Fire at 90 Preston Street in 1954.
A community of Italian-Canadians emerged in central Ottawa beginning around 1900 as immigrants from Italy settled in the area.
The community became known as Little Italy and served as an extension of the home the newcomers to Canada had left behind. Key institutions included St. Anthony’s church and school.
Little Italy’s main boulevard – Preston Street – was named for John Honey Preston, an Ottawa tax collectors and city treasurer in the late 18th century.
Today, Preston Street – also known as Corso Italia — is identified by a southern archway in the colors of the Italian flag. Built in 2002 to attract both Canadian and foreign tourists, the gate was the first of its kind in Ottawa.
The street is lined with shops and restaurants that celebrate area residents’ Italian heritage. Every June since 1974, Preston and its neighboring streets are closed to traffic for the Italian Week festival.
Although predominantly Italian-Canadian historically, Asian immigrants – particularly from China and Vietnam – have moved into the surrounding area.