About Subud Ottawa

The Subud Ottawa hall stands on a quiet residential street in Ottawa’s Westboro district, about 15 minutes’ drive (25 minutes by bus) west of the city’s center. There are shops and restaurants nearby, and it is a short walk to a riverside park.

 

The group rented the building (built in l921 as a meeting hall of the Orange Lodge, an Irish fraternal organization) for several years before buying it in l990.

 

Capital for the purchase was raised by building an addition to a member’s home (several Ottawa members had construction experience – a legacy of M.H. Lehman Construction, an enterprise many worked with in the l970’s). Part of the money from the sale of this house was given to the group and a Subud Canada Housing Fund loan plus a mortgage from the vendor provided the balance of the funding.

 

On buying the hall, members embarked on extensive renovations to make it more suitable for the needs of the group. On the upper level it features a latihan hall of about 75 sq.m (800 square feet) with a lofty ceiling, a comfortable lounge area and library, and a small office. Downstairs is another latihan space of about 55 sq.m (600 square feet), a full-size kitchen, and washrooms. Recently repainted, the hall is often rented to others: children’s dance classes, meditation and yoga groups, etc. Renters often comment on the pleasant atmosphere or ‘energy’ of the building.

 

Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, has an area population of just over a million. Its location between Montreal (about 2 hours’ drive east) and Toronto (about 5 hours to the south-west) also make the hall a popular venue for regional Subud events.​