City of Ottawa Archives

A bid has been launched to name the new central archives building after local literary figure, William Pittman Lett.

The Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives suggested the name to the arts, culture and heritage advisory committee last month.

The building is to be located near Algonquin College's west-end campus.

"Lett was a long-time citizen of Ottawa, a witness to the early days and a community leader," says John Heney, president of the Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives.

Lett was Ottawa's first city clerk, a published author and poet, president of Ottawa's first amateur theatre group and even a newspaper editor.

"He was also rewarded for rescuing a man from drowning," Heney adds. 

The new building is expected to open in December 2010. It will house the city's central archives and a branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

Lett already has an avenue in LeBreton Flats commemorating him, but Heney says he deserves more.

Lett made several contributions to the city's earliest archives and produced a few books and poems that are still part of the library collection.

"He anchors the heritage aspect and straddles the two disciplines within the facility," Heney says.

The proposed name still has to be passed by the library board and the commemorative naming committee before being considered for public discussion.

"As long as [the name] has got the support of the community, I'm happy," says Jan Harder, Barrhaven councillor and chair of the library board.

The board will hear the proposal as part of the city's detailed process for naming.

"I'm very happy that Mr. Heney is going to make a presentation to the board, so they themselves can hear why it's a good fit," Harder says.

If the name is approved, the extensive Lett family collection will be put on display in the building's entrance. The collection includes original correspondence, scrapbooks, diaries kept by Lett himself and glass plate negatives.

"The story of the man can be used as a teaching tool to introduce visitors to the types of media that is held within the archives collection," Heney says.

Harder recognizes the name as a "winner" within the heritage community, but emphasizes that it is not too late for citizens to propose other names for the building.

The new building at the corner of Woodroffe Avenue and Tallwood Drive would be called the William Pittman Lett building.