From the Archives: Whither “Ottawa South”

In the 1990s the burgeoning development of South Ottawa, in areas such as Hunt Club and Greenboro,  triggered a move to distinguish Ottawa South from other parts of the the city by changing the neighbourhood name to ‘Old Ottawa South’.

From the November 1994 OSCAR issue, a report on the OSCA Annual General Meeting (at that time, held in October rather than the current-day May schedule) pinpoints the decision to change the name of Ottawa South to ‘Old’ Ottawa South:

Susan Leah [OSCA President] reported many residents made comments during the Porch Sale that people from outside our neighbourhood were confused about exactly what Ottawa South was. They confused it with Hunt Club or places south of Riverside.

There seemed to be wide consensus something should be done to correct this. OSCA is considering the erection of gateway signs [at] all neighbourhood entrances: Billings Bridge, Bank Street Bridge, Riverdale at Main Street and Sunnyside at Bronson. Community support was needed to change the name to “Old Ottawa South” and have this on signs. A motion was therefore passed to call our community “Old Ottawa South”.

In the councillor’s column that same issue, the Capital Ward councillor, Jim Watson, noted regarding the AGM,

“I was pleased to see so many residents come out to talk about community economic development; the Hopewell School / Firehall situation and “Old” Ottawa South.”

Gradually the ‘new’ name took hold, and we became ‘old’.

See the November 1994 OSCAR.