![Old City Hall, Ottawa](/img/gd_attr/11839.jpg)
Old City Hall, Ottawa
Old City Hall served as Ottawa's city hall from 1958 to 2000. In 2003, it was acquired by the Government of Canada and renamed after John Diefenbaker, the 13th prime minister of Canada.
Situated on Green Island, where the Rideau River meets the Ottawa River, this building replaced the historic city hall on Elgin Street, which was destroyed by a fire in 1931. During the following 27 years, the city operated from temporary offices in the Transportation Building. On August 2, 1958, Princess Margaret inaugurated the International Style building, making it the first fully air-conditioned structure in Ottawa.
Designed by John Bland of the firm Rother, Bland, and Trudeau, it is recognized as one of Canada's most significant International Style buildings. It received the Massey Medal for design in 1959 and underwent modifications by architect Moshe Safdie in 1992-93.
In 1988, Mayor Jim Durrell expanded the building four times its original size. Architect Moshe Safdie faced conflicts with the city, demanding a higher fee and causing project delays. The city agreed after several months. Another conflict arose over the eighteen-story observation towers. The city council removed the towers to save money, disappointing Safdie. Eventually, a compromise was reached, and a bare scaffold was erected.
On January 1, 2001, the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton was replaced by the new single-tier City of Ottawa. In 2003, the Old City Hall was sold to the federal Public Works Department, and it now primarily accommodates employees from the Department of Foreign Affairs. It also temporarily hosted the Gomery Inquiry hearings for several months.
Situated on Green Island, where the Rideau River meets the Ottawa River, this building replaced the historic city hall on Elgin Street, which was destroyed by a fire in 1931. During the following 27 years, the city operated from temporary offices in the Transportation Building. On August 2, 1958, Princess Margaret inaugurated the International Style building, making it the first fully air-conditioned structure in Ottawa.
Designed by John Bland of the firm Rother, Bland, and Trudeau, it is recognized as one of Canada's most significant International Style buildings. It received the Massey Medal for design in 1959 and underwent modifications by architect Moshe Safdie in 1992-93.
In 1988, Mayor Jim Durrell expanded the building four times its original size. Architect Moshe Safdie faced conflicts with the city, demanding a higher fee and causing project delays. The city agreed after several months. Another conflict arose over the eighteen-story observation towers. The city council removed the towers to save money, disappointing Safdie. Eventually, a compromise was reached, and a bare scaffold was erected.
On January 1, 2001, the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton was replaced by the new single-tier City of Ottawa. In 2003, the Old City Hall was sold to the federal Public Works Department, and it now primarily accommodates employees from the Department of Foreign Affairs. It also temporarily hosted the Gomery Inquiry hearings for several months.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Ottawa. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Old City Hall on Map
Sight Name: Old City Hall
Sight Location: Ottawa, Canada (See walking tours in Ottawa)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Ottawa, Canada (See walking tours in Ottawa)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Ottawa, Canada
Create Your Own Walk in Ottawa
Creating your own self-guided walk in Ottawa is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Ottawa's Historical Churches Walking Tour
The city of Ottawa has a number of notable religious sites fit to spark interest in both ardent believers and those keen on ecclesiastical architecture. With most of the churches located in the downtown area or nearby, one can visit these locations without trouble.
The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, a splendid Gothic Revival masterpiece, is a centerpiece of Ottawa's spiritual landscape.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, a splendid Gothic Revival masterpiece, is a centerpiece of Ottawa's spiritual landscape.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Statues and Sculptures Walk
As a cultural city, Ottawa abounds in monuments and statues of various sorts. In fact, there are so many of them that the locals, accustomed to their presence, jokingly claim they hardly notice them at all. Still, these artistic creations serve as visual storytellers, sharing tales of courage, peacekeeping, and commemoration.
The Maman Statue, a prominent sculpture located outside the National... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
The Maman Statue, a prominent sculpture located outside the National... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Ottawa Introduction Walking Tour
The name Ottawa comes from the Algonquin word for trade. It is an appropriate name for the Ottawa River, which was once the primary trade route for Eastern Canada. The capital of Canada gets its name from this river due to its location. Resting on the banks of the Ottawa River, Ottawa is a political and cultural city that also offers outdoor activities and beautiful natural sights.
Ottawa was... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Ottawa was... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Historical Buildings Walking Tour
The architecture of Ottawa – formalistic and functional, for the most part – is marked by the city's role as the national capital of Canada. As such, it represents a mix of styles, varying considerably based on the era of construction of any particular object, and reflects the nation's heritage and political significance.
Centermost among these structures is the Parliament... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Centermost among these structures is the Parliament... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles