Take an art walk in Westboro

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Did you know that Ottawa’s Westboro neighbourhood is home to all sorts of public art, including murals, sculptures and photo installations? Walking around Westboro is a great free Ottawa day trip—and, depending where you live in the city, you might not even need to drive to get there! (Westboro is very accessible via a number of cycling/pedestrian routes.)

A couple of weeks ago, I strolled around the inner west-end neighbourhood to check out murals and more. Here’s what I discovered. (In some cases, I wasn’t able to find out who created these pieces; if you know, please email me so I can add that information to the post!)

Whispers: Pub life mural

Appropriately enough, this mural on the wall of Whispers Pub (249 Richmond Road) by artist Stephen Sammon shows a lively group of people having fun over a few beers. Granted, it’s a bit obscured by a big awning, but you can still get the gist.

Westfest mural

The next one I came across, on the east wall of what used to be Oh So Good desserts (261 Richmond Road), was created by artist Shaun McInnis. His work graces many walls throughout Westboro, as you’ll see later in this post. This particular mural celebrates Westfest, the free local annual arts festival that marked its final year, sadly, in 2019. Holding pride of place in the centre of the mural is Canadian musician Jane Siberry, who was the festival’s first headliner in 2004.

Three Wild Women: Delivery mural

On the west exterior wall of the lovely clothing and accessories store Three Wild Women (263 Richmond Road), you’ll find this clever mural by Shaun McInnis on a delivery-room door. It faces Athlone Avenue.

Westboro Nature Walk

On a utility box on the northwest corner of Richmond Road and Athlone Avenue, you can see a striking photograph of a butterfly. It’s one of a series of nine photographs licensed by Ottawa photographer Michelle Valberg as part of a route called the Westboro Nature Walk. Dotted through the neighbourhood from Golden Avenue to Island Park Drive are utility boxes adorned with sunflowers, squirrels, cardinals and more. The photographs will be up until 2025.

For the next two stops, I took a quick detour north of Richmond Road for a few blocks.

Ottawa Gymnastics Centre: Gymnast mural

Similarly, I don’t know who created this mural on the west wall of the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre (294 Elmgrove Avenue). It does a wonderful job of capturing both the concentration and the joy of the athletes pictured.

Granite Curling Club: Celebrating youth mural

I don’t know the actual name of this huge, colourful mural, but it certainly does celebrate young people—whether they are listening to music, playing sports or otherwise enjoying themselves. You’ll find it on the north wall of the Granite Curling Club of West Ottawa (2026 Scott Street). I also couldn’t find information on the artist; the URL in the bottom right-hand corner of the mural is a dead link. I did learn that the mural has been up since at least 2010 and was created by local artists working with youth as part of an anti-graffiti program. The weeds in the front may be growing like crazy because landscaping work has been cut back during the pandemic, but I hope someone comes along to trim them soon.

Fancy cars, a dog and a bike

This mural by Shaun McInnis on the east wall of 325 Richmond Road (currently an empty shop) is a bit of trompe-l’oeil. Look closely and you’ll see that the fire escape, the upper door and the upper windows are the sole elements that are “really” there. If you’d like to see this artwork, move quickly, as there’s currently a sign on the property noting that it may soon be replaced by a condo.

Lululemon: NOW mural

I’ve walked past this corner countless times and only noticed this subtle black-and-white mural recently. It’s amazing what you see when you look! It’s on the east wall of the Lululemon yoga wear store (340 Richmond Road, at Churchill).

Short Story sculpture

In 2015, this colourful steel sculpture was installed on a small plot of grass on the southeast corner of Byron and Churchill avenues. Ottawa artist Jennifer Stead embedded images from Eastern Ontario history into the metal branches of Short Story, including a lumberman’s horse and a country church. Like any good piece of public art, it had both fans and detractors when it was installed, according to this piece from the Kitchissippi Times. Check it out and decide for yourself. (Personally, I think it’s cheery.)

Great Escape Outfitters: Ottawa firefighters

On the east wall of the Great Escape Outfitters outdoors store (369 Richmond Road) you’ll find this tribute to Ottawa’s firefighters by Shaun McInnis. From the conflagration that consumed much of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill in 1916 to the fire engines of today, this mural covers a century of blaze battling.

Scotiabank: Boyish daydreams

This mural on the west wall of the Scotiabank at 388 Richmond Road is another Shaun McInnis creation. It features an image of his nephew on the left-hand edge, then shows boyish fantasies of rock climbing, race cars and skateboards—as well as more grown-up dreams of just relaxing on a beach at dusk.

Winston Chandelier

Across the road from the Scotiabank, next to the Westboro Legion (389-391 Richmond Road), the closed-off southern end of Winston Avenue is now a small public plaza with the grand name of Winston Square. Capping it off is the equally grandly named Winston Chandelier, a metal sculpture created by local artists Joanna Swim and Adrian Göllner. Installed in 2017, the eye-catching piece features everything from squirrels to the letter W. Like Short Story, it aims to embody local history. The square is a quiet outdoor spot to pause with a coffee or a snack.

Maplelawn Garden

Perhaps you don’t think of gardens as “art,” but I do! (Perhaps because I’m a terrible gardener myself, the fact that someone can envision a landscape and then create it with flowers is as magical to me as someone painting a picture.) And the walled Maplelawn Garden (529 Richmond Road) is a peaceful little oasis on the western edge of Westboro. The adjacent house, now home to a location of The Keg steakhouse chain, was built between 1831 and 1834. Its garden has been carefully restored by the National Capital Commission and the Friends of Maplelawn Garden. Admission is free, and you can park for free for two hours on nearby streets.

Looking for more ideas for things to see and do in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land.