Agriculture Minister John Wise never wanted Experimental Farm land privatized.

House of Commons Ottawa May 13, 1988. MP David Daubney (Ottawa West) Progressive Conservative: "Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. He will agree that the Central Experimental Farm partly located in my riding is the flagship of Agriculture Canada's excellent research effort and contributes greatly to the unique beauty and character of the nation's capital. Will he confirm for the House that the Government has no intention of disposing of any part of the Experimental Farm proper and in particular that part bordered by Merivale and Fisher in the city of Ottawa?"

Hon. John Wise (Minister of Agriculture): "Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Hon. Member's continuing interest in the future of the Experimental Farm here in Ottawa. I want to take this opportunity to indicate to him that Agriculture Canada, my Department, has no plans or thoughts whatsoever concerning disposing of any portion of that property at any time. There is no question about that."

Some Hon. Members: "Hear, hear!" 

Prime Minister Mulroney created the National Interest Land Mass law in 1988. The law prohibits the sale of Gatineau Park, the Greenbelt, 24 Sussex Drive, Rideau Hall, 529 Richmond Road (Maplelawn), Lebreton Flats and many more properties---to housing developers and other commercial entities. (Google: 1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC Land Holdings.)

The Clyde/Merivale land encompassed 91 acres. A few of the street names in the neighbourhood are Central Park, Fordham, Trump, Bloomingdale, Grenwich, Staten, Manhattan, Gotham and Rutgers.

The City of Ottawa is planning the future of the Parliamentary Precinct.

"Ottawa city counsellor (for Somerset Ward), Gatineau mayor testify at Committee studying expanded parliamentary precinct." by Giacomo Panico, CBC News, May 31, 2022. "MP's hear case for making Wellington Street a pedestrian, Tramway zone." "Major overhaul in store for entire block facing Parliament" by Ryan Patrick Jones, CBC News February 3, 2020.

House of Commons Ottawa December 7, 1984 MP Joseph Gaston Isabelle (Hull-Aylmer) Liberal: "Several years ago you could see Parliament Hill from far away. Today you have to fly aboard a helicopter to see it, because of a few small skyscrapers that have, for all practical purposes, destroyed the beauty of the majestic Parliament Hill. And the National Capital Commission had to buy some land in order to have control over this area and avoid undesirable construction. That is what the Commission did among other things to avoid the building of huge skyscrapers which would have practically destroyed the beauty of Parliament Hill."

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau never wanted high rise apartments and the demolition of buildings across from Parliament Hill: House of Commons Ottawa July 20, 1973 The Hon. Jean-Charles Dube (Minister of Public Works): "Concern has been expressed about the danger of visual encroachment on the beauty of the parliamentary precinct, which is one of the great symbols of Canada. We must ensure that nearby developments do not adversely affect it."

"We have all been aware that to properly house the expanded requirements of Parliament for the generations ahead in a way that would both complement and preserve the existing architectural beauty of the Parliament Buildings we must enlarge the present parliamentary grounds. I wish therefore to announce, Mr. Speaker, that I have today, on behalf of the government, filed a notice of intent to expropriate all the land and buildings in the area bounded by Wellington Street, Elgin Street, Sparks Street and Bank Street. The purpose of the expropriation as I have indicated is to protect the environment of Parliament from any development which could adversely affect it, and simultaneously provide the land for an appropriate expansion of parliamentary facilities and other government requirements. The property of the United States Embassy has been excluded from this expropriation but discussions are well advanced for its acquisition." 

Senate of Canada, Ottawa, December 12, 2019 Senator Serge Joyal: "Parliament Hill does not enjoy any legal protection. Not only does it not benefit from that protection but the immediate area is a jungle for development." 

Buildings that are facing demolition: "They have reached the end of their life cycle." Former American Embassy 100 Wellington (land beside the Embassy is now called infill); Embassy Annex 128 Wellington; Victoria 140 Wellington; Birks 107 Sparks; Valour 151 Sparks; Bate 109 Sparks; Marshall 14 Metcalfe; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 119 Sparks; Fisher 115 Sparks; Canada's Four Corners 93 Sparks.

"The height limit for structures facing Wellington Street is 108 metres or 32 storeys, while the height limitation for buildings facing the Sparks Street Mall is 113 metres or 34 storeys" (Parliamentary and Judicial Precinct Area Site Capacity and Long Term Development Plan, page 89/148.) Until 1965 there was a height limit of 13 storeys in downtown Ottawa so that the Peace Tower could dominate the landscape.

I mentioned this before, the Parliamentary Precinct and Lebreton Flats are part of the National Interest Land Mass. "The Concept of National Interest Land Mass refers to lands of national interest, that is lands required for for the long term to support the unique functions of the Capital. This designation extends to all federally owned lands in Canada's Capital region, not just NCC-owned lands." 

House of Commons Ottawa November 23, 1967 The Hon. George McIlraith (Minister of Public Works): "The Lebreton Flats were envisioned as a western extension of the Parliamentary Precinct. Buildings on or near the Precinct cannot be any taller than the Peace Tower."

Eleven Block 2 buildings on Wellington Street that may be flattened.

(Reposting)---An unsuitable location for a hospital.

 

1.) The designation UNESCO World Heritage Site will be removed from the Rideau Canal and the Kingston Fortifications, if the following projects are undertaken: 

• An Ottawa Hospital campus on the Experimental Farm
• The Chateau Laurier proposed expansion (Ottawa)
• The former Davis Tannery Brownfield Site Redevelopment (Kingston)
• Rideau Canal Crossing pedestrian bridge (Ottawa)
• Rideau Marina redevelopment (Kingston)
• Third Bridge Crossing (Kingston)
• Highway 417 bridge rehabilitation (Ottawa)
• Various Federal Infrastructure Investment projects along the length of the Rideau Canal World Heritage property. (Information is from "State of Conservation Report, Rideau Canal, May of 2018.") The Kingston Fortifications are Fort Henry, Fort Frederick, the Murney Tower, Shoal Tower and Cathcart Tower.

2.) "Under no conditions whatever should the ground now occupied by the Experimental Farm be used for other than park purposes, should its present use as a farm be abandoned." (1959 Report of the Ottawa Improvement Commission, page 126/238.)

3.)House of Commons Ottawa May 13, 1988 The Hon. John Wise (Minister of Agriculture): "Next to the Parliament Buildings, the Experimental Farm is the second most popular tourist attraction here in Ottawa."

4.) Urban Design Review Panel, March 1,2018. 930 Carling Avenue and 520 Preston Avenue. "The Panel is concerned with the scale of the proposed development and finds that the project is of a completely different scale than the surrounding neighbourhood...Another important consideration of the Panel is the impact of the hospital on Carling Road, and the Carling-Preston neighbourhood."

5.) House of Commons Ottawa June 18, 1958 The Hon. George McIlraith (Ottawa West): "Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the Minister is now prepared to make the statement he said he would make concerning the policy of the government with respect to building on the central experimental farm?"

Hon. Howard Charles Green (Minister of Public Works): "The policy is that no buildings will be built on the central experimental farm except buildings for the Department of Agriculture." 

Mr. McIlraith: "If I may pursue the first question a bit further, has the Minister come to any conclusion as to what will be done with the land on the farm now occupied by the temporary buildings when they are removed?"

Mr. Green: "I take it that the hon. member for Ottawa West refers to temporary buildings No. 5 and 8. For some years the policy has been that when these temporary buildings are torn down nothing will be constructed on the site."

 Temporary building location #5 became the Dow's Lake parking lot. And the #8 location became Queen Juliana Park. An Eric Darwin photo.

 6.) "The Central Experimental Farm should remain an open area in perpetuity." (A March 19, 1954 Privy Council Order in Council that was signed by Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent.)

7.) The Dominion Observatory campus will be demolished:

"On this site we have at least 24 buildings, including Buildings 1 to 9, the Natural Resources Campus including the Dominion Observatory." Also Building 49, William Saunders. And the K.W. Neatby and Oilseed Research Centre buildings.

"Extensive demolition or relocation of buildings is required for the new build to proceed." (From: 'New Civic Campus. A 21st century hospital in the heart of Canada's Capital.' April of 2016, page 10/76.)

8.) " Concerned about ballooning costs, Poilievre wants hospital site revisited." An Ottawa Citizen article by Elizabeth Payne, March 29, 2017. "You've got a sloped surface, an irregular shape, contaminated land and you are building on a fault line. All of these things combined may lead to an extraordinary price tag and if that's true then we should know about it before we put shovels in the ground."

In the House of Commons MP Pierre Poilievre had many questions about the Civic Hospital move--- see my blog entry "Concerned about ballooning costs, Poilievre wants hospital site revisited." November 21, 2021.

Ottawa Councillors who tried to save Rochester Park in Westboro.

• Jeff Leiper
• Rick Chiarelli
• Jean Cloutier
• Allan Hubley

( From "City planning committee approves new Rochester Field deal with NCC" by Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, January 23, 2018.)

Rochester Field has been added to the Canada Public Land Bank---"There are currently 90 properties listed, representing the potential for the construction of thousands of housing units on a total of 473 hectares of land across Canada."

I mentioned this before---Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Minister of State for Urban Affairs Barney Danson and Agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan prevented the expropriation of 700 acres of the Experimental Farm on Carling Avenue, for 7,000 housing units.

 Front-page of the Ottawa Citizen---1974.

The Ottawa Journal in 1974. "Mr. Fullerton has suggested that a 700-acre, 7,000 unit housing development replace crops growing in the area north of Base Line Road between Clyde Avenue and Prince of Wales Drive."

529 Richmond Road in Ottawa is off-limits to housing.

 Maplelawn, the walled garden and Rochester Park were sold to the National Capital Commission in 1952. The Deed stipulated that the entire property would remain a public space in perpetuity. The government of Canada has now added the 9.39 acre park to an affordable housing project:

"Federal land in Ottawa's west end now available for housing" by Josh Pringle, CTV News, October 8, 2024.

"NCC looks to revive 'controversial' Rochester Field development through the land bank. The federal government has added the site at 529 Richmond Road to the Canada Public Land Bank" by Catherine Morrison, Ottawa Citizen, November 19, 2024.

Maplelawn and the greenspace are designated a National Historic Site of Canada. Recognition Statute: Historic Sites and Monuments Act 1985. Designation Date: 1989-06-22.

The 2014 Ontario Provincial Policy Statement documents the fact that "Significant built heritage resources and significant heritage landscapes shall be preserved..."

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Keep your hands off Maplelawn, the walled garden and Rochester Park--- National Capital Commission and the City of Ottawa. Maplelawn is a National Historic Site of Canada, Classified Federal Heritage Building and is protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

City of Ottawa-Richmond Road/Westboro Secondary Plan Amendment-June 24, 2009.

• Retain all usable green space. (Page 1/7.)
• Increase recreational facilities. (Page2/7.) (The park is a popular soccer venue and a location for people walking their dogs.)
• Confirming all of the Rochester Field Maplelawn parcel and the Atlantis-Selby lands as major components of the greenspace network strategy. (Page 4/7.)
• Confirming the entire Rochester Field parcel as open space. (Page 5/7.)
• Heritage Buildings---City Council shall encourage the preservation and adaptive use of heritage buildings within the City of Ottawa's heritage policies. (Page 7/7.) (I have included information from the Secondary Plan that only pertains to Maplelawn and Rochester Park:savecfbrockcliffe.)

Vintage photos

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Photos that were purchased from the USSR Pavilion at Expo 67.

Petrodvorets, Leningrad.

The fountain "Danaide", Leningrad.

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From the closing credits of my Dad's television program "The House Detective"---1962.

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Crown Princess Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark visit Parliament Hill---1967.

Reposting---Properties that cannot be privatized and sold to developers.

 1.) National Parks and Historic Sites---Parks Canada Act of 1998-"This Act establishes the Agency for the purpose of ensuring that Canada's national parks, national historic sites and related heritage areas are protected and presented for current and future generations."

2.) The Ottawa Greenbelt - "The Greenbelt is like an Emerald Necklace and exists as a memorial to the Canadian soldiers who gave their lives in the Second World War. It consists of over 20,000 hectares of greenspace. The Greenbelt reaches a distance of 45 kilometers and ranges over a distance from two to 10 kilometers. (From: "The Greenbelt-Have your say about the Greenbelt's future" by the National Capital Commission, June 10, 2009.)

• Mer Bleue Conservation Area
• Commissioners Park near Dow's Lake
• Green's Creek Conservation Area
• Stony Swamp Conservation Area
• Hornet's Nest soccer fields
• Greenbelt Research Farm
• Pine View Golf Course
• Hylands Golf Club 
• The Log Farm
• Shirley's Bay
• Bruce Pit
• Conroy Pit
• Lime Kiln Trail
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Wesley Clover Park
• Pinhey Forest
• The 19th Tee Driving Range
• The Canadian Space Agency
• The Southern Farm
• Airport land
• The Connaught National Army Cadet Summer Training Centre

3.) 900 square miles in the National Capital Region Privy Council of Canada Document No. 6721. (Greber Report of 1950, page 15/395.)

4.) "Federal, scenic highways and parks in the National Capital Region are dedicated to the memory of Canadian soldiers who died fighting in foreign wars. They will be owned by the citizens of Canada in perpetuity." (The Greber Report of 1950, page 228/395.) Park land:

• Confederation
• Jacques Cartier
• Rockcliffe
• Rideau Falls
• Major's Hill
• Commissioners
• Hog's Back/Vincent Massey
• Lebreton
• Brebuef
• Gatineau
• The Greenbelt

5.)  The National Interest Land Mass - "Land forming part of the National Interest Land Mass will be retained by the National Capital Commission on behalf of the government in perpetuity." (Google: 1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC Land Holdings.)

• GG's residence (Rideau Hall)
• PM's residence 24 Sussex Drive
• Rideau Gate (Guest House)
• Central Experimental Farm
• Greenbelt Research Farm - (Across from the Nepean Sportsplex)
• Shoreline behind Parliament Hill
• Chambers Building
• Confederation Square
• Part of Lebreton Flats N of Transitway
• Victoria Island
• Pts of Wellington in front of Chateau Laurier and Conference Centre and land to the E of the Conference Centre. Also, lands N of Wellington between Rideau Canal Locks & the Chateau Laurier & Major Hill Park. And the approach to the Alexandra Bridge and the new Art Gallery site. 
• Lady Grey Drive and the Ottawa River W of Sussex Drive
• Daly Building at the corner of Rideau and Sussex
• 8 parcels of land E of Sussex (Mile of History) from Rideau Street to Macdonald Cartier Bridge
• Pt of the Mint property W of Sussex Drive S of Macdonald Cartier Bridge
• Small park on W side of Sussex Drive S of Macdonald Cartier Bridge
• Parking lot at Earnscliffe and water lot
• 4 parcels on the Rideau River around City Hall
• 4 parcels E of Sussex Drive between Stanley Ave and Rideau Gate
• Ottawa River Parkway Wellington to Carling
• Champlain Bridge, Island Park Drive
• Rideau Canal lands from downtown to Hog's Back Road---222 acres
• Rideau River land from Green Island to Revelstoke Drive
• Airport Parkway
• Eastern Parkway Hemlock Road to Highway 417
• Eastern Driveway and Rockcliffe Park from Sussex Drive to Greenbelt
• Lower Duck Island Ottawa River
• The Greenbelt

6.) National Historic Sites of Canada in Ottawa

• The Parliament Buildings
• Public Grounds of the Parliament Buildings
• Rideau Hall and Landscaped Grounds
• Rideau Canal
• Aberdeen Pavilion
• Beechwood Cemetery
• Billings House
• Central Chambers at the corner of Elgin Street and Queen Street
• Central Experimental Farm
• Confederation Square
• Connaught Building
• Diefenbunker
• Former Geological Survey of Canada Building
• Hart Massey House
• John R. Booth Residence
• Langevin Block
• Laurier House
• Maplelawn & Gardens
• National Arts Centre
• Notre-Dame Roman Catholic Basilica
• Royal Canadian Mint
• Victoria Memorial Museum

7.) The Parliamentary Precinct in the Nation's Capital

• Parliament Buildings and the Hill
• Library of Parliament
• Supreme Court of Canada
• Senate of Canada---2 Rideau Street
• The Lebreton Flats are the western annex of the Parliamentary Precinct
• Library and Archives
• Buildings and land opposite Parliament Hill
• The northern half of the Sparks Street Mall

8.) Parliament Hill Legal Title House of Commons Ottawa December 21, 1963---With the exception of the years 1802-1863, Parliament Hill has been owned by the Crown---successively by the Crown Imperial, the Crown Provincial and the Crown Federal. Since 1823 the Crown has always held these lands for public purposes---either for defence or generally.

1992