Carleton University, Public research university in Ottawa, Canada
Carleton University is a public research institution in Capital Ward, Ottawa, Canada, offering academic programs in humanities, science, and social sciences. The campus covers roughly 60 hectares along the Rideau Canal and includes several residence halls, sports facilities, and a theater for cultural events.
The institution began in 1942 as Carleton College to support returning soldiers seeking higher education, first offering evening classes in rented spaces. In 1959 it moved to its current site along the Rideau Canal and expanded over the following decades with new faculty buildings and research centers.
The name traces back to early plans to establish the campus in an area linked to Guy Carleton, a British governor from the late eighteenth century. Students often use the green spaces along the Rideau Canal for jogging or relaxing between classes, while the tunnel system provides a popular link between buildings on colder days.
The main entrance stands on Colonel By Drive, while several parking areas around the grounds remain accessible to visitors seeking entry for public lectures or cultural events. The underground pathways between buildings help during snowfall or on winter days when outside routes may turn slippery.
The first building complex rose in the 1950s from prefabricated modules that allowed the institution to expand quickly as interest in higher education grew. The tunnels beneath the campus connect more than a dozen buildings over several kilometers and see thousands of students daily who prefer to avoid winter temperatures outside.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
