Key Dates in Blackburn Hamlet History – Blackburn Community Association

The following is a summary of some milestone dates in Blackburn Hamlet History. This is not a comprehensive list, so if anyone has more details on other memorable events, such as when key buildings, parks and facilities were opened, please contact secretary@blackburnhamlet.ca.

1803-1811 – First residents arrive in area of Blackburn Hamlet most of whom were of English or Irish descent, along with a few French and Scottish.
1850 – Richard Dagg donated the land for the first school in Blackburn. The area was subsequently called “Daggsville” after three families that settled there.
1898 – CPR short line opens running through Gloucester from Hurdman’s Bridge to Blackburn [Ottawa Journal, September 6, 1898 p.4]. CPR transcontinental service to Montreal used this rail line until 1981.
1915 – Original school burned down.
1917 – New school built at Blackburn Corners. [Ottawa Citizen, July 13, 954 p.3].
1940 – Department of National Defense purchases land near Blackburn to establish Proving Grounds.
1946 – (July 28) Harvard training plane crashes on the farm of Ovide St. Jean near Blackburn. Two pilots were killed including Flight Officer T.A. Seeman of Ottawa [Ottawa Journal, July 29, 1946 p.20].
1954 – (July 12) Sod turning for new school at Blackburn Corners that is to open in September 1954. [Ottawa Citizen, July 13, 1954 p.3].
1954 – The third Blackburn Public School was built. The school is now called the Norman Johnson Alternative School.
1958 – The government gave authority to the NCC to establish the Greenbelt.
1960 & 1964 – Extensive additions were made to what is now known as the Norman Johnson Alternative School.
1967 – Families started moving into the new Blackburn Hamlet subdivision being built by Costain Developments.
1968 – Blackburn Community Club, Ste. Marie and the Property Owners amalgamated to form the BlackBurn Community Association.
1969 – Costain provided 5 acres on the north side of Cyrville Rd (now Innes Rd) at Bearbrook Rd. In addition, the Township agreed to purchase a second 5 acre site behind the shopping centre for Parks and Recreation use. These would become Bearbrook Park and Blackburn Park.
1970 – Gloucester Council passes by-law to clarify the name of the Third Line as ‘Innes Road’ east of Cyrville Road. Other names in use included Blackburn Road, Bearbrook Road, Cyrville-Navan Road and Navan-Cyrville Road [Ottawa Journal, February 4, 1970 p.14].
1971 – Bearbrook Road running across the north edge of Blackburn Hamlet closed and redirected into the centre of community on the former Parkburn Boulevard [Ottawa Citizen, October 27, 1971 p.40].
1971 – Blackburn fun fair inaugurated.
1971 – The BCA organized the first Blackburn Hamlet to Downtown commuter bus service.
1972 – Ottawa-Carleton Regional Detention Centre opens on Innes Road.
1972 – Township of Gloucester leased land from the NCC for what would eventually become Tauvette Park.
1972 – OC Transpo extends city bus service into Gloucester Township suburbs of Beacon Hill (Route 24), Blackburn Hamlet and Pineview (Route 25), Cardinal Heights and Carson Grove (Route 27), Blossom Park and Windsor Park (Route 82). Initially, only off-peak service was delivered to North Gloucester. Private peak hour service continued for the time being. [Ottawa-Gloucester Guardian, October 31, 1972 p.1].
1973 – Township expropriated an additional acre of park land to expand Bearbrook Park to approx. 7 acres.
1973 – Blackburn Branch of the public library opens at Glen Ogilvie School.
1973 – Tele Transpo Dial-a-bus service introduced in the Hamlet.
1974 – Blackburn arena opens [Ottawa Citizen, April 30, 1974 p.2, Ottawa Journal, October 22, 1974 p.18].
1975 – Blackburn Library Branch moves to an office building on Innes road.
1975 – Opening of the Bearbrook Park Outdoor Pool and Tennis Courts.
1976 – Blackburn Hamlet Medical-Dental Centre at Innes and Southpark opened.
1976 – Completion of Bearbrook Park.
1976 – FunFair moved from Glen Ogilvie School to Bearbrook Park.
1977 – Land acquired and construction started to extend Bearbrook south of Innes and past the Arena to connect to Glen Park Drive.
1978 – The Blackburn Community Association was incorporated on March 16, 1978.
1978 – Completed construction of a wading pool, grassy rest area and expanded building adjacent to the Bearbrook pool.
1979 – The Common shopping plaza on the South-West corner of Innes and Bearbrook opened.
1980- Blackburn Library Branch relocates to 199 Glen Park Drive, Commons Shopping Centre. [Ottawa Citizen, November 28, 1980 p.4].
1980 – The Blackburn Shoppes plaza on the South-East corner of Innes and Bearbrook opened.
1980 – École secondaire publique Louis-Riel opened.
1981 – Passenger service discontinued on CPR short line between Hurdman’s Bridge and Blackburn.
1981 – Gloucester Allotment Garden Association established, taking over the discontinued NCC program. 250 garden plots are located in Blackburn Hamlet and on Anderson Road.
1984 – Bearbrook soccer fields renamed Hornet’s Nest Park.
1986 – CPR abandons short line railway between Hurdman’s Bridge and Blackburn and beyond.
1990 – (October 16) Blackburn Hamlet Bypass opens. [Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1990 p.E2].
1991 – (October 20) Blackburn Hamlet Fire and Training Station opens. [Ottawa Citizen, October 21, 1991 p.C2].
1992 – Blackburn Library Branch renovated and expanded.
1993 – City of Gloucester eliminated recreational grants distributed by local associations, including the BCA, to help fund local recreational groups – a significant change to the BCA role in the community.
1994 – Publication of The BANAR reduced from 9 editions per year to 5.
1994 – Blackburn Public Elementary School closed. Norman Johnston Alternate Program moved into the School.
1995 – First annual Blackburn Hamlet Garage Sale.
1996 – The Summer Day Camp program was transferred from the BCA to the City of Gloucester.
1998 – Inaugural Blackburn Hamlet Garden Tour.
1998 – Skateboard park installed in Blackburn Park.
1998 – Arena upgrades completed.
1999 – Bearbrook Pool repairs and upgrades completed.
1999 – Opening of the Blackburn Community Hall.
1999 – Installation of the West and North Gateway signs.
1999 – FunFair moved from Bearbrook Park to the Community Hall, Arena, and Blackburn Park.
1999 – Phase 1 of the upgrade of Innes road to from rural to urban standards completed.
1999 – Blackburn Community Association goes online with their first website.
2000 – Many of the Blackburn Hamlet Parks renamed highlighting the history of the area.
2000 – Phase 2 of the upgrade of Innes road to from rural to urban standards completed.
2001 – City of Gloucester became part of the amalgamated city of Ottawa.
2001 – Installation of the East Gateway sign.
2001 – Addition of a Storage Room to the Community Hall.
2002 – Phase 3 of the upgrade of Innes road to from rural to urban standards completed.
2003 – A new annex was added to École secondaire publique Louis-Riel.
2003 – The very first Run for the Cure (now known as Cancer Chase) was held.
2003 – Final Phase of the upgrade of Innes road to from rural to urban standards completed.
2004 – Superdome (originally named Thunderdome) opens as an indoor sports field facility on Bearbrook Road in Blackburn Hamlet.
2005 – The Dome was built at École secondaire publique Louis-Riel.
2015 – The first BCA sponsored Canada Day event was held.
2016 – Revamped BCA website launched.
2018 – New Sculpture was installed at Innes and Bearbrook.
2019 – Glen Ogilvie Public School and 2389 Pepin Court added to the Ottawa Heritage Register as non-designated listings.
2021 – Renovated and renamed Lois Kemp Arena reopens.
2021 – New Splash Pad opens.
2021 – New EV Charger installed at Lois Kemp Arena.
2021 – New Bike Repair Station installed at Innes and Bearbrook.
2021 – New Mural added to the side of the Community Hall.
2022 – New Murals added to the Lois Kemp Arena and the Lifecentre building.
2022 – New and improved BCA website launched including scanned copies of The BANAR dating back to 1967.
2023 – New Mural added to the front if the Lois Kemp Arena.