The Wedgmont on MacLaren, 1966

The Wedgmont was constructed in 1966. Ottawa – and Centretown – grew upward. Image: September 2017.

A whole lot of things have changed in my life in the last little while that have resulted in me spending time rearranging things. In the middle of all of that, I have also tried to not let this whole blogging enterprise fall by the wayside. It’s one of the more enjoyable things that I have going. In between all of the other things, I’ve been continuing to pick at the long story I have going about the Canada Square project in Toronto at Yonge and Eglinton. That should come soon enough.

The Wedgmont was advertised on its location as much as its amenities. Source: Ottawa Journal, November 28, 1966, 23.

As was the case with so many of Centretown’s midcentury towers, the development opportunity came up shortly after a death. In this case, it was the death of Laura Butterworth, widow of Frank Butterworth.1”Ottawa, Area Deaths,” Ottawa Journal, January 28, 1964, 5. I haven’t had occasion to get myself to the land registry for the specific transactions and ownership, but like The Elphin a few blocks to the south, the Wedgmont was promoted and managed by Radcliff. Architects for The Wedgmont were Butts, Ross, and Associates.

Radcliff’s offices had been located a couple of doors down at 283 MacLaren, but when The Wedgmont was complete, the real estate and investment company took over the first two floors as its offices.2Ottawa Journal, September 7, 1966, 11.

The way I remember it was the one (and only) time I walked into the Book Den (RIP) and was promptly barked at by the owner and promptly left. Although I was around 20 at the time, the experience reminded me of the one time I walked into Uly’s in South Porcupine when I was around 10. He was similarly uncomfortable with customers.

Notes

Notes
1 ”Ottawa, Area Deaths,” Ottawa Journal, January 28, 1964, 5.
2 Ottawa Journal, September 7, 1966, 11.