Deachman: Ottawa 200 just hype for now, needs more party
The city has unveiled its intention to plan for its bicentennial next year — and for the ByWard Market’s 200th anniversary the following year, in 2027 — although what it’s actually planning remains largely a mystery.
A recent three-page memo to council from Economic Development Services director Sheilagh Doherty promises “authentic destination experiences,” “signature events,” “legacy initiatives,” “branding” and “commemoration and plaza naming” — which, as any decent parent knows, are the essential ingredients of any successful birthday party — assuming your magician cancels and the bouncy castle has a hole in it.
To be fair, the memo is really more of a promissory invitation than the actual program — the municipal equivalent of a “More To Come” billboard: all corporate vibe, little information. For now, we mostly get branding: the “Ottawa 200” title; its tepid “Celebrate Together” slogan; and the logo — which, you’ll be relieved to know, “will anchor a visual identity program featuring city-wide pageantry, partner kits and marketing to help the whole community Celebrate Together” and has “various approaches that will be used based on creative application.”)
This may be the first time in the storied history of birthday marketing that “pageantry” and “partner kits” have appeared in the same sentence. Unless “partner kits” really means loot bags.
We’re also assured that the usual suspects will be involved, with the city promising to work with heritage, cultural, Indigenous, Francophone, youth and community organizations “to support and deliver dynamic, interactive, and inclusive public events and activations that bring together shared stories and ignite civic pride.” Careful — get too close and your civic pride might blow your fingers off.
Further info is expected in January, and a website in December, although the memo did spill a few details. Much of the funding will be courtesy of the $200,000 that since last year has annually been taken from the Municipal Accommodation Tax, a.k.a. hotel tax. It will be managed by Ottawa Tourism in consultation with the city.
Subsequent to Doherty’s memo, the city has released 2026 draft budget documents that indicate it will spend $1.9 million on the two celebrations. That’s a far cry from the $5 million — about $7.1 million today — that Quebec City contributed to its 400th anniversary in 2008 (the province and feds each ponied up $40 million) or the $30 million ($37.8 million today) that Montreal shelled out for its 375th in 2017 (with the province, feds and sponsors adding another $90 million).
Still, it’s more than the $200k that Hamiltonians spent in 2021 for their 175th — although, in The Hammer’s defence, their overall budget is much smaller than Ottawa’s, it was for only one anniversary, and it was during the pandemic, when much of the celebrating had to be done online.
Meanwhile, an advisory committee co-led by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and past Ottawa Tourism board chair Stefanie Siska will help guide the city’s planning. So there’ll probably be a marathon.
And on Nov. 10 the city revealed that on July 19 next year, a “special” Ottawa 200 day will take place at Bluesfest. It will feature a “full program of music, memories and civic pride” headlined by The Guess Who — the pride of, um, Winnipeg.
No more details about that special day were revealed, so I suppose there’s still a chance that homecoming queen Alanis Morissette and king Paul Anka — the latter releasing a new album in February — haven’t been ruled out.
In the meantime, are we ready to ignite with unbridled pageantry?
I hope we are. Right now, though, Ottawa 200 feels more like a Dragon’s Den pitch than an invitation to a celebration anyone would want to attend. The memo says the 200th anniversary program aims to celebrate the city’s history and diversity, boost civic engagement, attract visitors, support the local economy and cultural sectors, raise Ottawa’s profile and “deliver one or more legacy projects for today and future generations.”
Those are all great, but the memo neglects to mention fun — the one ingredient you’d think a birthday party would include. After all, that’s what a bicentennial should be: a fun celebration of who we are, how we got here and where we’re going next. And, if the city needs ideas, I’m sure we can come up with endless ways to make Ottawa undo its top button and party like it’s 1826. This is, after all, the only time we’ll turn 200.
Here are a few ideas the city could steal: How about getting 200 local artists to create 200 murals across the city? Or outdoor Speakers’ Corners booths where people can record their thoughts on anything and share them online? Or random profiles or residents who share in common only that their home address is No. 200?
We could organize a festival of short films — each 200 seconds long — made by Ottawans. Or a 200-item city-wide scavenger hunt. When was the last time we had a good bed race on Carling Avenue? Or a 200-person game of hide-and-seek or kick-the-can?
Decades ago, a photo contest in Montreal sparked thousands of residents to submit images of their city, with winning entries displayed for a month in shop windows along Sainte-Catherine Street. Can’t we do something like that here?
Meanwhile, let’s get 200 trumpeters and 200 singers to parade through Ottawa performing its official song, The Capital City.
Oh, you didn’t know there was an official Ottawa song? In 1982, a nationwide contest produced one, written by Eastview musician Christine McCann. Admittedly, it’s a bit dated now. Maybe it’s time for a new one?
But, if all we have so far are activations, branding and partner kits, where is the Ottawa part? If the point of all this is truly to “Celebrate Together,” then let’s do that — not with partner kits or visual identity programs, but with a party to remember.
