Bordeleau Park

Nancy dropped a copy of Echo, The Lowertown Community Newspaper into our mailbox yesterday, which I've been reading. I noticed this mention of the river:

Many residents of the 'Wedge'––the enclave bordered by King Edward, St. Patrick and the Rideau River–– were saddened last year to see the City approve a developer's plans to tear down houses from Lowertown's early days to make way for a [...] nine-storey condominium. [...] Following resident opposition the project was scaled down to five storeys. In response to residents' concerns about the project's impact on local heritage, the City has promised to conduct a heritage study of Lowertown with a view to the possible expansion of the current Lowertown heritage district. As a first step, the City invited students in Carleton University's Canadian Studies program to work with the community to produce a heritage study of the Wedge.[...]

The students [...] looked at the geography of the Wedge, where the river bank that once ran along Rose Street was modified to where it is now, some hundred metres away.

I hadn't known that.

Today in glorious Spring sunshine I saw and heard (!) eight African drummers make good use of that modified area, now known as Bordeleau Park, practising their skills on the playing field. They were impressively energetic in the way they set about it and they mesmerised passers-by, some of whom had decided to sit down on the grass in front of them to listen. I sat on a bench and then on the rocks by the river.

Next Saturday (May 12th) Bordeleau Park is to be the meeting place for a clean-up of litter from the Rideau River shoreline, from the park to the Minto bridges. Our city councillor and staff will be there, apparently with the support of the City of Ottawa and the Causeway Work Centre:

Rain or shine ... This is a good opportunity for the Wedge to join forces with other groups of the Rideau River annual clean-up. Wear boots or sensible shoes, heavy work gloves ... Refreshments will be served.