Brewer Park

Brewer Park is a municipal park in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Rideau River at Bronson Avenue and Carleton University.

The park is a very popular, attracting many different types of people. In the winter, Brewer park houses a world-class speed skating oval and two smaller-sized hockey rinks. It is one of the most popular places for the students of Carleton University, who can study or involve themselves in many sports.

Sport and Playground Facilities

Brewer park contains facilities for both the young and old.
*3 soccer fields (two are also football accessible)
*3 baseball diamonds
*a hockey arena (Brewer arena)
*many biking paths
*half of a basketball court
*a mini-waterpark
*4 play-structure
*waterfront and pond

Though not part of the park, Brewer is adjacent to the Ottawa Tennis & Lawn Bowling Club, to the Westboro Academy, and to Brewer Pool, a fairly large indoor pool.

History

In the 1960s and 1970s, Brewer park housed a public beach that encircled Brewer pond, a shallow pond approximately 100 meters in diameter, which drew a young crowd around the area. But pollution measurement and clarity standards in Ontario changed and enclosed beaches were not permitted, and the beach was closed permanently in 1970. The pond is still there, and the building that once housed a canteen and many storage items is now used as a locker room for many football teams who play on the neighboring field. As it is on the floodplain it is designed on stilts so the lower portion of the building can be flooded (usually each spring) without suffering damage.

The remainder of the park, tennis club and nearby low-lying residential areas are protected by a low berm/dam constructed in the 1980s.

= House of Paint wall =

In 2001 the city of Ottawa legalized the wall under the Dunbar Bridge at Brewer Park in Ottawa, Ontario.

The wall overlooks Carleton University and the Rideau river. Graffiti art had been painted here for years before the leaglization but now is an open forum for artists to show creativity. Most works of art are not around for more than a week due to the painting being replaced.

The wall was named by artists in the late 90s by a crew called AES, who used to listen to House of pain while painting. After many years, it was renamed to House of Paint by the city.

The "House of Paint" graffiti jam will go into its 6th year in June of 2008, where breakdancing, music and graffiti come together under the Dunbar bridge.

References

* [http://ottawa.ca/residents/parks_recreation/facilities/rec_centres/brewer/index_en.html Brewer Complex] at ottawa.ca [http://www.houseofpaint.ca House of Paint Official Website]