History lives in the Glebe

Bounded by historic Ottawa attractions like the Rideau Canal, the Aberdeen Pavilion and Lansdowne Park, the Glebe seamlessly combines the old and the new for a unique Ottawa experience.

A Glebe timeline

  • 1826-1832: The Rideau Canal built to defend Canada against a feared U.S. invasion.
  • 1847: Lansdowne Park agricultural exhibition grounds established.
  • 1888: Central Canada Exhibition at Lansdowne Park.
  • 1889: The Glebe incorporated into Ottawa.
  • 1891: First electric streetcars on Bank Street.
  • 1895: First Bank Street shops open.
  • 1898: Aberdeen Pavilion built.
  • 1902-1905: The Ottawa Senators win three consecutive Stanley Cups playing in the Aberdeen Pavilion.
  • 1915: Pretoria Bridge built to commemorate British victory, with Canadian help, in the Second Boer War.
  • 1939: Ottawa Rough Riders football team wins Grey Cup at Lansdowne Park.
  • 1941: Only 152 vacant lots in the Glebe.
  • 1942: Ottawa Ladies College expropriated for war effort, serves as the Glebe Barracks for the Canadian Woman’s Army Corps.
  • 1942: Carleton College begins as evening classes at the old High School of Commerce (west part of Glebe Collegiate).
  • 1945: Population of the Glebe 15,507.
  • 1947: September, Carleton College opens in old site of Ottawa Ladies College on First at Lyon.
  • 1951: Glebe population is 13,175, as Capital Ward re-expands into Ottawa South.
  • 1956: Avalon Theatre, remodeled and named The Glebe Theatre, closes.
  • 1957: Church hall built at St. Giles Presbyterian on First.
  • 1958: Southern addition built to Corpus Christi on Lyon.
  • 1959: Carleton becomes a University (Act of 1957)and moves to Rideau Campus.
  • 1959: Church hall built at Glebe United Church on Lyon.
  • 1965: The Queensway opens on the old CNR right-of-way, setting the north boundary of The Glebe.
  • 1966: Final addition to Corpus Christie school built.
  • 1966: Final addition to Corpus Christie school built.
  • 1967: Civic Centre is built and north stands at Lansdowne extended.
  • 1969: The Society of Friends takes over Church of the Nazarene at 91 Fourth east of Bank, Formerly Zion Congregational.
  • 1971: Glebe United and St. James United merge to become Glebe-St. James United.
  • 1974: The 12 story extension of Abottsford House is built on Holmwood at Bank.
  • 1974: William Teron builds 300 The Driveway, at Patterson Creek.
  • 1974: August, Ontario Municipal Board approved a down-zoning of several blocks between Patterson Creek and Fifth Avenue to prevent further high rise construction.
  • 1975: Population of Glebe falls to 12,146.
  • 1986: 97% of Glebe residents of British origin.
  • 1988: Population of the Glebe falls to 10,628 as boarding houses and triplexes are converted back into single family homes.