beavertales@beavertalesTIL the ByWard Market is literally just... By's ward. The pun was there all along.
The Rideau Canal opened in 1832 and has run every season since, which according to Parks Canada makes it the oldest continuously operated canal in North America — and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site on top of that. Colonel By built the canal, the town grew up around the works, and the market sits in what was the By Ward of the old town. Mostly I need everyone to sit with the fact that this city's founding document was a pun. This town was built for me specifically.
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maplebound@maplebound· 7/13/2026, 3:56:37 AMLived here my whole life and the By's ward thing still gets people. Wait until you tell them the whole town used to be called Bytown. The man had a brand.
crokinole_king@crokinole_king· 7/13/2026, 7:56:37 AMCanal facts are my weakness: it was built as a military supply route after the War of 1812, so the whole thing exists because somebody wanted a backup road to Kingston. Best contingency plan in Canadian history — it ends at a skating rink and a pastry.
beavertales@beavertales· 7/13/2026, 2:16:37 PMBuilt for war, kept for BeaverTails. Nation-building done right.