Poets’ Pathway: The early history

A walking path around Ottawa commemorating the Confederation Poets and the Mouvement littéraire

 Into the stilly woods I go,
Where the shades are deep and the wind-flowers blow,
And the hours are dreamy and lone and long,
And the power of silence is greater than song.

W.W. Campbell

View a map of the Poets’ Pathway on the Committee’s own web site.

The Poets’ Pathway Committee began as a project of the Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital, sprung from the mind of Bill Royds in the winter of 1995.  In January 2007 its co-chairs became Jane Moore and George Wilson.  As of May 2009, Jane became sole chair.  The pages below document the early days, up to mid-2007.

For up to date information, please visit the Pathway’s own web site or contact Jane at 613-723-6196.

History

When Steven Artelle, then-chair of the Poets’ Pathway Committee, initiated the Ottawa Literary Heritage Society in May 2003, the Committee became a joint committee of the Society and the Alliance. In December 2006, Steven resigned as co-chair of the Committee to devote all his energy to the Poet’s Hill project. For a while the Poets’ Pathway again became a committee of the Alliance only but increasingly the Committee found its own feet and in 2011 it was incorporated.

[Chapter 1] Poets’ Pathway: The Proposal

[Chapter 2] Poet’s Hill

[Chapter 3] Canadian Poets’ Park