We believe that this project is important locally, to individuals and the city of Ottawa and the capital region, and also nationally and even internationally.

The Poets’ Pathway has many purposes.

IN EDUCATION

The Pathway will benefit anyone who walks or rides on it , or reads a poem or searches the website. It will:

• Pay homage long over-due to some of our greatest and our original poets; the work of these poets was dominated by their feeling for the land, the first writing to actually celebrate CANADA’s land.
• Educate. People will learn about their environment; they will also learn about Canadian History, Literature, Biology. It will instigate any number of learning activities.

FOR OTTAWANS, it will:

• Help keep Ottawa green, spacious, beautiful, healthy and clean; it will improve the health of the City, keeping the land green, and improve the physical and spiritual health of residents and visitors, who will be inspired by the beauty of the countryside, and the fierce love of it shown by the poets.
• Contribute to tourism in the capital.
• Give Ottawa its VOICE – not the voice of government, but the voice of its PEOPLE – most people outside Ottawa believe that Ottawa has no voice other than government.
• Give Ottawa, and Canada recognition for its literature; Ottawa has always been a city of poets; encourage the discovery of literature.
• Contribute to, and encourage the arts in Ottawa, as well as recognize them, in a very economical way; Ottawa’s literacy rate is the highest in the country. This monument to literature will vividly demonstrate its importance.
• Allow Ottawa citizens of all ages to be active and involved. They can help plan, and use the pathway at all times of the year for recreation, with activities such as walking, biking, picnics, nature study, photography, skiing, the arts.

FOR CANADIANS, it will:

• Be a model for other communities, other capital cities across Canada, who can make their own poets’ parks and walks, and give Canada a national network of lyrics, imagery and VOICE.
• Give all Canadians, not just Ottawans, a sense of civic and national pride;
• Help unify the country and make the capital a home for all who live here, or come here, by including English poets, ( The Confederation poets), French poets, ( Le Mouvement litteraire), Aboriginals, and new Canadians;