“It is about time that we in Canada should consider keeping alive the memories of the many men and women, who, by their literary or other gifts, have added…to the development of our culture and intelligence. Should there not be some place in the Dominion – and what more fit place than Ottawa – where not only samples of their worth might be found or consulted, but where memorials of them might be preserved.”

From an 1896 editorial in “The Lounger,” a then Ottawa periodical

For the Timeless Literary Accomplishments of Canadians

On the crest of a hill, graced in the distance by a panoramic view of our nation’s Parliament, Beechwood’s Poet’s Hill is a natural site for literary reflection and expression; education; and public readings. Many of Ottawa’s Confederation Poets are interred in the beautifully-landscaped grounds of Beechwood Cemetery, including Duncan Campbell Scott, Archibald Lampman, W.W. Campbell, Nicholas Flood Davin, William Pittman Lett, the Bourinots and John Newlove.

Poet’s Hill was designed to encourage educational programming, local development and cultural tourism. Moreover, the site also will serve as a final resting place for Canadians whose lives have been shaped by a love of literature, such as the recently deceased Ottawa Poet, John Newlove.

Having raised approximately $25,000 from donations and in-kind support to develop the site, the Poet’s Hill Project Committee consists of representatives from The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation, the Ottawa Literary Heritage Society, the Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital and affiliated members.

Poet’s Hill Project Committee Members:

• Steven Artelle – Director, Ottawa Literary Heritage Society
• Daphne McCree – Greenspace Alliance of Canada’s Capital
• Michael Heenan – Poet and Editor, Ottawa Literary Heritage Society
• Susan Newlove
• Ryan James – Groundworks Design

Click here for the website of the Parliamentary Poet Laureate

Special thanks to the City of Ottawa Arts Funding Program, the City of Ottawa Cultural Facilities Fund, the Community Foundation of Ottawa and all our donors for their generous support of this project.