The Westboro Brainery, a local learning centre, is hosting a class on the history of certain Centretown apartment buildings this Friday, Feb. 12.
Local historian Christopher Ryan, who has lived in Centretown for 10 years, will be teaching the class. Ryan is passionate about many of the buildings in the Centretown area, leading him to research the details of their history and also their impact on the community.
“We decided to host this event because there are a lot of people in the city now that really care about the history of Ottawa, especially with things like LeBreton happening,” says Sarah Banks, Westboro Brainery Coordinator and Fundraising Manager at Dovercourt Recreation Association. “Honouring the craft and understanding it seems to be something that is very important to people. These apartment buildings have really been a big part of what Centretown is.”
The main focus of Ryan’s class will be on buildings that were constructed during the depression era.
“These little three-story walk-ups, they really define the neighbourhood. When you think of this part of Centretown, especially east of Bank Street, they are really the kind of buildings you get the image of,” says Ryan.
The Westboro Brainery is a citizen-led organization spearheaded by the Dovercourt Recreation Association. They host brief classes on all sorts of subjects throughout the year, from topics like “How to Make Buffalo Mozzarella” to “The History of Britannia Beach.” The topics are picked by the public and are generally inexpensive, ranging from $10 to $30 a class.
Banks says the Westboro Brainery also hopes to host a class on the history of LeBreton Flats in the near future.