Poet's Hill
The eastern anchor of the Poets' Pathway is at Beechwood Cemetery, where many of Canada's literary luminaries are buried.
At the invitation and with the generous support of Beechwood Cemetery management, a Poet's Hill Committee was formed in the spring of 2005. Here is the original project description. Landscape architect and Poets' Pathway volunteer Ryan James designed the site (436 KB pdf).
The inauguration of the site took place on September 13, 2006. (Programme, including the poem read by Pauline Michel, and a picture; more pictures on the "Protecting the View from Parliament Hill page.) Here is Steve Artelle's report of the event:
"Poets, politicians and literary patrons braved the rain on Wednesday, September 13, to celebrate the dedication of Poet's Hill at historic Beechwood Cemetery.
With a misty view of Parliament Hill in the distance, we were treated to a spirited reading by the Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Pauline Michel. Flowerbeds on Poet's Hill were dedicated to William Pittman Lett (1819-1892), Archibald Lampman (1861-1899), Arthur Bourinot (1893-1969), and John Newlove (1938-2003), with dedicatory readings by Chris Roberts, Andree Christensen, Allan Meltzer, and Colin Morton.
City Councillor Jacques Legendre (Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward) and Member of Parliament Royal Galipeau (Ottawa-Orleans) joined representatives of the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation and the Poet's Hill Committee to unveil a monument marking this site for literary commemoration, education and inspiration. Poet's Hill also features a podium where visitors are encouraged to reflect, to read, and to write. For more information about the site, or about the many historic features of Beechwood Cemetery, please contact info@beechwoodcemetery.com.
Poet's Hill is the first site on an extended network of literary heritage sites planned by the project committee. If you would like to participate in the Poet's Hill Committee, or if you would like to donate funds toward the establishment of other literary heritage sites, please write to ottawaliterary@yahoo.ca."
Much of the site remains to be completed. The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation will issue tax receipts for donations in support of the Poet's Hill site.
For more information on the Poet's Hill project, or to volunteer, please contact Steven Artelle at the Ottawa Literary Heritage Society, ottawaliterary@yahoo.ca .
Comments? Suggestions? Visit the Poets' Pathway Forum!
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Poet's Hill - Project Description.pdf | 50.81 KB |
| Poet's Hill - Inauguration Programme.pdf | 168.38 KB |
| Poet's Hill - Final Landscaping Plan - Feb 2006.pdf | 435.93 KB |
| PH_Theresa_s_picture.jpg | 170.82 KB |
Protecting the View of Parliament Hill
One key reason why the particular site of Poet's Hill at Beechwood Cemetery was chosen, is that it offers an excellent view of Parliament Hill. The central axis of the site's design points to the Peace Tower.
However, this view is not protected in Ottawa's Official Plan! Nor is the even more spectacular view of Parliament Hill from the memorial to Tommy Douglas, which is nearby Poet's Hill.
As it happened, in September 2006, the Beechwood Avenue Community Design Plan (CDP) was nearing completion. With the support of Councillors Jacques Legendre and George Bédard, as well as city staff, the Poet's Hill Committee successfully had some intended increases in building heights at Beechwood Avenue scaled back and received a commitment from Council to initiate an Official Plan Amendment that would protect the views from Poet's Hill and the Tommy Douglas memorial in future.
The Beechwood Avenue CDP, as amended, was approved by City Council on September 27, 2006.
The request was made to Planning and Environment Committee on September 12 by Erwin Dreessen. This was the day before the inauguration! Here are his remarks and the slides that were used.
Presentation to Planning & Environment Committee, September 12, 2006
Agenda 55, Item 11 - Beechwood Community Design plan, Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment
1. I appear to you today as a member of the Poet’s Hill Committee. This Committee is composed of representatives of the Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital, the Ottawa Literary Heritage Society and Beechwood Cemetery Foundation management. The Committee has been at work since March 2005.
2. Tomorrow, September 13, will mark a milestone in the celebration of the literary heritage of Ottawa and the nation: At historic Beechwood Cemetery will take place the inauguration of a site to commemorate the great poetic tradition of Canada (SLIDE 1). This is one access point to the site, just inside the Cemetery off Beechwood Avenue. This Poet’s Hill is the begin- or end-point of what we hope will one day be a Poets’ Pathway – from here to McCarthy Woods and on to Britannia.
3. The unveiling will be performed by the Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Pauline Michel, by Grate Hale, chair of the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation, and by Councillor Jacques Legendre.
4. (SLIDE 2) These pictures were taken last Friday morning – as you can see, they’re still at work to get everything ready. (SLIDE 3) The base for the lectern is there. To the right is a space where people can gather, and four flowerbeds dedicated to four poets, all buried at Beechwood including the recently deceased John Newlove.
5. This inauguration is just the beginning – only the barebones of the site have been realized to date and there are great plans for making this site the venue for a celebration of poetry in this city. Several successful events have already taken place, under the catchy title of “DEAD POETS LIVE!†Programming from this site is intended to be supportive of the revitalization of Beechwood Avenue as expressed also in the Community Design Plan before you. “Books on Beechwood,†for example, has been a partner in one of the events to date.
6. At the top of the picture is the reason why this site was chosen and why I am here before you today. The central axis of the site leads straight to Parliament Hill. (SLIDE 4) Here is a better picture, though Friday morning was rather foggy. There is an excellent view of Parliament Hill. Many of the poets this project celebrates have of course an intimate connection with the building of this nation, parliamentary affairs and Ottawa, the capital – including the Confederation Poets (as they were later called) and the members of the Mouvement littéraire. In fact, Arthur Bourinot’s poem, “Parliament Hill†is planned to have a prominent place in a later stage of the development of this site.
7. You have before you a motion kindly sponsored by Councillors Bédard and Legendre, to set in motion an Official Plan Amendment that would protect this view, as well as the view from the gravesite of Tommy Douglas very nearby the Poet’s Hill site. The view from here is even more spectacular and was a major reason why this site was chosen when the remains of the Hon. Tommy Douglas were transferred here from Pinecrest Cemetery in 1995.
8. This motion takes back some of the increased building heights allowed in the Zoning amendments before you, until the view protection study for the OPA has been completed. These amendments are based on the preliminary study undertaken by staff. Allow me to add that we are most appreciative of the excellent cooperation we have received from staff and both Councillors to accommodate the protection of these viewsheds.
9. At our request, Councillor Legendre has written to the Chair of the National Capital Commission to ask for the NCC’s support of this initiative. We are confident that the NCC will be supportive, as it surely is of the many other protections of the view of Parliament Hill – all from within the Central Area.
10. We trust you will support this Motion.
Comments? Suggestions? Visit the Poets' Pathway Forum!
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| SLIDE 1 - PH - entrance2.JPG | 314.9 KB |
| SLIDE 2 - PH - at work.JPG | 326.92 KB |
| SLIDE 3 - PH - lectern.JPG | 300.63 KB |
| SLIDE 4 - PH - view2 of PH.JPG | 227.47 KB |
"Dead Poets Live" at Beechwood
One important objective with the creation of Poet's Hill is to make contributions to the literary life of the capital. A number of events has been already been held and others are planned. This programming goes under the catchy title "Dead Poets Live!"
Here is what's taken place so far, often in the beautiful Reception Room in the Beechwood Cemetery office building.
June 24, 2007 - While not formally part of the Dead Poets Live! series, the 13th Historical Walking Tour at Beechwood Cemetery was held on the theme of The Poets of Parliament Hill. Well over 100 people attended and many a five dollar bill was dropped in the donation box for Poet's Hill. Local poets were stationed at each of eight grave sites who told of the person's life in relation to Parliament and then read some extracts. One was dressed up in the historical character appearing in the poem! More information <here>.
October 29, 2006 - Steve Artelle offered some "ghostly" excerpts from various Ottawa poets, followed by a guided tour of Beechwood Cemetery to some of the gravesites of literary significance.
September 13, 2006 - Official inauguration of the site. See main Poet's Hill page for a report on this event.
May 10, 2006 - Literary Evening, in cooperation with ARC Poetry Magazine at the occasion of the announcement of the 21st annual Archibald Lampman Award for Poetry. Music by Rare Blend. Books on Beechwood had a table for book sales. Several hundred dollars were raised for the Poet's Hill project, through a raffle of books shortlisted for this year's Award and in donations.
November 17, 2005 - The first "Dead Poets Live" event! "Music, Poetry & Merriment" to raise funds for the project. (Programme.) Close to $1,000 was raised through $20 ticket sales and donations. One of the attendees was Ottawa Citizen columnist John W. MacDonald. He took a picture of the Poet's Hill Committee as it was then (shown from left to right are: Roger Boult-BC, Steven Artelle-OLHS, Daphne McCree-GA, Mike Heenan-OLHS, Vera Yuzyk-BC, and Erwin Dreessen-GA). See all of John MacDonald's blog entry here.
Comments? Suggestions? Visit the Poets' Pathway Forum!
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Poet's Hill - Nov 17 2005 Programme.pdf | 211.52 KB |
| Poet's Hill Committee2 - Nov 17, 2005.jpg | 79.82 KB |
| John McDonald's blog - 17 Nov 2005.pdf | 171.76 KB |
