Letter: Sparks Street was once the ‘throbbing heart of the capital’
Ottawa Citizen

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By Jack Van Dusen, Ottawa Citizen, November 24, 2014

Once ritzy, Sparks Street now a service industry for public servants, Nov. 17.Columnist Kelly Egan kindled Sparks Street for us. We bought our engagement and wedding rings at Birks. After a movie at the Centre Theatre and working our way through traffic — cars and clanging street cars and people — to cross Sparks, we spent weeks dreaming in front of that Birks window. Finally, both Olive and Birks said yes. A few dollars down and a few more every month. That was for the ring.Sparks was the throbbing heart of the capital in those days. You could almost feel the thump of the Citizen’s printing presses and hear the chatter of people. No cellphones. Three large department stores, two theatres, the Centre and the Regent at the end of the street and more restaurants than there are now people. John Diefenbaker used to like strolling down to Yesterday’s originally called Sharry’s for lunch. You might bump into Mike Pearson. No security. Just a smiled hello. via Letter: Sparks Street was once the ‘throbbing heart of the capital’ | Ottawa Citizen.

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