Where you practice is where life unfolds.

One River Zen opened the doors for group meditation on January 22, 2022, bringing routine Zen Buddhist practice and teaching to the Illinois River Valley. The old Victorian home on Prospect Ave. was purchased with the intention of becoming a Zen community, but it was hard to say at the start if this intention had merits or was just crazy!

Turns out, it was meant to be. This old house hosted dozens of weekend retreats, hundreds of hours of meditation, and countless times of fellowship together over the first four years.

While the cozy surroundings have been magical, the space has also had its limits. In December 2025, ORZ became the owners of an old newspaper building in historical downtown Ottawa. It’s just what we needed. The Times building offers so much more space and is located in the heart of the community. Of course, it needs some help being transformed into the exact space we need. Half of the main floor is

This new building is more than a renovation project. It is a long-term investment in refuge, stillness, compassion, and belonging. A place where people can sit in silence, children can play freely, families can feel welcome, and community can grow for generations to come.