Strathcone Park

In Ottawa, on the west bank of the Rideau River, is Strathcona Park. It is named after Donald Smith, Lord of Strathcone, who, during the Boer War, outfitted an entire regiment with his own money. For such an invaluable gesture, the city administration decided to set up Strathconan Park on the site of the old Dominion shooting range.

Initially, the park was designed in accordance with the classical English canons. But the maintenance of ponds in a rather swampy plain was expensive, so it was decided to do without reservoirs. Only a small pool and a main fountain on the top of the hill were left. Along the western border of the park is the so-called street of embassies, among which there are not only African and Latin American countries, but also the former Embassy of the USSR.

Strathcona Park is home to Ottawa’s first golf course. In summer, the banks of the river are very shallow, in some areas they can be waded. Strathcona Park used to be one of the most popular places for swimming, but today this is practically no longer the case.