Strathcona Park

About

Strathcona Park is a large park in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It lies on the west bank of the Rideau River and marks the eastern edge of the Sandy Hill neighbourhood. The area of the park was originally the swampy floodplain of the river and impossible to build on.

The site first became home of the Dominion Rifle Range, where soldiers had trained before departing for the Second Boer War. That history is preserved in the name of Range Road, which runs along the west of the park. The area was turned into a park by the Ottawa Improvement Commission between 1904 and 1907.

It was named after Lord Strathcona, a Canadian businessman and politician who had financed his own regiment in the war. The most prominent feature of the 15-acre (6.1 ha) park is the fountain atop the hill; it was donated by Lord Strathcona in 1909 and sculpted by French artist, Mathurin Moreau. The four upright figures symbolize the four continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, America), which was a commonly used artistic metaphor until the 19th century.

A twin fountain stands in downtown Buenos Aires. The park's original design was a classic example of English public park design. It contained a pair of small ponds, gazebos,...