Many city residents will only experience Cartier Street while searching for a parking spot before heading to a bar or restaurant on Elgin Street.
ut located just one block east of busy Elgin, Cartier has its own appeal.
Situated in the heart of the Golden Triangle, Cartier has more of a small town vibe than the noisy thoroughfare to the west. It’s a feeling accentuated by trees and grass along the street.
Like many of the streets in Centretown, Cartier features a mix of old, stately brick homes and larger, more modern apartment blocks.
At the north end of Cartier lies City Hall, its windows tinted to reflect the surrounding greener. The south end meets Argyle Avenue, only a few metres from Queen Elizabeth Drive, the NCC bike path and the scenic Rideau Canal.
Two parks also front on Cartier. Minto Park, laid out between Gilmour and Lewis streets, is popular with local dog walkers. St. Luke’s Park, between Frank and Gladstone, features a children's playground and tennis courts.
Dantessa's Restaurant, an Italian dining spot that verges on Cartier, is accessible from Cooper Street.
According to A. H. D. Ross's book Ottawa Past and Present, Cartier Street was named after Sir George-Etienne Cartier, a leading Father of Confederation and the French-Canadian lieutenant of Sir John A. Macdonald, the country’s first prime minister.
Cartier participated in the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837, and was co-premier of Canada with Macdonald from 1857 to 1862.