Blackburn Hamlet (Ottawa)

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Blackburn Hamlet is a community in eastern Ontario, Canada in the city of Ottawa. It is considered an outer-suburb of Ottawa, and before the 2001 amalgamation of the city of Ottawa, it was in the city of Gloucester. It is still a partially rural area, but with several older and newer areas of settlement. Population (2001): 8,955

"The Hamlet" as it is known locally, is surrounded by National Capital Commission (NCC) Greenbelt lands as well as Canadian Federal Conservation Authority lands and Lands owned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) which were formerly the National Defence Proving Grounds. Together, these lands form part of Ottawa's "Greenbelt" and provide Blackburn Hamlet residents and visitors with over 250km of hiking and cross country skiing trails. As well, these lands house one of the region's most sought after toboggan hills at Green's Creek, a series of outdoor soccer fields, known collectively as the Hornet's Nest, which host international soccer tournaments and a cooperative garden maintained by residents for over 25 years. The Hornet's Nest includes an air-supported indoor recreation dome, called the SuperDome. The cheap-looking SuperDome is a controversial eyesore set in middle of the otherwise beautiful fields and woods of the Hornet's Nest. It is visible many kilometres away in several directions. A private, for-profit business, the SuperDome was constructed in cooperation with the city of Ottawa. Ironically, just metres away, Blackburn Hamlet's French public high school, Louis Riel, is home to North America’s largest air-supported fabric structure indoor recreation facility, at 12,4222 square meters (133,705 square feet). Louis Riel's more discreetly located facility was planned and initiated before the SuperDome.

Blackburn Hamlet took its name from Robert Blackburn, former Member of Parliament for Russell.

See also: List of Ottawa neighbourhoods