ISLAND PARK
COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION
Important Events
Additional details about many important events that took place on IPD can be found here.
1939 and 1951 - Royal Visits
IPD was an important part of the Ceremonial Route for both 1939 and 1951 royal visits.
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The 1939 royal tour of Canada by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth was undertaken in the build-up to the Second World War as a way to emphasize Canada's independence from the United Kingdom, but, simultaneously shore up sympathy for Britain, should war break out in Europe.
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The King and Queen chose Island Park Drive as their Ottawa arrival point into the city, as the Ottawa Improvement Commission parkway network enabled them to meander past the Experimental Farm and Rideau Canal for a picturesque and pleasant drive.
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A special platform was erected on IPD for the occasion.
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In 1951 Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip also made a stop on IPD during their visit to Ottawa.
King and Queen's Carriage on IPD
Soldiers Salute the Royals on IPD
1950's - Plan for Rideauview Golf Club is Hatched on IPD
Jack Snow, who founded Snow Jewellers in the 1920's was a respected member of the Ottawa Jewish Community.
At that time, Jewish golfers were not allowed to be members of the Royal Ottawa. So in 1950s Snow and his friends decided to start their own golf club, the Rideauview. The meetings to discuss the new golf club were held in Snow's basement at 674 IPD. The RIdeauview Board Meeting Minutes from 1955 are shown to the right.
The impressive room was designed to look like the interoor of an antique boat, with its fine wood paneling and nautical port/starboard lanterns that book-ended the mantle wall and portal lights.
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Founders of the Rideauview Club included many recognizable names in the Ottawa community, including
- Mike Dwarkin - owner/founder of Dwarkin Furs
- Sam Caplan - founder, Caplan's Department Store (currently The Bay Rideau) and his brother Lou Caplan
- Bill Holzman - father of Jaqueline Holzman (former major of Ottawa)
- Hy Soloway - founder, Soloway Wright lawfirm
- Jack Mirsky - brother of John Mirsky, Hy Soloway's first business partner
- Jack Snow - founder of Snow Jewellers
and many others.
Basement of J.Snow and Rideauview Board Meeting place
Rideauview Board Meeting Minutes from 1955
Founders of Rideauview Club (from left to right ) Nancy Mirsky, Lawrence Soloway (Hy's son, current member), John Mirsky, Isidore Stone, Jack Snow, Alex Betcherman, Morris Berlin, Hy Soloway, Harold Shenkman, Lawrence Slover, Morris Zagerman, A.L. (Lou) Achbar and Murray Rosman.