Hellenic Organization: The Hellenic Community of Ottawa, Canada

HELLENIC ORGANIZATIONS

Name of Organization:  The Hellenic Community of Ottawa

Location:  1315 Prince of Wales Drive
                 Ottowa, Ontario, Canada K2C 1N2

Telephone:  613-225-8016

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellenicHCO/

Website:  http://www.helleniccommunity.com/



On February 25, 1929 a group of leading Ottawa Hellenes founded the Hellenic Community of Ottawa. Since then we’ve grown into an organization thousands of members strong.

Who We Are

Our mission is to support and grow the Greek community in Ottawa. By sharing in regular activities and special events, we ensure Greek culture stays a thriving part of Ottawa’s cultural mosaic. We enjoy sharing Hellenic culture with the entire Ottawa community because we want everyone of Greek heritage to be proud of who they are.

We provide access to cultural and spiritual activities of all kinds for adults and children alike. From a Greek language school to dance classes and more, we make it easier for kids to grow up knowing their culture. Our programs for adults and seniors make it easier to keep ties strong. No matter your age, the Hellenic Community is there for you.

Here are just a few of the Hellenic Community of Ottawa’s most important pillars:

Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church
Ottawa Hellenic Athletic Association
The annual Greek Fest every August

Hellenic Kaleidoscope on Rogers TV

Achievements & History of the Community

It is not recorded exactly when the first Greek arrived in Ottawa, however it may have been Gregorios Kanellakos from Sparta, around 1895.

On February 25, 1929 a group of leading Hellenes, residing in Ottawa founded the Hellenic Community of Ottawa. A committee was elected for the management of its affairs with Peter Karson as its first President. At the same time the Reverend Daniel Gamvrilis accepted an interim assignment to Ottawa and became the first priest to serve the newly founded Community.

 1930's

In the early Thirties in order to maintain and improve contacts with Greek immigrants elsewhere in North America, the "Sir Edward Codrington" chapter of AHEPA was established on 4 February 1931. The first permanent priest of the Community, Reverend Theodoros Skartsiaris, arrived in 1936 and the religious services were held at the St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox church at 341 Lyon Street N. In 1936, the Community ladies founded Ottawa's Philoptochos Society with Mrs. Karson as its first president. John Klademenos became president of the Community the same year and was instrumental in the hiring of Reverend Vasilios Demeroutis who arrived in Ottawa in 1939. Both these men devoted much energy to providing assistance to Greece through the Canadian War relief programme during the Second World War.

The website allows you to also click on the following to see details for these decades

 1940's

 1950's

 1960's

 1970's

 1980's

 1990's

 2000's