Statue of Lieutenant-Colonel John By in Major’s Hill Park. Source: Historical Society of Ottawa.

At the 2019 Annual General Meeting held in July 2020, members agreed to release a portion of the funds held in the Research and Development Fund and the Col. By Gravesite Maintenance Funds (in total, approximately $30,000) to support community projects over the next few years. In response, and at the request of the membership, your Board of Directors has developed a process and a set of criteria which will be used to select community projects going forward. These criteria include relevance to HSO’s mandate, cost, and the availability of volunteers to carry the project through to completion. The Society might also consider working with other heritage organizations on a project as a way of leveraging its resources.

Community projects are not new to the Society, and can take many forms. The HSO’s operation of the Bytown Museum from 1917 to 2006 could be considered as an example of a very long-term community project. Similarly, the Society’s funding and installation of a statue of Lieutenant Colonel John By in 1971 in Major’s Hill Park is another example of a community project, albeit a large one! Historical displays, or the support of research into Ottawa’s history, might also qualify as community projects.

The Board eagerly awaits the suggestions and the support of HSO members in this new, and exciting chapter in the life of our Society. 

Current Community Projects

The Crawley Plaque

Judith and "Budge" Crawley and family, circa 1950. Source: Wikipedia.Following the 2017 presentation by George Shirreff on the contribution of Frank “Budge” and Judith Crawley into making Ottawa a centre for producing world-class films during the mid-twentieth century, the Society decided that it would install a bilingual plaque at 19 Fairmont Avenue in Hintonburg, the headquarters of Crawley Films, in honour of the Crawley family. Discussions have been held with the Crawley family, the current occupants of the building, and the City of Ottawa. Delayed in part owing to the COVID-19 emergency, and subsequently by second thoughts from the owners of the building, the Society decided not to proceed with this project.

The Strathcona Pavilion

Strathcona Park, Ottawa, Ontario, 1923-1924. Library and Archives Canada.Following a suggestion by member François Bregha, the Historical Society agreed in January 2021 to provide financial support to the construction of a replica pavilion at Strathcona Park, the original gazebo structure having been torn down during the 1960s. The project is organized by Action Sandy Hill. A heritage architect has agreed to design the structure pro bono. COVID-19 has delayed this project and the Society is awaiting news on when it will proceed. Update: owing to its estimated cost, Action Sandy Hill decided not to proceed with the project.

Guidelines for Community Projects

• Canvass the membership asking for project ideas that are consistent with the Historical Society's mandate;

• Ask whether the person making the suggestion is willing to either lead or participate in a committee tasked to detail the idea, identify potential challenges, determine the likely cost, estimate a timeline, and to carry out the project to completion if it is selected (i.e. be that idea’s “champion”);

• Send suggestions to a Board Selection Committee for vetting. If there are a lot of suggestions, the Committee may need to make a preliminary pass to reduce the numbers by winnowing out those suggestions that are inconsistent with our mandate or which have no obvious champion. All other suggestions would be examined in greater detail. After a period of time, the Board Selection Committee would reassemble to make their project recommendations. The choice of project(s) would depend on: a) relevance to the mission and objectives of the Society; b) estimated cost; c) other feasibility considerations; d) time-frame; e) the availability of somebody to take the lead on the project; and f) backup.

• The Board Selection Committee will make recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors’ decision will be final.

• The call for ideas and the selection process would be posted on our website and highlighted through social media.