Ottawa’s August civic weekend may once again bear the name of Ottawa’s founding father Lieut.-Col. John By
A proposal to re-name the August Civic Holiday after Ottawa’s founding father, Lieut.-Col. John By, sailed through the city’s corporate and protective services committee today.
Ottawa city council approved naming the holiday after By in 1995, but following amalgamation the bylaw only applied to the former City of Ottawa and therefore could not be considered a city-wide holiday.
Despite the fact that the holiday hasn’t officially borne his name since 2001, the Council of Heritage Organizations of Ottawa and the Bytown Museum have continued to organize Colonel By Day events on the August long-weekend.
Last year, more than 6,000 people attended the free outdoor heritage-themed event held at the locks by the Bytown Museum.
The name change will still have to approved by the full city council on June 9.