dupuis Street. Vanier Police Station and former Vanier Council Chambers and Fire Station on Montreal Road at Cyr Street destroyed by fire. The building was originally a schoolhouse dating to the Janeville era[Ottawa Journal, February 4, 1972 p.1, 3]. View News Clipping. View News Clipping 3. This later became a Police Station. The building was sold on February 18, 1985 [Ottawa Citizen, February 20, 1985 p.C3][Ottawa Citizen, February 4, 1972 p.27] View News Clipping.
1972 -(June 24) Gloucester Players (drama club) founded. Founders include Tom and Mary Lee Mapother (parents of Tom Cruise) [Ottawa Journal, June 24, 1972 p.29].
1972 - (August 24) Ottawa-Carleton Regional Detention Centre opens on Innes Road.
1972 - (August 26) The first track and field meet takes place at the Mooney's Bay Sports Complex, now known as the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. [Ottawa Citizen, August 26, 1972 p.18]
1972 - (November 8, 9) Elmvale Shopping Centre converted to an enclosed mall. [Ottawa Citizen, November 8, 1972 p.60] View News Clipping. [Ottawa Citizen, November 9, 1972 p.37] View News Clipping. This subsequently reverted back to an open-air mall.
1972 - (November 17) Elmvale Shopping Centre explosion and fire leaves one dead [Ottawa Journal, November 18, 1972 p.1, 5]. View News Clipping 1. View News Clipping 5.
1972 - (November 22) Billings Bridge Plaza opens as an enclosed mall [Ottawa Journal, November 21, 1972 p.16, Ottawa, Citizen, November 21, 1972 p.17-35]. View News Story p.17. View News Story p.20.
1972 - (December 4) Private express bus service inaugurated to Carson Grove. [Ottawa Citizen, December 4, 1972 p.3] View News Story.
1972 - (December 18, Noon) Airport Parkway opens [Ottawa Citizen, December 18, 1972 p.2] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, February 15, 1973 p.3] View News Story.
1972 - Gloucester Coat of Arms first appears on Gloucester police cars.
1973 - Pineland becomes Tudor Inn Banquet Hall (next to Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club).
1973 - (January 16) Information Gloucester established as a volunteer staffed organization to field questions about life in Gloucester [The Guardian, January 9, 1974 p.1].
1973 - (May 31) Pine Road (Leitrim Road) municipal dump closes. It was located on the south side of Leitrim Road and west of the Trillium Rail LIne. [Ottawa Journal, October 12, 1973 p.27] View News Story. The dump originally opened in 1957.
1973 - Blackburn Branch of the public library opens at 2536 Innes Road.
1973 - Gloucester Police Force and the Gloucester Lions Club collaborate with the purchase of 'Lionel', the talking safety car.
1973 - (August 9) Tele Transpo neighbourhood transit commences service in Rothwell Heights, Cardinal Heights, Beacon Hill South, Pineview, Blackburn Hamlet, Riverside Park, Revelstoke and Bell's Corners. [Ottawa Citizen, August 9, 1973 p.14] View News Story.
1973 - (September 1) The Ottawa M & W Rangers Junior A Hockey team was renamed the Gloucester Rangers in September 1973 when Grant McIntosh sold the team to Bryant Cougle. [Ottawa Citizen, June 30, 1973 p.31] View News Story [Ottawa Journal, June 30, 1973 p.21] View News Story [Ottawa Citizen, September 13, 1973 p.25 View News Story] [Ottawa Citizen, December 7, 1973 p.21 View News Story].
1973 - (November 30) Overpass opens to access St. Laurent Shopping Centre [The Guardian, December 12, 1973 p.1].
1973 - (December 9) Many bus route changes affecting Gloucester. Bus terminal at Bank and Grove closed. New south end terminus is relocated to Billings Bridge Plaza [Ottawa Citizen, December 6, 1973 p.14].
1974 - (January 1) Gloucester cedes the north half of Long Island at Manotick to Rideau Township.
1974 - Police Village of St. Joseph d'Orléans (Orléans) dissolved.
1974 - Blackburn arena opens [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1974 p.2, Ottawa Journal, October 22, 1974 p.18].
1974 - (January 7) Le Centre Franco (Centre franco-ontarien de ressources pédagogiques) is founded with Gisèle Lalonde to first director-general. Their location was at St. Joseph School on Joseph Cyr Street (Cyrville) in 1976-1977, 339 Wilbrod Street from 1977 to 1992 (Sandy Hill), 290 Dupuis Street (Vanier) from 1992 to 2002 and 435 Donald Street (Overbrook) since 2002.
1974 - (March 7) Three of a five man Vanier crew are swept to their death while trying to clear ice on the Rideau River [Ottawa Journal, March 8, 1974 p.1, 2, 5] View News Clipping. View News Clipping 2. View News Clipping 5.
1974 - (May 7) Regional council agrees for Gloucester to develop what became the Queensway Industrial Campus (Canotek Road) east of Shefford Road [Ottawa Journal, May 8, 1974 p.2].
1974 - (May 17) Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario officially opens on Smyth Road [Ottawa Citizen, May 16, 1974 p.88].
1974 - (July 24) A pair of Australian black swans are added to the population of "Royal" swans as a result of a donation by the Montreal zoo. The swans are housed each winter at Leitrim [Ottawa Journal, July 25, 1974 p.3, picture].
1974 - (February) The South branch of the public library opens in Blossom Park, initially at the Kmart plaza at Bank and Queensdale. This branch closed in 2006 and was replaced with a larger library in Greenboro.
1974 - (April 17) $165,000 (later valued at as much as $750,000) in gold is stolen in an armed robbery at Ottawa International Airport. Involved in the crime were Patrick "Paddy" Mitchell, Stephen Reid and Lionel Wright but the trio were equally well known for eluding police across North America and for escaping from prison on a number of occasions. [Ottawa Citizen, April 18, 1974 p.1, March 8, 1976 p.27, November 18, 1980 p.59]
1974 - (September) Gloucester Rangers Junior A Hockey team was sold to Alf Taylor in September 1974. He set a limited company and asked for members of the community to buy shares. Community investors included Fred Barrett, George Nicholson, Grant McIntosh, Harold Clark and others. [Ottawa Citizen, September 19, 1974 p.23] View News Story. [Ottawa Journal, August 29, 1975 p.12] View News Story.
1974 - (December 22) Major bus route changes affecting various parts of Gloucester. Route 27 inaugerated to Orléans [Ottawa Citizen, December 20, 1974 p.22, detailed charts].

1975

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1975- Gloucester Fair opens for the first time at the Earl Armstrong Arena. It relocated to Rideau-Carleton Raceway in 1997.
1975- (September) Cairine Wilson Secondary School opens in Orléans [Ottawa Journal, June 28, 1975 p.66, October 16, 1975 p.21]..
1975 - (May) J.B. Potvin arena opens on Shefford Road in Beacon Hill North. [Ottawa Journal, April 29, 1975 p.3, Ottawa Citizen, November 28, 2012 pg. D5]
1975 - (September) The first phase of the Vanier Parkway opens between Beechwood Avenue and McArthur Avenue. [Ottawa Journal, September 18, 1975 p.1]
1975 - (September 2) Lester B. Pearson Catholic Junior High School opens [Ottawa Citizen, August 27, 1975 p.77].
1975 - (November 6) Vanier opens new Fire Hall and Public Works building on McArthur Avenue [Ottawa Journal, November 7, 1975 p.21].
1975 - (November 25) The last section of Highway 417 within Gloucester opens.
1975 - (December 4) Vanier City Council agrees to expropriate White Fathers property for a park. [Ottawa Journal, December 5, 1975 p.37]
1976 - (February) Alta Vista branch of Ottawa Public Library opens. The official opening took place on July 15, 1976. [Ottawa Journal, February 21, 1976 p.28]. Read Clipping. [Ottawa Journal, July 8, 1976 p.31] View News Story.
1976 - (March 2) Gloucester Block Parent program commences [Ottawa Citizen, February 18, 1976 p.47].
1976 - (April) The monthly Gloucester Guide was first published in order to distribute Gloucester Township information and community news. It became the Gloucester Leader in September 1981 and ceased publication in April 1994, when the City of Gloucester decided to cancel its contract to publish city proceedings with the Leader.
1976 - (May 8) Sawmill Creek Pool officailly opens [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1976 p.24] Read Clipping.
1976 - (June 20) Vanier Public Library officially opens at its new location at 300 avenue Pères-Blancs on the White Fathers property [Ottawa Citizen, June 21, 1976 p.5]. Read Clipping.
1976 - (July 15) Olympic flame arrives at Gloucester Place (Earl Armstrong Arena) on way to Montreal.
1976 - Rideau Skating Club founded based in the Manotick Arena with some activities also taking place in the Fred Barrett Arena.
1976 - (October 8) Ottawa Athletic Club opens at 2525 Lancaster Road [Ottawa Citizen, October 7, 1976 p.11].
1977 - (March) New Township garage opens south of Innes Road near Cyrville Road [Ottawa Citizen, March 3, 1977 p.4].
1977 - (February 1) Clubhouse at Pineview Golf Course destroyed by fire [Ottawa Journal, February 2, 1977 p.2].
1977 - (January) Gloucester Synchro Swim club is formed.
1977 - (May 1) The Ridge Road Garbage Dump closes. Effective on this date, garbage was to be transported to the Regional Dump on Trail Road in Nepean.[Ottawa Journal, April 25, 1977 p.16]. View News Clipping.
1977 - (July 5) The new Hog's Back swing bridge opens [Ottawa Journal, June 29, 1977 p.49]. View News Clipping.
1977 - (August 8) The new Hog's Back fixed span bridge opens [Ottawa Journal, August 5, 1977 p.21].
1977 - (October 15) Gloucester resident Tracey Clark named Miss Ottawa Rough Rider [Ottawa Journal, Oct. 17, 1977 p.39].
1977 - (December 9) Gloucester Community Police Committee established.
1978 - (July 22) Gloucester Police headquarters re-opens at Leitrim after the former Leitrim Public School was demolished and replaced. The station had temporarily been located in the former Johnston's Corners Public School building on Rideau Road.
1978 - (May) Gloucester Historical Society re-established.
1978 - (January 14) Gloucester Senior Songsters (choir) established [Ottawa Journal, January 14, 1978 p.26]. View News Clipping
1978 - Eastern Driveway built from St. Joseph Boulevard to Blair Road but remains closed because of the lack of access roads. [Ottawa Citizen, June 14, 1988 p.C1]
1978 - (November 13) Rockcliffe Park residents vote to go 'wet', however existing by-laws prohibit liquor lounges. [Ottawa Citizen, November 14, 1978 p.61].
1979 - (March 12) Gloucester Centre for Community Resources (social services) opens.
1979 - (May 8) Quota Club of Gloucester chartered. This was a women's service club.
1979 - Gloucester resident Pat Messner wins Gold Medal in women's slalom water skiing at World Championships. Pat also won a Bronze medal for the same event in the 1972 Summer Olympics, amongst many other achievements in the same sport.
1979 - (August 28) Place d'Orléans Shopping Centre opens [Ottawa Journal, August 24, 1979 p.18].
1980 - (January 13) Maple Leaf Almrausch Club destroyed by fire [Ottawa Citizen, January 14, 1980 p.12] View News Story.
1980 - (February 5) Gloucester Township and Cadillac-Fairview Ltd. drop Ontario Muncipal Board appeal ending a four year battle with the City of Ottawa over the location of the south-end regional shopping centre and giving the green light to proceed with the construction of South Keys Shopping Centre [Ottawa Citizen, February 6, 1980 p.4]. View News Clipping. View News Clipping from 1974 View News Clipping from 1975
1980 - (February 19) CF-101 Voodoo Jet Fighter crashes at Ottawa International Airport. Pilot Captain Robert Abbott of Ottawa and navigator Captain Albert Oostenbrug of Stratford, Ontario are killed [Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 20, 1980 p.1, p.41].
1980 - (September 12) Orléans Recreation Complex officially opened. It had been open for use since the spring of 1980.
1980- (November 24) Gloucester Arts Council established. It was renamed Arts Ottawa East after city amalgamation in 2001.
1980- (December 8) Blackburn Library relocates to 199 Glen Park Drive, Commons Shopping Centre. [Ottawa Citizen, November 28, 1980 p.4]
1980 - (August 3) Ottawa General Hospital opens on Smyth Road [Ottawa Citizen, July 19, 1980 p.2].
1980 - (October 9) Vanier Cineplex opens on Montreal Road just east of the Vanier Parkway [Ottawa Citizen, October 9, 1980 p.78]. It closed in 2000.
1980 - (June ) Gloucester Rangers Junior A Hockey Club changes coach, manager and obtains new shareholders. [Ottawa Journal, May 30, 1980 p.15 View News Story, May 31, 1980 p.18 View News Story, Ottawa Citizen, May 30, 1980 p.23 View News Story, June 5, 1980 p.25 View News Story, Ottawa Journal, June 17, 1980 p.18 View News Story.]
1980 - (April 14) Developer Dorothea Athans proposes a movie studio as part of a 126 acres development at the corner of Hawthorne and Blais Roads [Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 1980 p.58]. It was never built.
1980 - Gloucester Volunteer Awards established.
1980 - (October 31) Second phase of Vanier Parkway opens between McArthur Avenue and Coventry Road. [Ottawa Citizen, October 16, 1980 p.4] View News Story. The final phase connecting to the MacDonald-Cartier Bridge was never built.
1980 - Township of Gloucester incorporated as a City.
1981 - Gloucester Achievement Awards established.
1981 - Passenger service discontinued on CPR short line between Hurdman's Bridge and Blackburn and Rigaud, Quebec
1981 - Gloucester Allotment Garden Association established, taking over discontinued NCC program. 250 garden plots are located in Blackburn Hamlet and on Anderson Road.
1981 - Gloucester Meals on Wheels established.
1981 - Gloucester North Police sub-station opens in a trailer at Shoppers City East on Ogilvie Road.
1981 - Gloucester City Crews begin to replace volunteers in maintaining municipal parks and outdoor rinks. [Ottawa Citizen, January, 20, 1981 pg.4]
1981 - (June 17) Ottawa City Council approves to fill in Gloucester Quarry on Montreal Road with construction site excavation material. This followed a 1978 drowning of a child. [Ottawa Citizen, June 18, 1981 pg.4]
1981 - (July 3) The Mooney's Bay Sports Complex is renamed the Terry Fox Athletic Facility to honour runner Terry Fox who passed away on June 28, 1981. [Ottawa Citizen, July 4, 1981 p.4]
1981 - (August 12) Herongate Mall opens. [Ottawa Citizen, August 6, 1981 p.17]
1982 - (January 30) Gloucester South (Edward D. Jones Branch) Public Library opens at 2721 Bank Street. [Ottawa Citizen, January 29, 1982 p.22] View News Story.
1982 - (July) Orléans Public Library (Bériault branch of Gloucester Public Library) relocates from 1744 St. Joseph Boulevard to the Orléans Recreation Complex at 1490 Youville Drive.[Ottawa Citizen, July 14, 1982 p.78 View News Story, August 10, 1982 p.46 View News Story.]
1982 - (Fall) Gloucester Leisure Service Guide first published.
1982 - (December 1) Billings Bridge Plaza bus terminal opens [Ottawa Citizen, November 26, 1983 p.79]. View News Story.
1983 - (May) TV Gloucester first broadcast on Skyline Cablevision.
1983 - (September 7) Old Hurdman's Bridge closed to cyclists and pedestrians [Ottawa Citizen, September 17, 1983 p.45] View News Story.
1983 - (September 24) Gloucester flag designed by Harold Diceman first flown [Ottawa Citizen, September 23, 1983 p.23]. View News Story.
1983 - Gloucester Resident Horst Bulau finishes second overall in World Cup Ski Jumping Final Standing. Horst is a prominent world ski jumper from 1978 until 1988. He is named Ontario Athlete of the Year for 1983.
1983 - Gloucester South Seniors' Club established. It met at the E.D. Jones Library in Blossom Park starting on January 9, 1984 and later relocated to the former township hall in Leitrim.
1983 - École élémentaire Séraphin-Marion originally opened using temporary facilities at Lamira Dow Billings Elementary School. In 1985, it relocated to the former Fairfield Public School. In 2004, it took over a renovated former Lamira Dow Billings School, which had closed in 2002. The school is named after Franco-Ontarian Séraphin Marion (1896-1983) who was a supporter of francophone minorities.
1983 - (December 11) Hurdman Station and Transitway link to downtown opens via Hurdman Transitway Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, December 9, 1983 p.22].
1984 - Gloucester Council approves a City Centre concept for the area at Blair and Ogilvie Road.
1984 - Ontario government extends separate school funding to Grade 13. Grade 11 added in September 1985, Grade 12 in September 1986 and Grade 13 in September 1987 [Ottawa Citizen, April 15, 1986 p.C3].
1984 - Development of 155 acre Ottawa Business Park commences with extension of St. Laurent Boulevard south of Walkley Road. [Ottawa Citizen, July 4, 1987 p.E7]
1984 - (January 14) Cyrville community centre opens.
1984 - (June) Innes Road water tower put into service.
1984 - (June 8) Ronald McDonald House opens next to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). It provides inexpensive accommodation for out of town families whose children are being treated at CHEO [Ottawa Citizen, June 9, 1984 p.81].
1984 - (June 18) North Gloucester Branch of Public Library opens at 2036 Ogilvie Road. The former location in the Earl Armstrong Arena closed on May 15, 1984.
1984 - (July 3) Mayor Fred G. Barrett dies in office [Ottawa Citizen, July 3, 1984 p.1] View News Story. Leitrim Arena renamed in his honour on August 16, 1984. [Ottawa Citizen, August 16, 1984 p.49] Read News Story.
1984 - CPR abandons old Bytown and Prescott Railway between Ellwood (near Walkley Road) and Bank Street.
1984 - (October 15) Gloucester Council approves Ward System for electing city councillors. [Ottawa Citizen, Oct. 15, 1984 pB2. View News Story & Nov. 14, 1984 p.C2 View News Story ]
1984 - Bearbrook soccer fields renamed Hornet's Nest Park.
1985 - (January 1) Vanier Police Department merged with the Ottawa Police Department. [Ottawa Citizen, December 29, 1984 p.A8] View News Story.
1985 - (March 28) Ontario Municipal Board rules that a 4 ward system be adopted for future municipal elections. The 4 wards are Gloucester North (3 aldermen to be elected) (Beacon Hill, Rothwell Heights, Cardinal Heights, Carson Grove, Cyrville, Pineview), Gloucester Centre (1 alderman to be elected) (Blackburn Hamlet), Gloucester East (2 aldermen to be elected) (Orléans), and Gloucester South (2 alderman to be elected) (everything south of the former Canadian Pacific Railway Line) [Ottawa Citizen, March 29, 1985 p.C1] View News Story.
1985 - (July 1) Vanier Fire Department closes with service in Vanier offered by the Ottawa Fire Department. [Ottawa Citizen, August 23, 1985 p.C3] View News Story.
1985 - (August 14) Regional development fees phased in. Full rates begin January 1, 1987 amounting to $3,090 for single family and semi-detached homes, $2,250 for row houses and $1,500 for apartment and condominium units [Ottawa Citizen, August 15, 1985 p.B1].
1985 - (October 25) Hunt Club Road bridge (Michael J. E. Sheflin Bridge) opens. [Ottawa Citizen, October 28, 1985 p.C3]
1985 - (June 1) Vanier City Hall relocated to 300 avenue Pères-Blancs in the Richelieu Centre on the former site of the White Fathers Seminary. [Ottawa Citizen, February 20, 1985 p.C3]
1986 - (July 2) Hope cemetery at Leitrim approved.
1986 - (August) Gloucester Chamber of Commerce established. [Ottawa Citizen, August 13, 1987 p.C10] View News Story.
1986 - CPR abandons short line railway between Hurdman's Bridge and Blackburn and beyond. VIA Rail retains rights to convert this line into a high speed rail link to Montreal.
1986 - (Summer) Historic Hurdman's Bridge demolished [Ottawa Citizen, March 12, 1986 p.B3, April 14, 1986 p.C19]. View News Story.
1986 - Orléans Star commences publication.
1986 - Riverside Drive and Alta Vista Drive re-aligned south of the Queensway. Alta Vista Drive no longer has a direct connection to the Queensway. Riverside Drive is also twinned between Smyth Road and Industrial Avenue [Ottawa Citizen, September 3, 1986 p.C9]. View News Story.
1986 - Hunt Club Road extended east to Conroy Road [Ottawa Citizen, November 13, 1986 p.6].
1987 - Telesat Canada and the National Sport and Fitness Administration Centre both open headquarters in the Gloucester City Centre.
1987 - (January 5) New City Hall opens at 1400 Blair Place. [Ottawa Citizen, January 9, 1987 p.C2] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, January 10, 1987 p.E8] View News Story.
1987 - (April 2) Official opening of Fire Station #13 (now #56) at 275 Coventry Road [Ottawa Citizen, March 28, 1987 p.E15] View News Story.
1987 - (April 14 -18) The Air Canada Cup, the National Midget AAA Hockey Championship tournement is hosted by the Gloucester Rangers at the Earl Armstrong Arena. The championship game had the Riverains de Richelieu win 6 to 2 over the Notre Dame Hounds. The final game was televised on CTV [Ottawa Citizen, April 14, 1987 p.D2, April 15, 1987 p.D2, April 16, 1987, p.E3, April 17, 1987 p.F3, April 20, 1987 p.B5].
1987 - (May 20) New Minto Skating Club facility officially opened on Lancaster Road. The clubs longstanding rink located on Waller Street near Laurier Avenue East was destroyed by fire on November 3, 1949. It was replaced by an arena located on Henderson Avenue north of Mann Avenue which opened on January 29, 1952. It was sold to the University of Ottawa in 1959. Between 1959 and 1987, the club rented various rinks. [Ottawa Citizen, January 30, 1952 p.19, May 8, 1987 p.B1]
1987 - (June 28) Bus Route 144 opens Greenboro busway between Cahill Drive to Lorry Greenberg Drive next to the Greenboro Community Centre [Ottawa Citizen, June 27, 1987 p.F5] View news clipping
1987 - (November 17) Transitway between Hurdman Station and St. Laurent Shopping Centre opens. [Ottawa Citizen, November 17, 1987 p.C1]
1987 - (November 21) First Gloucester Santa Claus Parade held on St. Joseph Boulevard in Orléans. The original sponsors were the Gloucester Chamber of Commerce and the Gloucester and Cumberland Fire Fighters Association. It was later renamed the Orléans Santa Claus Parade of Light. [Ottawa Citizen, November 20, 1987 p.B3]
1987 - (December 8) New Ottawa Fire Station Number 6 officially opened at Beechwood and Marquette [Ottawa Citizen, December 8, 1987 p.C2].
1988 - (June 13 ) Rockcliffe Parkway (formerly known as the Eastern Driveway) opens between Mile Circle and St. Joseph Boulevard. [Ottawa Citizen, June 14, 1988 p.C1]
1988 - (June 13 ) Aviation Parkway (formerly known as the Eastern Parkway) opens between Montreal Road and Rockcliffe Parkway. [Ottawa Citizen, June 14, 1988 p.C1]
1988 - (June 17 ) National Museum of Aviation opens on former site of Rockcliffe Airport. [Ottawa Citizen, June 14, 1988 p.C1]
1988 - (January 15) Gloucester "Splash" Wave Pool, the first indoor wave pool in Eastern Canada opens. This was formerly Centennial Pool. [Ottawa Citizen, April 2, 1988 p.A14]
1988 - Handcrafted "Gold Chain of Office" was accepted by the Mayor from the Gloucester Chamber of Commerce
1988 - Gloucester Resident Elizabeth Manley wins Silver Medal in Ladies' Figure Skating at Olympics in Calgary, Alta.
1988 - Hope Roman Catholic cemetery opens on Bank Street at Leitrim.
1988 - (November 9) Gloucester Centre opens in City Centre (Ogilvie and Blair Road). The Loblaws store opened October 24th [Ottawa Citizen, October 21, 1988 p.D7, November 9, 1988 p.C9]
1988 - (January) Gloucester Senior Adults Centre opens at Earl Armstrong Arena. [Ottawa Citizen, January 13, 1988 p.C2]
1988 - (June 22) 911 emergency telephone is inaugerated in Gloucester. [Ottawa Citizen, June 22, 1988 p.B1]
1988 - (November 9) Gloucester 5 Cinemas open at Gloucester Centre. It closed in 2001 following the opening of the neighbouring Silver City complex.[Ottawa Citizen, October 22, 1988 p.C1]
1989 - (February 6) Gloucester Council approves 29.4% tax increase.[Ottawa Citizen, February 7, 1989 p. C1] View News Story.
1989 - (February 20) Gloucester Museum opens.[Ottawa Citizen, February 16, 1989 p. B2] View News Story. [Ottawa Citizen, February 19, 1989 p.D2] View News Story.
1989 - (April 9) Gloucester Rangers (1973s) hockey club hosts & wins the All-Ontario Major Bantam AAA Championship - The Canadian Tire Cup - at the Earl Armstrong Arena. [Ottawa Citizen, April 10, 1989 p. E5]
1989 - (June 10 10 a.m.) Auction Sale at Boyd's Hotel, Carlsbad Springs. The hotel was slated to be demolished soon afterward.[Ottawa Citizen, June 8, 1989 p.B20]. View News Story.
1989 - (June 23) Blair Transitway Station opens as well as the Transitway between St. Laurent Shopping Centre and Blair Road. Originally named Gloucester Centre Station. [Ottawa Citizen, June 23, 1989 p.C3]
1990 - La Cité Collégiale, Ottawa's french language college, opens on St. Laurent Blvd near Conroy Road. Its permanent campus opens in 1995 on the Aviation Parkway.
1990 - (October 16 3 p.m.) Blackburn Hamlet Bypass opens. [Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1990 p.E2] View News Story.
1991 - Gloucester Pottery School founded at the Cyrville Community Centre. It relocated to the Shenkman Arts Centre in June 2009. School History.
1991 - (January 1) Pineview Golf Course ceases to be a membership golf course and becomes a 'pay as you go' public course. [Gloucester Leader, November 1990, p.4]
1991 - (April 7) Gloucester Rangers (1975s) hockey club wins the All-Ontario Major Bantam AAA Championship - The Canadian Tire Cup. [Ottawa Citizen, April 8, 1991 p.D9]
1991 - (June 9) Gloucester High School alumnus and Cairine Wilson Secondary School alumnus and former Blackburn Hamlet resident Aaron Ward is selected fifth overall in the 1991 NHL draft by the Winnipeg Jets. Aaron played for the Detroit Red Wings from 1993 to 2001, the Carolina Hurricanes from 2001 to 2006, the New York Rangers from 2006 to 2007, the Boston Bruins from 2007 to 2009, the Carolina Hurricanes from 2009 to 2010 and the Anaheim Ducks in 2010. Following his retirement from the NHL, he became a hockey analyst on TSN. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Ward_(ice_hockey)
1991 - (July 21) 1st Annual Lebanese festival takes place while St. Elias Church was still under construction across from Mooney's Bay.
1991 - (October 20) Blackburn Hamlet Fire and Training Station opens. [Ottawa Citizen, October 21, 1991 p.C2] View News Story.
1991 - (November 2, 2 pm) The newly twinned Walkley Arena is officially named the Jim (James A.) Durrell Recreation Complex. Jim Durrell was the former Mayor of Ottawa and the new Ottawa Senators president. One of the ice pads was also officially named for Ottawa native Jim Peplinski, who had a 10 year career with the NHL Calgary Flames, retiring in 1990. The arena had re-opened in September 1991 with two ice rinks. [Ottawa Citizen, October 30, 1991 p.E2]. Read News Story.
1992 - Regional Road 8 renamed Mitch Owens Road to honour the former Gloucester mayor and councilor after a year long naming battle with Osgoode Township. [Ottawa Citizen, September 13, 1992 p.A8]
1992 - (May) Edward D. Jones (Gloucester South) Public LIbrary relocates to 2950 Bank Street from 2721 Bank Street. [Ottawa Citizen, May 8, 1992 p.A8] View News Story.
1992 - (June 7) Sunday shopping becomes fully legal. [Ottawa Citizen, June 8, 1992 p.A1]
1993 - Ottawa International Airport renamed Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport.
1993 - A major expansion of Ottawa City Hall on Green Island is completed. It was designed by Moshe Safdie. City Hall relocates to the former Regional Headquarters on Laurier Avenue upon amalgamation in 2001, and the old building is sold to the federal government.
1993 - (April 17) Ottawa Baseball Stadium opens at the corner of the Vanier Parkway and Coventry Road. The official opening of the stadium was on May 28, 1993. The Ottawa Lynx of the International League played there until 2007. The Ottawa Rapids of the Can-Am League played there in 2008, which was to be renamed the Ottawa Voyageurs for 2009 but the new team never played. Starting in 2010, the Ottawa Fat Cats played in the Intercounty Baseball League. The Lynx were the triple A affiliate of the Montreal Expos during the early years and the Baltimore Orioles in the last seasons. In 2022, it was known as RCGT Park.[Ottawa Citizen, April 18, 1993 p.B1, B2] View News Story. View News Story B2. [Ottawa Citizen, May 29, 1993 p.G3] View News Story.
1993 - Gloucester High School alumnus and comedian Norm MacDonald joins Saturday Night Live. He remains part of the cast until early 1998. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norm_Macdonald
1993 - (June 26) Cairine Wilson Secondary School & Colonel By alumnus, and former Orléans resident, Steve Washburn is selected 78th overall in the NHL entry draft by the Florida Panthers.[Ottawa Citizen, June 27, 1993 p.C3]. He played for the Panthers from 1995 to 1998, the Vancouver Canucks in 1999, and the Philadelphia Flyers from 1999 to 2001. Washburn was a standout with the Ottawa 67s of the OHL from 1991 to 1995, and played Gloucester Rangers Jr A in 1990-91. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Washburn
1993 - (June 26) Children's Aid Society of Ottawa opens its new administration building at 1602 Telesat Court. It had previously been at 1370 Bank Street. [Ottawa Citizen, June 25, 1993 p.B5] View News Story.
1993 - (November 8) Lester Road extension to airport opens. [Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 1993 p.D1] View News Story. The official opening took place on November 19th [Ottawa Citizen, November 18, 1993, p.A15] View News Story.
1993 - (November 28) $2.5 million fire at A.G.I. McNaughton Building, Montreal Road National Research Council campus. [Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 1993 p.B1] View News Story.
1994 - Military presence at Rockcliffe is terminated.
1994 - The Ontario Geographic Names Board officially decides that Orléans is to be spelt with an accute accent.
1994 - (September) Henry Munro Middle School, Colonel By Secondary School. Cairine Wilson Secondary School and Alqonquin College alumnus and comedian Tom Green starts the Tom Green Show on Rogers Cable 22, and in 1997 on The Comedy Channel and on MTV in January 1999. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Green
1995 - Uplands military facility decommissioned but the VIP transport unit of No. 412 Squadron continues to use airport.
1995 - Ottawa, Gloucester and Nepean Police amalgamated as Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service. This was renamed as Ottawa Police Service in 2001.
1995 - CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) opens headquarters on Ogilvie Road.
1995 - Cairine Wilson Secondary School alumnus and former Orléans resident, Marc Savard is selected 91st in the NHL entry draft by the New York Rangers. He played for the Rangers from 1997 to 1999, the Calgary Flames from 1999 to 2002, the Atlanta Thrashers from 2002 to 2006, and the Boston Bruins from 2006 to 2011. His NHL career ended prematurely due to concussion. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Savard
1995 - (February 20) Gloucester North Lions Club chartered. The Charter President was Lion Ken Macdonald.
1995 - (September 2) Greenboro busway between Cahill Drive and Lorry Greenberg Drive is closed.
1995 - (September 3) Greenboro transit station opens along with the Southeast Transitway from Billings Bridge to Hunt Club Road [Ottawa Citizen, September 2, 1995 p.C2] View news clipping.
1995 - (October 21) The Perley and Rideau Veterans Health Centre opens for patients on Russell Road with the first residets from the Rideau Veterans Home. Residents from the Perley Hospital were transferred on March 23 and 24, 1996. The Rideau Veterans Home relocated from Smyth Road. The Perley, originally known as the Perley Home for the Incurables, was originally located in the former home built by William Perley on Wellington Street opposite from the Nicholas Sparks house. It opened on January 21, 1898 and the name honours the Right Honourable Sir George Halsey Perley, son of William Perley, who allowed the use of his father's home for this purpose after William's death. The home relocated to the corner of Aylmer Avenue and Barton Street in June 1915. The cornerstone had been laid by Sir Robert Borden on June 26, 1914. [Ottawa Citizen, September 3, 1995 p.B7, Ottawa Citizen, January 28, 1956 p.26, Ottawa Citizen, October 22, 1995 p.A7 View News Story. Ottawa Citizen, March 24, 1996 p.A1, A3 View News Story p.A1 View News Story p.A3]
1996 - South Keys Shopping Centre opens.
1996 - (April) The Orléans branch of the Gloucester Public Library relocates to 1705 Orléans Boulevard from 1490 Youville Drive.
1996 - (June) New Leitrim Fire Station 3 officially opened replacing the 1962 station at the same location (now Ottawa Fire Station 32). View Plaque
1996 - (June 11) Suspected tornado touches down at the former site of the Queensway Drive-In causing a trailer to flip several times [Ottawa Citizen, June 12, 1996 p.C8].
1996 - (June 12) Airport Parkway corridor transferred from National Capital Commission to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. The Airport Parkway is no longer a federal parkway [Land Records].
1996 - (November 2) Southeast Transitway opens between Riverside Hospital and Billings Bridge [Ottawa Citizen, November 3, 1996 p.4].
1997 - (January 2) Gloucester City Hall relocates to 1595 Telesat Road. This was its final location. [Ottawa Citizen, December 23, 1996 p.C2] View News Story.
1997 - (June 10) Gloucester Fair relocates to Rideau-Carleton Raceway on Albion Road. [Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 1997 p.D6] View News Story.
1997 - (December 19) South Keys cinemas open at South Keys Shopping Centre, Bank Street.[Ottawa Citizen, November 28, 1997 p.E1]
1998 - Gloucester High School and Carleton University alumnus James Duthie joins TSN after being a sports reporter on CJOH (CTV Ottawa). He became the host of the 'NHL on TSN'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Duthie_(sportscaster)
1998 - (January 1) Highway 17 and 31 cease to be provincial highways. Highway 17 east of 'the split' becomes Regional Road 174 while Highway 31 briefly becomes Regional Road 85 before being renumbered more appropriately Regional Road 31. Regional Road 174 has become a bit of a political football as a result of suggestions that it be widened as far east as Rockland in the 2007 provincial election and because of ongoing maintenance problems that are more expensive than municipal budgets allow.
1998 - (January 5th to 9th) Great Ice Storm causes widespread blackouts in Eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec. Hydro towers collapse near Navan Road and Edwards, the latter being an area that experienced power outages lasting several days. Armed Forces called in to assist in repairs.
1998 - (January 1) Carleton Board of Education and Ottawa Board of Education almagamated into the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. [Ottawa Citizen, November 15, 1997 p.B1 and p.B2] View News Story. View News Story B2.
1998 - (March) Gloucester City Council decrees that only Gloucester licensed taxis may pick up fares at MacDonald-Cartier International Airport [Ottawa Citizen, June 19, 1999 p.C1 Read news clipping, p.C2 Read news clipping ].
1999 - CPR abandons old Bytown and Prescott Railway between Leitrim Road and Manotick Station and beyond.
1999 - City of Gloucester becomes sole owner of Pineview Golf Course.
1999 - Civic, General and Riverside Hospitals amalgamate as Ottawa Hospital.
1999 - Hunt Club Road access ramps to Airport Parkway open.
1999 - (February 24) Tudor Hall, originally Pineland burns down. A new building has been built [Ottawa Citizen, February 25, 1999 p.C3].
1999 - (May 19) Silver City cinemas open on City Park Drive. [Ottawa Citizen, May 14, 1999 p.B3]