14 Prompts by Joe Bunting

Today’s Write Practice

What if you made yourself the unofficial poet laureate
for your city? What would you write?
The Prompt
Write something for your city. What will you say? How
will you support the life of your community?

Bytown…

Ottawa, I dare say, you’ve been around a long time (founded 1826, incorporated 1850, etc.). Growing up in Ottawa is a deep source of pride for me. As the capital of Canada, there is much to be proud of in my little Ottawa.

There are so many unique aspects of Ottawa to adore, like the Tulip Festival (boasting over a million flowers and drawing upwards of 650,000 visitors annually), the experimental farm, the changing of the guard, the Rideau Canal, and Hog’s Back Falls, and our famous Byward Market—to name a few; and so many pretty nooks to explore.

History of Ottawa
Bytown (founded 1826) City of Ottawa (1855-present)
Timeline
Timber trade 1806 Rideau Canal 1826 ByWard Market 1827 Shiners’ War 1835 Stony Monday Riot 1849 Railway 1855 Capital 1857 Streetcars 1891 Hull–Ottawa fire 1900 Sewer explosion 1929 Gouzenko affair 1945 Greber Plan 1950 Embassy attack 1985 O-Train 2001

I’m considered a west-end girl since we have lived and moved around this area my entire life. East end is okay to visit, but my heart will always be in the sweet west-end of this historic city.

Growing up, us kids used to strive for bigger and better entertainment like what you may find in our dear neighbors of Montreal or Toronto, but most of us were happy to traipse much closer to home with a quick trip to Hull to extend our nightly entertainment as they remained open a few hours past Ottawa. Speaking of entertainment, one of the most iconic places for a legal drinking age young adult to attend was our very own Barrymore’s to watch and take part in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Imagine my surprise to discover that my children were also introduced to this great ritual.

Yep, looking back and following the embedded links above was a glorious reminder of how rich an inheritance I enjoy having grown up in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Thank you, Ottawa, you’re fantastic!