Sparks IQ: Trivia Tuesdays!

In the spirit of classic pub trivia, each Tuesday direct from one of Sparks Street's impeccable patios, we're asking Ottawa to test their IQ about all things Sparks! Our question of the week could be anything from the things you see, to historical & nostalgic knowledge of our amazing pedestrian street.

Sparks IQ Trivia runs July 13 – September 2 on both our Instagram and Facebook pages. That's right - double the chance to test your knowledge & win! You can enter each week! Just comment on the #SparksIQTrivia question with your answer & follow the instructions to be automatically entered into the weekly draw for a Sparks IQ Gift Bag complete with a $50.00 Gift card to the patio featured to enjoy the sweet, sweet taste of victory at one our fabulous restos.

Every Thursday the answer & our winner will be revealed - keep your eyes open for the #TBT post!

Week 1 From Spin Kitchen’s Patio at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel:

Question:

What was the original name of the top floor restaurant at the Marriott Hotel?

Answer:

La Ronde! The revolving restaurant is now a banquet space called Summit, and yes! It still revolves (and is rentable).

Congrats to our Round 1 Winners Lynn & Summer!

Week 2 From D'Arcy McGee's Patio:

Question:

How many pint glasses (on their side) would it take to line the entirety of Sparks Street (Elgin to Bronson Ave)?

Answer:

86,667! For the mathematically inclined: (15cm/6 inches per pint glass) total distance of Sparks on foot from Elgin to Bronson is 1.3kms (130,000 centimeters) = 86,667 pint glasses. Phew! 🤓

Congrats to our Round 2 Winners Garth & Michelle!

Week 3 from Riviera's Patio:

Question:

A Sparks Street Bank Teller AKA “The Champagne Robber” emptied the safe at the former Imperial Bank of Canada (currently Riviera's wine cellar). A total of $260,958 (approx. 2.1 million today) was stolen before he took off on a lavish lam - about a month later arrested in Denver Colorado. What year did this take place?

Answer:

#TBT to August 2018, when Boyne Lester Johnston returned to the scene of the crime 60 years later, with a simple reservation to enjoy cocktails at the home of his once great heist. This uncanny return to the scene of the crime was a notable experience by the team at Riviera Ottawa and received international media attention. The year of the heist was 1958!

Congrats to our Round 3 Winners Heather & Brian!

Week 4 from 3 Brewers Sparks' Patio:

Question:

Sparks Street’s recognizable black, 5-bulb lamp posts were first installed in 1987. How many lamp posts light the way down Sparks? (Elgin to Lyon Streets)

Answer:

The correct number of lamp post locations on Sparks Street between Elgin & Lyon is 83!

Congrats to our Round 4 Winners Nathan & Kristian!

Week 5 from Ottawa Bike Café's Patio:

Question:

In what year was Ottawa’s first official bike race?

Answer:

#TBT to 1895! Mayor Borthwick laid the first asphalt on the streets of Ottawa. The July ceremony was held at the corner of Sparks Street and Elgin Street. The Bike Race took place a month later – the series of three races ran from the War Memorial to Bank Street.

Congrats to our Round 5 Winners Rivi & Melanie!

Week 6 from The Office Resto Pub's patio:

Question:

We have a number of utility boxes along Sparks Street that we use to power electrical and water hook ups that allow us to execute festivals and other major events up and down Sparks Street (including our new water bottle filling stations!). How many utility boxes are there on Sparks between Elgin & Lyon?

Answer:

The power charged answer is: 7! One of these units is actually located WITHIN The Office Resto Pub’s patio!

Congrats to our Round 6 Winners Helen & Kristian!

Week 7 from Bier Markt's patio:

Question:

In case of emergency, there are several fire hydrants spread out down Sparks Street. You can find them yellow or red or on different levels, and even within some patios! How many fire hydrants are located on Sparks Street? (Elgin – Lyon)

Answer:

The answer is 12! One is even located WITHIN Bier Markt’s patio!

Congrats to our Round 7 Winners Gail & Mario!

Week 8 from Rabbit Hole's patio:

Question:

During World War II, what item was hidden by Britain on Sparks Street under Operation Fish?

Answer:

GOLD! During Operation Fish, many shipments were made from England to Canada to safeguard British wealth. At the time, Operation Fish was the largest single transfer of wealth in the world's history: approximately $160 billion in today’s dollars! Over the years, Sparks has been home to many banks - a veritable rabbit hole of underground vaults 😉

Congrats to our Final Round 8 Winners Haleigh & Jessica!

With summer weather here, we’re excited to be welcoming you all back to Sparks Street! Please remember to follow all health and safety policies each business has in place! #Stage3HereWeGo!

Thanks to Library and Archives Canada from where many of the historical photographs were sourced.

For full contest rules, please click HERE. Cheers!