This photo, taken around 1910, pictures the author’s grandmother, Eva Landry Villeneuve (L) and her great aunt, Delina Landry next to the family home on Main Street. Two trees are pictured directly behind them, but one had to be cut down at a later date probably because of limited space as they matured. Photo Supplied
Viviane Villeneuve
In Old Ottawa East, major construction is scheduled to commence north of Highway 417 on the Greenfield Avenue/Main Street/Hawthorne Avenue project. The work consists of replacing older watermains, and storm sewers, the addition of bike paths and the reconstruction of roadways.
To complete this work, trees will be cut down on both sides of Main Street (see article above), notwithstanding that among those trees are two historic maples. These trees have been part of Old Ottawa East since the 1860’s when the community was known as “Archville”. They stand tall – 143 years old – and are perhaps the only mature trees left on all of Main Street. They reflect the history of working-class Ottawa during the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th Century.
Around the 1860s, Archville was a growing concern, as it was for these young maple trees. The trees were planted by Maxime Landry, who worked as a cooper in 1882 making flour barrels for the J.T. Ballantyne Company. In 1886 and 1893, Landry purchased two lots on Macadamized Road, which became 38 and 40 Main Street.
Maxime and his wife Léa raised five girls, one boy and three maple trees. Over the years a number of photos taken show the family with the trees as they grew. The magnificent trees survived. They have many stories to tell, of working-class family life in the community. Max Landry Jr. worked as cooper with his father and later became a conductor on the Ottawa Electric Railway. He was also a star player for the Capital Lacrosse Club. Dellina Landry became the first lady in Old Ottawa East to own and proudly drive a car. She was employed by St. Patrick’s College. Amanda and Laura Landry both married and raised their children on Harvey Street and Echo Drive, respectively. Louisa and Eva Landry both left the neighbourhood but, eventually, Eva returned and lived with her son, Lawrence (my father) at 38 Main Street. He also worked for J.T. Ballantyne, transporting coal to the surrounding areas. After the war, he was hired by Morrison Lamothe to deliver bread by horse and wagon to customers in Old Ottawa East. The Landry Family is long gone and so is most of the neighbourhood, but the trees are still there.
Protecting our city’s heritage is not impossible, it just takes a little more thought and planning. Whether on public or private property these majestic natural monuments should be saved. The houses remaining on this northern stretch of Main Street will eventually be torn down along with the trees unless we can save them.
