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Bike tour: Buildings by J.W.H. Watts

Bike Tour: Buildings by John W.H. Watts, Architect
Alexander Fleck House, 593 Laurier Ave West
Alexander Fleck House, 593 Laurier Ave West

A bike tour of buildings designed by John W.H. Watts Architect, one of the most successful architects in Ottawa at the turn of the last century. We will cycle across downtown from Bronson Ave to Charlotte St., stopping at four houses that Watts designed.  These are:

- 593 Laurier Ave West, at the top of Nanny Goat Hill 

- the Booth House at 252 Metcalfe St

- Australia House at 407 Wilbrod St

- the Fleck-Paterson House (the Chancellery of the Algerian Embassy) at 500 Wilbrod St.

The majority of this tour will be along bike lanes. It will be a fun way to discover the designs of Watts and his contribution to Ottawa's architectural heritage. 

These buildings are included on a tour posted on my bike blog.

Location
Route

We will meet in front of 593 Laurier Ave W.  From there, we will go east along the Laurier Ave. bike lane; south on the O'Connor bike path, east on Gilmour St., then one block north on Metcalfe to No. 252 (Booth House).  From Booth House, we will go west on Maclaren, north on the O'connor bike lane, east on the Laurier bike lane to connect with the recreational pathway on the west side of the Rideau Canal. 

Crossing the Corktown Bridge, we will go north through University of Ottawa campus and Cumberland St, east on Wilbrod St to No. 407 (Australia House) and finally east to Fleck-Paterson House at 500 Wilbrod.

A map of the route is here.  

About the walk leader

Brian Smith is an Ottawa-based theatre designer with a passion for discovering and sharing stories contained in our natural and built environments. The career of John H.W. Watts architect and the surviving houses he designed at the turn of the last century are filled with interesting tales of by-gone days.
 
Brian is a recipient of the Council For the Arts Ottawa Mid-Career Artist Award, as well as the Bruce Timmermans Cycling Award for bike advocacy via his bike blog, OttawaVeloOutaouais.com

Guide:

Brian Smith

When:
Date:Sun May 5, 2019
Time:10:00 AM
Duration: 1 hour 30 min
Language: English
Where:
Start:593 Laurier Ave W
End:500 Wilbrod St
Area:Centretown/Sandy Hill
Distance:6.0 kms
Accessibility:

The tour is on bicycle, so it is not accessible. 

Gallery
Alexander Fleck House, 593 Laurier Ave West Booth House, 252 Metcalfe St. Australia House, 407 Wilbrod St. Fleck-Paterson House, 500 Wilbrod Ave.
Volunteer to Marshal This Walk