Develop a walking tour of your neighbourhood

This guide was developed by Leigh Thorpe and Brent Hyde for City Repair Ottawa. Later versions are now
being used by Jane’s Walk (www.janeswalk.net, www.janeswalkottawa.ca)

You may think that your neighbourhood is ordinary. In our experience, everyone’s neighbourhood
has some distinguishing features in its geography and layout, its residents and institutions, its
history and changing usage, the culture and character of the people who live there, and so on. By
talking to long-time residents, you will find out a lot about the area. There may be a stream running
through that is now buried, some local buildings may have been converted from earlier usage. Your
neighbourhood may have a local celebrity, such as an author of mystery novels. There may be
fossils in the old stone wall, or, as was the case in my hometown, quartz “diamonds” can be found
in the local bedrock. We are sure you will be surprised by what you find out.
These guidelines are intended to assist individuals or groups in the development of a walking tour
(or alternatively, a bicycle tour) that will be of interest to local residents and people visiting your
neighbourhood. We suggest that you plan to create a self-guided tour, which can then be used as
the basis of a guided tour. Developing the materials for a self-guided tour will help you fully
develop the content for a tour-guide led tour.
Define a tour that will
(a) be fun and interesting for local residents as well as visitors.
(b) help residents get to know their neighborhood better.
Distance: approx 2 km for walking, 6 km for biking
Duration: About 1 hour.
Points of interest: 8–15, depending on distance, complexity
Identify the points of interest.
Different neighborhoods will have different things to offer. Aim for a variety of sites. The
following list offers some ideas, but your final list will depend on what is available in your
neighborhood and your own range of interests.
• landmarks (bridges, markers, weathervanes, historical or memorial plaques)
• heritage buildings
• the local community centre
• churches
• interesting examples of the dominant architectural style of the homes in the area
• examples of contrasting architecture (old & new, ornate & plain)
• parks, courtyards, any small urban oasis
• private or public gardens with interesting or elaborate design or having special plant types
• locations of significance to the neighborhood (location of annual neighborhood festivals,
historical fire, local market)
• unusual stores or businesses (artist’s or artisan’s studio, a long-time general store, bakery,
cafe, etc, that helps define the neighbourhood or give it character)
• natural wonders (a very old tree, a pond, a rock outcropping, an exotic species such as a
ginko tree)
• local institutions (library, schools, colleges, police & fire stations)
• outdoor art (statues, murals)
• architectural details (towers, murals, relief carvings, patterned brickwork, especially those
you might not notice on your own)

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
Look for:
• heritage plaques
• beautiful or surprising views
• old buildings that have been converted to a different use (community centres are often
reclaimed buildings. What was it used for before?)
• “defacto” community gathering places: is there a place where people meet accidentally or
where they go to get together?
• front-yard art, both serious and playful (a homemade scarecrow, an inukshuk, a metal
sculpture)
Once you have identified the points of interest, collect information on each site and write up a short
description. Individuals who have lived in the area a long time may be able to provide some facts
of interest. The editor of the community paper may know of someone with an interest in the history
of the area (perhaps someone even writes a column!) The local librarian or church staff members
may be able to help. Someone at the city may have information about public installations.
Determine a route that takes you past the sites you have chosen. Keep the distance manageable for
a broad range of ages and fitness levels. You do not have to start and end at the same place, but the
starting point be an area where a small gathering will not be in the way, and where seating is
available. End where there is some vending or cafe service so people can get something to drink
and sit down. Write directions and draw a map. City Repair Ottawa can assist with preparation of
maps and other materials.
If any of the sites require that the group enter private property (such as the interiors of some
buildings, private courtyards), obtain a contact name and number from the owner to include in your
description. That way, people who use your guide will know that they need to get permission, and
they will know whom to ask. Indicate whether it is necessary to make an appointment.
Once your tour description is complete, it is a good idea to stage a dry run.
Conducting your tour
Once you’re satisfied with your tour description, you are ready. If you would like to hold a guided
tour, set a date, write an invitation, and advertise. Decide who your “tour guide” will be. If you
expect the tour to go onto private property, you need to get permission. Prepare directions, map,
and list of sites for each guest or participant.
Self-guided tour
With the right materials, your walking tour can be allow each walker to be his or her own guide.
Each person taking a self-guided tour will require written or recorded directions, a map, a list of
sites, and a description of the features of interest and/or the meaning of each site. The information
should be provided in a format that makes it easy to carry and easy to read as you go through the
tour.
Inspirational and source material:
Capital Walks by Katharine Fletcher (2nd edition) describes several walking tours in the City of
Ottawa
Daytripper 3 by Donna Gibbs Carpenter describes fifty day outings in Eastern Ontario, including
eight in Ottawa.
How to Tell Your Neighbourhood Story is a helpful essay that can be found online at
http://janeswalk.net/lead/how_to_tell_your_neighbourhood_story.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.