Portraits of the pandemic: Ottawa, then and now

Through the prism of COVID-19, last year's memories can feel like they took place a decade ago.

The pandemic has brought sweeping changes to the nation's capital, and even with thingsgradually returning to a degree of normality, the city looks much different than it did this time in 2019.

We've tried to capture the jarring difference in the images below. Use the sliders to toggle back and forth between the Ottawa of last year and the one we now find ourselves living in.

The ByWard Market

The ByWard Market has been much quieter than usual this year, with the normally hopping streetside patios replaced with boarded-up bars adorned with colourful COVID-19 murals although that could soon change.

Tavern on the Hill

One of Ottawa's most popular patio spots in fact, CBC readers and listeners deemed it to be the city's best in 2019 the outdoor bar just steps awayfrom the National Gallery of Canada,was still covered by a tarp earlier this month.

Confederation Park

The fountain at Confederation Park is a construction site these days, rather than a place to congregate and catch up.

Westboro

On a normal summer weekend,the Byron Linear Park would play host to theWestborolocation of the Ottawa Farmers' Market.And while the plan is still to get the city's farmers markets upand running this year, for now, things are a bitmore tranquil.

Rush hour

Also more tranquil: rush hour. Compare this shot of Bank Street from May 2019, before COVID-19 arrived (and, to be fair, before thecity'slight rail network came online) with one taken earlier this month.

Mass transit

As for light rail, ridership has plummetedduring the pandemic, as these shots from October 2019 and June 2020 at the bus terminal at the Tunney's Pasture LRT station attest.

The airport

Finally, with international flights now verboten and interprovincial travel facing a number of restrictions, things are also alot less hectic at the Ottawa International Airport. Compare the difference between last May and this May.