Although not one of Ottawa’s biggest or busiest streets, Cooper Street still has a lot to offer.
Just a few blocks from the heart of downtown Ottawa, it’s small enough to avoid the constant noise and crowded atmosphere of some of the city’s main thoroughfares.
One street north of Somerset, Cooper runs east to west across the city and intersects with major streets such as Bronson, Bank, Metcalfe and Elgin.
Thought to have been in use since 1875, Cooper Street was named after the British statesman and philanthropist Anthony Ashley Cooper. Born in 1801, Cooper became a prominent member of the British Parliament. He was interested in social reform, and
dedicated his life to improving the conditions of the working classes in Britain. He died in 1885.
Today, Cooper Street is about nine blocks long, and much of this narrow street is lined with older apartment buildings and houses. It’s also home to a collection of different buildings, including a health centre, a church, a barber shop, a few coffee shops and cafés, offices and even a hotel.