Dedicated to Preserving Our Built Heritage January 2014 Volume 41, No. 1 Heritage News Now Ice Race Meetings on the Heritage Canada Ottawa River – The National Trust invites Canadians to a forgotten Celebrate Heritage tradition? Week! By Ken Elder This year’s theme is: Having Fun with Heritage: When the Central Canada Trotting Historic Places Made for Play Club of Ottawa was organized in Heritage Canada reminds us that 1900, the tradition of holding harness Enlarged detail of the finish line from “many places designed for play have races on an ice track in the depths of a long history and treasured place in the postcard on page 2 our hearts and our communities.” winter was already well established in Eastern Canada. In fact Ottawa had Cartier Square in Montreal, the been part of a regular circuit of ice Jockey Club track in Hamilton and Disappearing rural race meetings going back to 1875. the Dufferin Park track in Toronto heritage – McMurtry The circuit included a track on the (frozen for ice racing), an ice track in Tannery harbour ice at the foot of Jacques Orillia laid out on Lake Couchiching, Built ca 1860, demolished fall 2013 Photo: David B. Flemming David Photo: 1155 2nd Line Road This building and its history was known in the community, but the tannery was not on the City’s Heritage Reference List and a Collection K. Elder Postcards: demolition permit was issued in October. Postcard. Central Canada Racing Association Ice Track, The Start, on Ottawa River, looking south east towards Point Gatineau, Quebec. c. 1910 (K. Elder Collection) 1 Ice Race Meetings on the Ottawa River contd. Upcoming plus a straight track on the Napanee A road from Queen’s wharf took Events Heritage Ottawa is a non-profit River in Napanee and an oval track spectators across the river to within organization dedicated to the on Lake Scugog, at Port Perry. a short distance of the facilities. One preservation of Ottawa’s built heritage. admission price of 50 cents covered Every winter from 1900 to 1911, the February 18 2014 everything. Ladies with escorts were Central Canada Trotting Club laid Linda Hoad admitted free. Even refreshment out a half-mile oval track on the Hull Heritage Day Editor privileges were tendered in advance side of the Ottawa River, opposite Celebrations at City Hall Jan Soetermans of the race meet. Graphic Designer Queen’s wharf (the Ottawa River Join Heritage Ottawa and Navigation Co. dock, below Sussex In 1907, the program on the opening other heritage organizations Katari Imaging Street), and constructed a grandstand, Printing day featured one-mile heats for local as we celebrate Ottawa’s club house, and judge’s stand. Each trots and paces for a purse of $300, rich cultural and built Heritage Ottawa year the facilities grew larger and open to horses owned in the city or heritage. 2 Daly Avenue more elaborate. In 1902 the grand- Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6E2 within 60 miles of Ottawa, and a stand was designed to seat 4,000 free-for-all trot and pace for a purse Tel: 613-230-8841 Postcard. Central Canada Racing Association Ice Track, The Finish, on Ottawa River, looking people, the club house, 60 by 100 of $500. north-west towards Alexandra Bridge and Parliament Hill. c. 1910 (K. Elder Collection) February 19 2014 Fax: 613-564-4428 feet, was open to the public, and a Email: [email protected] Web: www.heritageottawa.org cooling shed, 50 by 90 feet, felt-lined Bob and Mary Anne and heated by stoves, was provided was averted only by the prompt gradually introduced at most race Leslie Maitland Every winter from 1900 to 1911, Phillips Memorial Lecture for the horses and riders. In 1905 a efforts of officers of the association tracks throughout Canada. The ban President the Central Canada Trotting Club separate club house and stands were and a number of horsemen who on bookmakers and introduction of Eyes on the Street: David B. Flemming provided for the ladies. By 1909 the laid out a half-mile oval track undertook to straighten out the pari-mutuel betting probably explains The Heritage of Old Past-President club house building for spectators was on … the Ottawa River, … and tangle. It was some time before the the wind up of racing on the Ottawa Ottawa South David Jeanes both heated and lighted. constructed a grandstand, crowd could be sorted out. When the River in 1911. Ottawa Public Library Vice-President Operations horses faced the starter, Sailor Boy, Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe Before the opening of the Central club house, and judge’s stand. In 1912, the Ottawa ice-racing Katherine Charbonneau the animal which ran down Street (corner of Laurier Canada Ice racing meet in 1906, meeting (Ottawa Valley Driving Club) Vice-President Programs Mr. Mulligan did not appear as her Avenue W) Willam R. Price some concern was expressed about the driver could not be found. was held at Lansdowne Park on a On the final day of the meet, drama Secretary safety of the ice to bear the weight of frozen track, but none was held on the 7:00 PM the spectators. In the Ottawa Evening ensued. After the running of the Fortunately for the 5,000 in Ottawa River (vacant) final heat of the free-for-all event, the Our lecturer is Julie Harris Treasurer Journal of February 2, 1906 it was attendance, the remaining races were reported: judges, fearing a “fixed” race, called run without incident. According In 1979 National Capital Commission of Contentworks Inc. She is (vacant) off all bets, and expelled one horse, to the Ottawa Evening Journal on organized their first “Winterlude” a long-time resident of Old Legal Consultant “There has been considerable its driver and owner for one year. Monday, February 4, 1907, “the celebration on the Rideau Canal. Ottawa South, as well as a talk as to whether the ice will be Andrew Elliott This created an uproar in the crowd, bookies did a good business during One of the attractions devised for this public historian and heritage absolutely safe for spectators, but Webmaster particularly among those who had the afternoon (Saturday), but the rush winter festival was a demonstration consultant with over 30 years the public can rest assured that the of experience on heritage Directors: placed large bets on the outcome of won’t start until today (Monday).” of harness racing. Francis McIsaac Jay Baltz, Richard Belliveau, crystal is as strong as in past seasons. this race, and punters swarmed onto of Prince Edward Island, a famed projects across Canada. Laurie Brady, Linda Dicaire, Cuttings were made yesterday in the track in hundreds, hurled abuse Betting at these events, however, had harness race driver, was one of those The publication Exploring the Ken Elder, Ian Ferguson, Louise several portions of the enclosure, at the judges’ stand and blocked all attracted the attention of the federal asked to participate. It was billed Built Heritage of Old Ottawa Fox, Linda Hoad, Robert Martin, and the ice ranged in thickness from further racing. They continued to government, and in 1909-1910 a as the first international ice racing Katherine Spencer-Ross, Laurie South will be launched at this eighteen to twenty-four inches.” select committee of the House of competition on the Rideau Canal, Smith, Carolyn Quinn. block the track for more than an hour. lecture, and will be available A driver in a sulky, trying to force his Commons was convened to inquire which it probably was. One wonders if for sale for $15. In 1907 the event stretched over way through the crowd, ran down into horse-race betting. the organizers were aware of the long seven days (February 2-9), with more Following the presentation, Heritage Ottawa acknowledges the and injured one man in the crowd, tradition of ice racing in Ottawa - and financial support of the City of than 100 horses from many parts of In 1910, the House of Commons, a panel representing the identified as a “Mr. Mulligan”. Several the excitement years earlier on the Ottawa and the Ontario Ministry Canada and the United States, and by one vote, limited betting to Ottawa South History hundred enraged people took off after Ottawa River. of Culture over $10,000 in prizes. An estimated established horse-race tracks and Project will respond the driver, but he jumped from his crowd of 3,000 spectators attended banned bookmakers. During this to questions. sulky and disappeared. Serious trouble Ken Elder is a heritage architect and a the opening day. time, pari-mutuel betting was being Heritage Ottawa Board member. 2 3 “We are very pleased to support Heritage designation for Old St. Mary’s Church the proposed designation of Old St. Mary’s Anglican Church Ruins Ruins and Cemetery and Cemetery. The Ruins and By Vina Waddell and Brian Dickson Cemetery mark a significant episode in our history, and their survival is On February 13 2013, City Council to the Upper Canadian frontier. “S” curves of the ogee arches of the important to our community. … approved the application to designate The land was given and the church window and door opening, however, We congratulate the proponents Old St. Mary’s church ruins and largely financed by Hamnett Kirkes are fairly sophisticated. The walled of this designation for an excellent cemetery previously approved by Pinhey (1784-1857), a London churchyard containing the ledger submission, and note the wide the Ottawa Built Heritage Advisory merchant who retired from business and box tombs of the colonial gentry community support that this Committee on January 17, then by at 35 and redeployed his capital and the graves of humbler members proposed designation enjoys.” the Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the community, and the separate to reinvent himself as a landed Throughout, we benefited from the Committee on February 7.