Historical Society of Ottawa January Meeting

26 January, 2018 - Dave Allston -- Death, Illness & Squalor: Cave Creek & Primitive West Ottawa

The presentation will examine the problems west end residents faced through the 19th century and well into the 20th century in dealing with Cave Creek, which ran throughout the entirety of Kitchissippi. This small, yet troublesome creek was attributed as the chief cause of the typhoid fever epidemic of 1911, and also stunted the growth of west end neighbourhoods until proper sewage systems could be installed. The presentation will feature maps, photos, and many anecdotes from media reports of the time.

Dave Allston is a life-long west end Ottawa resident, with a passion for local history. A sixth-generation west-ender, Dave’s focus is strictly on the Kitchissippi ward, which encompasses Hintonburg west to McKellar Park. He writes a regular column for the community newspaper Kitchissippi Times, and runs his own website, the Kitchissippi Museum, along with regular contributions to mainstream media as well. Dave established a Kitchissippi history and heritage group in 2016, with a goal to promote local history, knowledge share, and contribute to the identification and protection of heritage buildings. He is married with three kids, and works full-time with the Department of National Defence, while also acting as Returning Officer for the district of Ottawa Centre for Elections Ontario.

As usual, the meeting gets started at 1 pm at the Routhier Community Centre, 172 Guigues Avenue.