Linda Thom made history for Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when she won gold in the women’s 25-metre pistol event, becoming the first Canadian woman in 56 years to win a gold medal at a Summer Olympics. More than four decades later, the former sport shooter is facing a new challenge that threatens the life she has built over the years, as the rental townhouse in Ottawa where she has lived for 51 years could soon be demolished.

“I’m going to fight as long as I can,” Thom said, as reported by CTV News Ottawa on October 15, 2026. Her determination comes as the owner of the townhouse property at 551 Riverdale Avenue plans to demolish the existing homes and replace them with a new residential development, leaving Thom and her neighbours uncertain about their future.

The residents first learned about the proposal in August 2026, when the property management company sent them an email explaining that an application for Site Plan Control would be submitted to the City of Ottawa. The proposed demolition and construction could begin in late spring or early summer 2027, although the project remains in the early stages of the planning and approval process. 

For Thom, the possibility of losing her home means much more than finding another place to live. After spending more than five decades in Old Ottawa South, she has developed close relationships with her neighbours and grown attached to the area. Her connection to the neighbourhood is also reflected in a nearby park named in her honour, which features a monument celebrating her Olympic achievement. Speaking about her life in the community, Thom said, “The city named the park after me and it’s people are so gracious and so wonderful, and it’s just been a delight to have my gardens out facing the river there.”

Thom believes the situation highlights the difficulties renters face when property owners decide to redevelop their buildings.  Expressing her frustration, she said, “That automatically formally classes us as second-class citizens because we don’t have a choice.” The issue has drawn attention from Ottawa city councillor Shawn Menard

“The biggest concern is the loss of affordable homes and the people that live inside these homes,” Menard said. While acknowledging that some older buildings need to be replaced and Ottawa needs more housing, he stressed that the needs of existing tenants cannot be overlooked. “We have to fill those gaps that exist now provincially, because people are going to be out of a home,” he said.

However, the protections currently available to renters may do little to help Thom and her neighbours. Ottawa City Council approved a Rental Renovation Licence By-law in July 2026, with the rules set to take effect on January 1, 2027. Yet the by-law would offer limited support to residents facing demolition and redevelopment

Meanwhile, the property owner, JSS Riverdale Holdings Inc., has said the project remains in the early stages of the municipal planning and approval process, with no confirmed construction timeline. The company said it had informed residents about the proposal and held meetings with them both collectively and individually. It also said discussions would continue as plans for relocation, support and potential returns are developed.

The company is exploring options to offer a percentage of the new units at below-market rents. However, it has not confirmed how many units could be offered at reduced rates or what those rents would be. The owner has also said it does not intend to ask residents to leave until it is confident the project is ready to proceed. While these discussions may offer some hope, residents still do not know whether they will be able to afford the new homes or return to the neighbourhood after construction.

For Thom, the prospect of losing her home is especially heartbreaking given everything she has achieved for Canada.

Linda Thom made Olympic history for Canada

On July 29, 1984, Thom secured her place in Canadian sporting history at the Los Angeles Olympics. She finished the women’s 25-metre sport pistol competition tied with American shooter Ruby Fox at 585 points before winning the decisive shoot-off 198–197 to claim gold. The victory was historic, making Thom the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in pistol shooting, as the women’s event made its Olympic debut at the Games.

Thom’s road to Olympic glory was not straightforward. She began learning to shoot at just eight years old under her father’s guidance, using her brother’s BB gun. While studying at Carleton University, where she graduated with a journalism degree in 1967, she began competing seriously. She won six consecutive Canadian women’s pistol championships from 1970 to 1975 before stepping away from competitive shooting to focus on her family and other work. After spending time in Paris, where she studied at the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, she returned to Canada and worked as a caterer and cooking instructor.

When women’s pistol shooting was added to the Olympic programme for the 1984 Games, Thom came out of a seven-year retirement in 1982 with the goal of winning Olympic gold. She reclaimed the Canadian national title that year and successfully defended it in 1983. Her gold medal brought lasting recognition for her contribution to Canadian sport.

Beyond the Olympics, Thom continued to receive recognition for her contributions to Canadian sport. She was named Canada’s outstanding female athlete of 1984, appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1985, and inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. She also carried Canada’s flag at the closing ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, marking another moment of recognition for her historic achievement.

Yet more than four decades after bringing pride to her country, the former Olympic champion now faces the possibility of losing the Ottawa home where she has lived for 51 years.