As mentioned earlier the town hall was a focal point for activity. It was the only "public building" that could be rented for social functions. The facility was used regularly by the debating club, brass band and other interest groups such as the Evangelicals. There is more on the town hall here. It appears that all the local dances were held in the town hall as well. Trinity Anglican was too small for large meetings and it was only towards the end of 1901 that the Catholics built a new school and church. The public school buildings, on the edge of the largest swamp in the area, were small, freezing in winter and oppressively hot in summer (not to mention the black flies and mosquitoes).

There is no record of liquor licenses being issued but there are references, during this time, of council adamantly opposing such nefarious activities as pool halls being located in barbershops. Ottawa East was decidedly conservative to say the least! It is probable that the nearest "watering hole" was located across the swing bridge to Bank or Elgin Streets or up East Avenue (Echo) to the market. And if you actually wanted water, it was as close as the backyard pump.

A Post Office and grocery store was located on Main near East Ave., run by Brigit Slattery. There were many other groceries listed in the directory along with shoemakers, bakers, a druggist, dressmakers, butchers and barbers. (John Messerschmidt started his barbershop on Second St. to later move to Hawthorne at Main where it flourished as a family business well into the 1960's.) Coal came from Ballantyne's, wood from Beaton's and there was an icehouse on Wildwood. Almost everything an average family wanted was within walking distance. What the family didn't grow in their backyard was readily available from local gardeners.

For the most part Ottawa East in 1901 was a working community. Life was hard, every penny counted and there were few social amenities available to all. The community was certainly not poor as most had the basics of life - food, shelter, safety and relatively clean drinking water, but any extras came only with their own initiative. And that trait was in ample supply with these people. They built everything themselves, from a water system and roads, to churches and schools. They made use of the river and canal for transportation and recreation. And everybody knew everybody else. The people were, de facto, a cohesive community that together, resisted being subsumed by the city and steadily developed their own amenities as the century progressed. The end of the municipality came in 1907 with annexation, but the spirit of community persisted. In the next twenty years the community would see the building of churches, schools and businesses that would further consolidate this feeling of separateness. That spirit continues even today.