Ottawa's arts scene doesn't stop at the Ottawa River, and the latest proof is just a short walk or bike ride across the interprovincial bridges: a series of whimsical, larger-than-life murals now covering residential buildings and storefronts along rue Eddy in Gatineau's historic district. For Ottawa residents who regularly cross into Gatineau for a night out, a bike ride along the river paths, or a visit to the Canadian Museum of History, rue Eddy has quietly become one of the more colourful corners of the whole National Capital Region.
A splash of colour in a historic neighbourhood
The murals feature playful portraits in bright, saturated hues, painted directly onto the walls of homes and small businesses along the street. The project is part of a broader effort by the City of Gatineau to inject more vibrancy into the area, which has long been known for its heritage character but not necessarily for public art. CBC's Sannah Choi visited the block and spoke with some of the artists behind the pieces, capturing the scale and detail that make the works impossible to miss from the street.
Why Ottawa should care
Gatineau and Ottawa function as one interconnected capital region — sharing transit riders, festivalgoers, and a river that residents cross constantly for work, food, and entertainment. Public art on either side of that river tends to become part of the shared visual identity of the National Capital Region as a whole, much like the murals along Ottawa's own Byward Market or Hintonburg. For Ottawa residents looking for a new reason to explore across the bridges, rue Eddy's murals give an easy, walkable excuse: pair a visit with a stop at one of Gatineau's cafés or a stroll through the historic core before heading back over the Portage or Alexandra Bridge.
The murals also reflect a trend Ottawa-area residents have seen locally — cities investing in street-level art as a way to make older commercial strips feel more welcoming. Ottawa's own recent mural initiatives in neighbourhoods like Hintonburg and Vanier have followed a similar logic: bright, large-scale art draws foot traffic, gives residents pride in their block, and creates a distinct sense of place. Gatineau's rue Eddy project fits neatly into that same regional momentum.
What's next
There's no word yet on whether the mural project will expand to other Gatineau streets, but given the attention the rue Eddy pieces are already drawing, it wouldn't be surprising to see more walls transformed in the coming months. In the meantime, the murals are already turning rue Eddy into a worthwhile detour for anyone in the Ottawa area looking for a quick, free art walk this summer.
Source: CBC Ottawa
