Ashlar takes one private event a day for 30 to 65 guests, whether a wedding, a leadership off-site, a board dinner or a year-end party, and the whole property is reserved for that group. It occupies a restored 1890 stone schoolhouse on Munster Road in Munster, Ontario, about 25 minutes from downtown Ottawa.
Seminars and company events
Companies book Ashlar for strategy days, off-sites, leadership retreats, client and board dinners, and holiday parties. The format suits a working day followed by a dinner cooked on site in the evening, with hours set around the program when dates allow. Wi-Fi, screens and AV equipment are in place for presentations and working sessions. Tables, chairs, linens, a sound system and parking are included, groups can bring their own vendors, and bar packages are chosen separately. The team coordinates during planning and on the day. Year-end and holiday parties have their own offer.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings at Ashlar are all-inclusive and limited to one per day, for 30 to 65 guests, with exclusive use of the property from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. The ceremony takes place in the open-air stone courtyard or indoors, chosen on the day according to the forecast. Dinner is served in a weatherproof tent with string lights whatever the weather, and dancing moves into the schoolhouse later in the evening. Weekday dates, all year, carry the lowest guest minimum, 30. Couples arrange their own florals, photography, music, transportation and officiant. The venue answers inquiries within 72 hours with availability and a full breakdown.
Rooms and capacities
The venue states one capacity for the whole site: 30 to 65 guests, seated or standing. The spaces are the schoolhouse, with stone walls about two feet thick and restored hardwood floors; the stone courtyard in front of the original facade; the gardens that surround it; and the weatherproof tent with open sides. No other group shares the building on the day.
Accommodation
Ashlar has no bedrooms. The venue points guests to hotels in Kanata, Stittsville and Richmond, all a short drive away.
Catering
An on-site culinary team led by Chef Josh Gillard, who has about 30 years in fine dining, cooks every dinner. Menus follow the season and offer three mains, one always vegetarian, and allergies and dietary needs are handled in advance within the same courses. Couples are offered a tasting before the wedding, subject to availability. Table wine is included with dinner, and open bar packages are added per guest.
History and setting
In 1890 William Shillington donated the land, and the community of Munster built the schoolhouse. The building later served as a community hall and then as a restaurant. A fire in 2001 destroyed the interior and the roof, but the stone walls held. Four people began restoring it in 2025, and it reopened that year as an event venue, continuing more than 130 years as a place where the village gathers.
Getting there
The address is 2876 Munster Road, Munster, Ontario. The drive takes about 25 minutes from downtown Ottawa, 20 from Kanata and 15 from Stittsville, and parking is on site. Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport and Ottawa's VIA Rail station are the closest arrival points for guests coming from farther away.
