Mention "Ottawa", and most people think of scarlet-clad Mounties on Parliament Hill, but there's much more than that to the federal presence. Furthermore, Ottawa is a normal city with all the usual municipal functions, as well as having some buildings belonging to the Province of Ontario, in which it is situated. This article shows a few examples of the very eclectic architectural mix that has resulted since 1867.

Federally, it was originally expected that the Parliament buildings would accommodate the entire government, bureaucracy and all. But "Parkinson's Law" reigns supreme in government matters, so over the years the government and its departments and agencies grew and grew, and many more structures were added. Spread out mostly over the central part of the city, some are ordinary office buildings, while others make for interesting architectural contrasts.

On the municipal side, Ottawa's first City Hall was located three blocks from Parliament Hill, but was eventually replaced by a new one located about three kilometers to the East, where the Rideau and Ottawa Rivers merge. It had to be enlarged in the 1990s, then with the recent amalgamation of the original city and all its satellite suburbs, it was directed to move to the former headquarters of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton, not far from where the first City Hall had once stood. At its current site, it incorporates a beautiful heritage building, the former Ottawa Teachers' College.

Provincially, although the former Regional Municipality Headquarters (now City Hall) came under the Province of Ontario, about the only interesting building still under provincial jurisdiction is the new Courthouse, located right next door.

Most of this information was obtained during personal visits, but I also wish to acknowledge input from the following sites: www.heritageottawa.org

www.ottawakiosk.com/rideau-hall.html

www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

www.canadascapital.gc.ca/corporate/parks_heritage/heritage/historic sites/