My February column in the Kitchissippi Times goes over the history of the Metropole site in Westboro, which has an amazing history, that I could only scratch the surface on in an article of limited size. Independent Coal and Lumber was a fixture in the neighbourhood for many years, not only employing a large number of local residents, but providing the materials to build and heat many Kitchissippi homes.
There is also a bit of the story of the short-lived Riverside Terrace housing subdivision that came and went in barely a decade, and the construction of the Metropole itself.
There is a lot more to the history of this site, and I hope to expand on this in the near future here in the Museum. For now, enjoy the article, and the bonus photos below!
To view the article, click on over to the Times website at: https://kitchissippi.com/2023/02/20/early-days-from-klondike-to-westborohow-coal-and-lumber-shaped-western-ottawa/
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| Independent Coal and Lumber - April 1961 (City of Ottawa Archives - CA-8225) |
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| Independent Coal and Lumber yard - pushing cars up the ramp to the plant. September 1965. (Courtesy of Bruce Chapman) |
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| The CPR line, looking east down Scott Street. The train is switching onto the siding to Independent Coal and Lumber. September 1965. (Courtesy of Bruce Chapman) |
