World class attractions, unique shopping and delicious restaurants in the glebe
For years, Ottawa’s popular Glebe neighbourhood has been the city’s most fashionable destination for locals and tourists alike. Small wonder: this urban oasis anchored on Ottawa’s famous Bank Street is home to distinctive oneof-a-kind shops, a stunning variety of delectable restaurants and world-class attractions such as Lansdowne Park with CFL football and OHL hockey.
Add the Glebe’s elegant houses, plentiful green space and the sparkling Rideau Canal on its southern border, and it’s not surprising that a recent city-wide survey showed the Glebe tied with downtown Ottawa as the city’s ‘top of mind’ destination for entertainment, shopping and dining.
Factoid: The word ‘glebe’ is a synonym for church-owned lands. This Ottawa area was given to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church by the British Crown in 1837, before being subdivided into a suburb in the late 1800s. Before the houses were built, the church lands were known as ‘the Glebe’ – and the name endured afterwards.
This said, the quirky Glebe of just a few years back is somewhat different from the youth-oriented urban Glebe that exists today. Thanks in part to the recent redevelopment of Lansdowne Park (and TD Place) with its edgy stores, hip cafes and restored heritage buildings like the famed Aberdeen Pavilion, the Glebe has a new beating heart that is drawing young people to this neighbourhood. According to Environics Research, 57% of those living within a two kilometre radius of the Glebe are under 40.
“Lansdowne Park has always been popular, and now it’s the home of the Grey Cup-winning Ottawa RedBlacks,” says Andrew Peck, Executive Director of the Glebe Business Improvement Area. “But since the redevelopment, we’ve seen the number of visitors to TD Place grow to more than 800,000 annually; close to the population of Ottawa itself.” Total visitors to Lansdowne this year have grown more than 40% over 2015 to three million yearly. That’s a testament to the popularity of the shops, restaurants, and movie theatre here, along with the many special events held at the Aberdeen Pavilion and other buildings onsite; including the year-round Ottawa Farmers Market.
This said, Lansdowne Park is only part of what makes the Glebe such a special place to visit. Built as a traditional Main Street shopping district, the area’s unique shops and cafes are all easy to walk to, no matter what the weather.
Amble down Bank Street, and you will find the latest in beauty & health, entertainment, fashion, home furnishings and sports & fitness goods; among others. You’ll also find specialty shops offering everything from flowers and jewellery to collectible stamps and whimsically-themed boutiques: plus all kinds of bars, pubs, and restaurants.
Also within walking distance is the Rideau Canal – the one-time military waterway that Ottawa grew up around – the Glebe’s many green spaces (including its own Central Park!), and the wonderful established homes that line this area’s tree-shaded residential streets. If you don’t want to walk, the Glebe is enjoyably traversed by bicycle paths. Meanwhile, there is lots of transit to this neighbourhood, and recently-expanded parking facilities have made the Glebe more affordably accessible than ever.
Now that it is Canada’s 150th birthday, the Glebe is a must-see location for visitors from across Canada, as well as people who live in Ottawa. There is just so much going on here in 2017. Events include the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships (January 16-22 at the Arena at TD Place) and Winterlude (February 3-20), with skating on the frozen Rideau Canal, ice sculptures, and many wonderful outdoor happenings. “These include our partnership event with the Alterna Savings Crackup comedy festival and Snowmania, where Winterlude guests vie to build the most number of snowmen ever in one place,” said Peck. “We’ve set and then broken the world record each year, and will do our best to beat it again in 2017.”
Later in 2017, the Glebe will play host to the Canadian Tulip Festival (May 12-22), CityFolk and Marvest (Musical Harvest) folk music festival (September), and the 105th Grey Cup presented by Shaw (November 26, preceded by a week of festivities).
Despite how vibrant the Glebe is, this bustling community never feels crowded or rushed. Moreover, everything is within easy walking/wheeling distance, making the Glebe a very human place to spend a vacation, a weekend, or just a few hours after work.
“Whether for Canada’s 150th, or just a fun time on the town, the Glebe is a great place to be,” said Andrew Peck. “You can find out what’s here and what’s going on at our web site, intheglebe.ca.”