History
| Lansdowne Park | |
|---|---|
| Buildings | |
| Aberdeen Pavilion | |
| Frank Clair Stadium | |
| Ottawa Civic Centre | |
| Sports | |
| Ottawa 67's | |
| Ottawa CFL team | |
| Ottawa Renegades | |
| Ottawa Rough Riders | |
| Other | |
| Redevelopment | |
| Ottawa SuperEX | |
| Ottawa | |
In 1847, the then Bytown was deeded 24.5 acres (9.9 ha) acres by the Dominion government, and acquired another 15 acres (6.1 ha) bought from owners over several years, to make up the initial grounds of Lansdowne Park. Two notable exhibitions occurred prior to the first Central Canada Exhibition. In 1875 the City of Ottawa hosted the thirtieth annual Exhibition of the Provincial Agricultural and Arts Association. In 1877 an exhibition included the first public demonstration of the telephone in Canada.
A third provincial exhibition was held at Lansdowne in 1879. In order to provide sufficient space for subsequent fairs, the City acquired more of Lansdowne in 1883 for $25,000, as well as the buildings that were already there. The Central Canada Exhibition Association was formed in 1888 and the site witnessed many improvements, including the erection of a new Horticultural Hall and Grandstand. The first Central Canada Exhibition opened on September 20, 1888 and was held annually until 2010.
The Aberdeen Pavilion has also figured prominently in military matters: troops of Lord Strathcona's Horse were encamped there during the Boer War; the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry mustered there before being sent to France in the First World War; and during World War II it served as an induction centre for thousands of Canadian troops heading overseas and was the home to The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards).
The City of Ottawa periodically reviews the use and state of the facility. Lansdowne was developed as a municipal fairgrounds, and somewhat rural in nature. Over time, permanent buildings were built on the site, and a majority of the site was paved, both for parking and for exhibition use. As the result of a review in the 1990s, the City demolished some of the buildings, and restored some parkland. The City restored Aberdeen Pavilion at the time, using funds planned for a Central Canada Ex move, in exchange for allowing the Ex to continue to use the site.
Read more about this topic: Lansdowne Park
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“When the coherence of the parts of a stone, or even that composition of parts which renders it extended; when these familiar objects, I say, are so inexplicable, and contain circumstances so repugnant and contradictory; with what assurance can we decide concerning the origin of worlds, or trace their history from eternity to eternity?”
—David Hume (1711–1776)
“What would we not give for some great poem to read now, which would be in harmony with the scenery,—for if men read aright, methinks they would never read anything but poems. No history nor philosophy can supply their place.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“What has history to do with me? Mine is the first and only world! I want to report how I find the world. What others have told me about the world is a very small and incidental part of my experience. I have to judge the world, to measure things.”
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951)