The DCA is a volunteer-led not-for-profit that was founded in 1984, and is involved with projects and initiatives to improve the neighbourhood. The DCA has various committees that focus on specific areas of importance for the neighbourhood. You can learn more about our various committees here. Several committees and groups have grown from the DCA and now operate autonomously, including the Plant Pool Recreation Association.
2024-2025 Executive
- Catherine Boucher, President
- Ed McKenna, Vice-President
- Ryan Turley, Secretary
- Dave Seaborn, Treasurer
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A quick history minute: Why are we called Dalhousie Community Association?
Apart from the Dal-HOO-zee / Dal-HOW-zee debate, many folks, including residents of the area, wonder why we are called the Dalhousie Community.
Until 2001, Dalhousie was a municipal ward, separate from the Centretown area, which was called Wellington Ward. When the City was amalgamated in 2001, the two wards were collapsed into one, to become Somerset Ward. However, both wards had active community associations, the DCA and CCCA (now CCA). It was decided to keep the boundaries of the old wards for each of these as they wanted to continue representing these quite different areas.
So, nothing to do with a street in the Byward Market area, but a legacy from not so long ago.
Where We Are
The DCA consists of the neighbours who live in the western half of Ottawa’s Somerset Ward, including Chinatown, Little Italy, and Lebreton Flats. Its area is bounded by:
- Bay Street to the East
- Bayview Station / O-Train Line 2 to the West
- the Ottawa River to the North
- Highway 417 to the South (East of Booth)
- Carling Avenue to the South (West of Booth)
More about us
In Fall 2022, we collaborated with students in the Carleton University Community Engagement Program. Check out the video and brochure they made about us below!