The mural walk

The Glebe wears its art outdoors. This walk strings together the neighbourhood's public pieces at sidewalk pace; do it in an hour, or let the patios stretch it into an afternoon.

Stop one: the Chinese Aces, 724 Bank Street

The BIA's newest mural is "Chinese Aces Skate the Canal" by local artist Tia Wong, a 30-foot piece rooted in a little-known slice of Glebe lore. In the 1930s, brothers Sue and Shing Wong each opened grocery stores in Ottawa, one of them at 797 Bank Street. Shing's son Leslie played goalie for the first all-Chinese hockey team in Ottawa, the Chinese Aces, who practised on the Rideau Canal after school.

Wong paints that story with Group of Seven warmth and nods to old Tim Hortons cups and the five-dollar bill, and asks a quieter question underneath: what the community stands to lose as climate change shortens the Skateway season. The mural was made with support from Irene Mei of Fairy Dreams Bridal and the City of Ottawa's Mural Design Fund.

Stop two: the Fourth Avenue courtyard

Half a block off Bank, the historic courtyard of Fourth Avenue Baptist Church has been restored by the BIA in partnership with the church: rehabilitated gardens on the north side, native species like spicebush, wild columbine and New England aster planted with local firm Garden Releaf, and flexible public seating returned under the dappled shade. In summer it hosts City Sounds Live, a six-performance music series run with the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition.

Stop three: look up

Along the whole strip, the 2026 banner program marks Ottawa's 200th anniversary from the lamp posts, and the BIA's custom teal chairs sit at Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth at Bank each spring through fall, built by Montreal's OutThere Studio in one of the iconic Glebe colours. Sit, sip, and catch up.

Between stops

Ice cream and coffee are never far: the patio guide covers every option, and the full inventory of Glebe murals and points of interest lives in the directory.