af ▁ears , ▁it ▁may ▁be ▁taken ▁as ▁the ▁earliest ▁suggestion ▁for ▁a ▁National ▁Capital ▁Region . ▁Through ▁resolution s ▁to ▁the ▁Government ▁and ▁in ▁his ▁poetry , ▁L ett ▁also ▁promoted ▁schemes ▁to ▁link ▁By town / O tt awa ▁by ▁railway ▁to ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Canada ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . L ett , ▁W . ▁P . ▁Railway ▁Access ▁Resol ution ▁ 3 ▁February ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁resolution ▁of ▁Ott awa ▁City ▁Council ▁forward ed ▁ 5 ▁July ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁Sir ▁John ▁A . ▁Mac don ald ▁Pap ers , ▁vol . ▁ 1 3 3 , ▁Library ▁and ▁Archives ▁Canada ▁/ ▁ 5 5 2 3 5 - 7 . ▁ ▁Public ▁person ality ▁Intel lect ual ▁L ett ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁By town ▁and ▁Ott awa ' s ▁intellectual ▁soci eties . ▁ ▁The ▁By town ▁Mechan ics ' ▁Institute ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 7 ▁as ▁a ▁reading ▁room ▁for ▁the ▁professional ▁class ; ▁L ett ▁was ▁a ▁founder . ▁It ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁franc oph one ▁Institute ▁Canad ien ▁Fran çais ▁d ' O tt awa ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁and ▁the ▁ang lo phone ▁By town ▁Mechan ics ' ▁Institute ▁and ▁Ath ena e um ▁( B MI A ) ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁January ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁The ▁B MI A ▁hosted ▁many ▁local ▁lect ures , ▁allowed ▁female , ▁Catholic ▁and ▁working