Share this Story : King: Sparks Street's history includes a hidden 'commode' Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links Opinion Columnists King: Sparks Street's history includes a hidden 'commode' Urban folklore says there's a Victorian-era public toilet buried at the intersection of Sparks and 'Connor streets, says Andrew King, who sets out to see if the tale of the toilet is true. Author of the article: Andrew King Published Nov 19, 2024 • Last updated 16 minutes ago • 3 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account.

A 1909 photo of Sparks and O'Connor streets shows what appears to be the entrance to an underground public washroom. Photo by Library and Archives Canada Article content GottaGo Ottawa! informs us that today is World Toilet Day, and that better access to public toilets is not a luxury but a necessity. Today, Ottawa artist and history sleuth Andrew King delves into the past of public toilets in Ottawa in this excerpt from his new book, Ottawa Rewind 3.

Is there a Victorian-era public washroom buried beneath Sparks Street? Has it sat there for more than a century, in perfect preservation, awaiting its triumphant return from underground, waiting to rise like The Ark of the Covenant? Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now t.