Sunday, June 30, 2019
The people of Canada never wanted to see a hospital on the Farm.
INTERIM REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM-OTTAWA, May 1998:
The Experimental Farm, Glebe neighbourhood and Glebe Collegiate were filming locations for a movie called "The Perfect Assistant". Josie Davis and Chris Potter (The Good Witch; Heartland) star in the movie.
Happy Canada Day July 1st.
Canadian Maple Leaf Flags are displayed in a west-end Ottawa neighbourhood. The townhouses face Carling Avenue. (The photos are mine.)
Out of control residential development in Little Italy, Ottawa.
High-rise condominiums have been approved for the following locations:
855 Carling Avenue - The company is Arnon - 400 condos/office space - Likely to be revised.
125 Hickory - Starwood - 455 condos/townhouses.
100 Champagne - Ashcroft - 330 condo units, under construction.
101 Champagne - Ashcroft - 330 condo units - approved.
500 Preston Street - Starwood - 254 condos - approved.
505 Preston Street - Claridge - 248 condos/office/retail - approved.
514 to 532 Rochester - Domicile - 127 condos - submitted for SPA.
93 to 105 Norman Street - Taggart - 159 condos/townhomes - likely to be revised.
845 Carling Avenue - Richcraft - 1,123 condos/retail - (Three towers have been approved for this location. The tallest building in the city will inhabit this site, a 55-storey condo. The Trump Tower in New York City is 58 storeys high. As of July 2018 Otto's BMW was located on 845 Carling Avenue, see Google street view.)
93 to 105 Norman Street - Taggart - 159 condos/townhomes - likely to be revised.
845 Carling Avenue - Richcraft - 1,123 condos/retail - (Three towers have been approved for this location. The tallest building in the city will inhabit this site, a 55-storey condo. The Trump Tower in New York City is 58 storeys high. As of July 2018 Otto's BMW was located on 845 Carling Avenue, see Google street view.)
( The information is from a City of Ottawa website, Development Application Search.)
Former Somerset Ward Councillor Diane Holmes told Ottawa Citizen reporter Dave Reevely that applications to build new housing are approved by the City of Ottawa's planning committee without meaningful consultation with local residents.
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Zoning By-law amendment - By-law passed June 27, 2019.
811 Gladstone Project Description
" This large plot of land at the intersection of Rochester and Gladstone in the cultural heart of Little Italy will serve as the first step in the re-visioning of the multi-parcel Rochester Heights as an affordable housing community for the 21st Century...The broader community surrounding the site is also in transition. While the low rise housing fabric to the north remains largely intact, development along Gladstone is gradually becoming multi-storey, mixed use within the framework of traditional Main Street zoning objectives."
"Just a few blocks to the south large parcels of land currently occupied by federal government office buildings and labs, have been declared surplus. It is anticipated that this site will be the focus of intense mixed use development. A similar parcel to the west of Preston Street has also emerged as a massive redevelopment site for housing and community use. Consequently this first step will be seen as a demonstration project that will carry the burden of the development hopes and dreams of many."
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Many residents of Little Italy are vehemently opposed to the "re-visioning," of their neighborhood, they have signed petitions and contacted local politicians and Ottawa Citizen reporters to try to stop the tsunami that is engulfing their territory.
From 1968 until 2006, 811 Gladstone was a low-key Canada Mortgage and Housing Crown asset, then the land was transferred to Ottawa Community Housing.
The Oak Park Federal Armoury was located on 933 Gladstone, then the armoury was demolished and Ottawa Community Housing scooped up the 7-acre Crown asset. Councillor Mathieu Fleury is pressuring PWGSC to donate another parcel of land to OCH, the property is located immediately north of 933 Gladstone.
According to City Hall documents, councillors are interested in redeveloping land behind the High School of Commerce/Adult High School.
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Zoning By-law amendment - By-law passed June 27, 2019.
811 Gladstone Project Description
" This large plot of land at the intersection of Rochester and Gladstone in the cultural heart of Little Italy will serve as the first step in the re-visioning of the multi-parcel Rochester Heights as an affordable housing community for the 21st Century...The broader community surrounding the site is also in transition. While the low rise housing fabric to the north remains largely intact, development along Gladstone is gradually becoming multi-storey, mixed use within the framework of traditional Main Street zoning objectives."
"Just a few blocks to the south large parcels of land currently occupied by federal government office buildings and labs, have been declared surplus. It is anticipated that this site will be the focus of intense mixed use development. A similar parcel to the west of Preston Street has also emerged as a massive redevelopment site for housing and community use. Consequently this first step will be seen as a demonstration project that will carry the burden of the development hopes and dreams of many."
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Many residents of Little Italy are vehemently opposed to the "re-visioning," of their neighborhood, they have signed petitions and contacted local politicians and Ottawa Citizen reporters to try to stop the tsunami that is engulfing their territory.
From 1968 until 2006, 811 Gladstone was a low-key Canada Mortgage and Housing Crown asset, then the land was transferred to Ottawa Community Housing.
The Oak Park Federal Armoury was located on 933 Gladstone, then the armoury was demolished and Ottawa Community Housing scooped up the 7-acre Crown asset. Councillor Mathieu Fleury is pressuring PWGSC to donate another parcel of land to OCH, the property is located immediately north of 933 Gladstone.
According to City Hall documents, councillors are interested in redeveloping land behind the High School of Commerce/Adult High School.
Saturday, June 29, 2019
More condos on Carling Avenue, Ottawa.
From the article "Canada Lands proposed three-tower development for Carling Avenue" by David Sali, Ottawa Business Journal, June 26, 2019.
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| The drawing is from a June 26, 2019 "Ottawa Business Journal" article. The buildings will be 13, 20 and 25 storeys high. The Agriculture Canada Skyline Towers on 1400 Merivale Road, Ottawa are 7 storeys high and they are classified as "low rise" by EMPORIS. |
Friday, June 28, 2019
I am fed up with the actions of the National Capital Commission.
Dozens of Agriculture Canada Experimental Farms have been decommissioned and sold to residential and corporate developers. The Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa will never recover from encroachment by a new Hospital. Twenty five acres of Farm land are needed for hospital parking, and 12 acres will be siphoned off to builders of residential housing. The character of a popular neighbourhood in Ottawa called "Little Italy" will never be the same after Canada Lands Company builds a Distillery District on Booth. Somerset Ward councillor Catherine McKenney was an Ottawa Community Housing Director, and she promised that low-income housing will be included in the Natural Resources Canada redevelopment. Gladstone Village will be a massive geared to income project.
In modern society, large populations are controlled by a theory called:
Problem, Reaction, Solution
Create a problem: Build wall-to-wall condominiums along Carling Avenue in Ottawa by selling federally owned properties---the Experimental Farm; Dominion Observatory Campus; Energy, Mines and Resources Campus, 911 Carling Avenue and Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue. The City of Ottawa owns the land where the Civic is located---after a new hospital is built, the City will fulfill its intensification agenda. I anticipate the demolition of the old Civic, with the exception of the Heart Institute, and the conversion of the 20 acres of land into a high density residential neighborhood.
Wait for the anticipated reaction: Carling Avenue will not be able to handle the volume of traffic created by intensification. The solution for the problem has already been mapped out...
Solution: Expand the Light Rail transit system. The Master Plan calls for the construction of high rise condominiums from 30 to 55 storeys high at every station or hub. Section 5.1.3 of the Preston-Carling Master Plan points out that "Carling Avenue will be a prominent, beautiful and comfortable multi-modal 'great street' with wide sidewalks and and bicycle lanes/tracks separated from vehicular movements..." As I have said before, Carling is "my street" and part of my identity and I like it just the way it is. During the summer I can leave my windows open and the noise from cars does not bother me at all. Sometimes at night half an hour goes by and I do not hear any cars drive by.
The Dominion Observatory Campus may be saved, but that calls for the sale of PWGSC and National Capital Commission land east of the new Civic property. (From: NCC Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus of the Ottawa-November 2016.) Will the Civic take over the parking lot near Dow's Lake Pavilion? Will the Tulip Festival have to find a new location? I wouldn't put anything past the politicians and bureaucrats who run Crown corporations and believe that OUR property is THEIR property.
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It is important to maintain the integrity of the Ottawa Experimental Farm:
1.) The Gamelin Experimental Farm in Gatineau, including the Animal Virus Laboratory was divested by the NCC.
2.) The Greenbelt Research Farm was transferred from Agriculture Canada to the National Capital Commission. All of the animals and equipment are gone. "As of March 31, 1998, the Greenbelt Research Farm, which covers 1,200 (2,965 acres) of land bordered by Hunt Club Road, Woodroffe Avenue, Fallowfield Road and Greenbank Road ceased to function as an Agriculture and Agri Food Canada Research Centre."
In modern society, large populations are controlled by a theory called:
Problem, Reaction, Solution
Create a problem: Build wall-to-wall condominiums along Carling Avenue in Ottawa by selling federally owned properties---the Experimental Farm; Dominion Observatory Campus; Energy, Mines and Resources Campus, 911 Carling Avenue and Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue. The City of Ottawa owns the land where the Civic is located---after a new hospital is built, the City will fulfill its intensification agenda. I anticipate the demolition of the old Civic, with the exception of the Heart Institute, and the conversion of the 20 acres of land into a high density residential neighborhood.
Wait for the anticipated reaction: Carling Avenue will not be able to handle the volume of traffic created by intensification. The solution for the problem has already been mapped out...
Solution: Expand the Light Rail transit system. The Master Plan calls for the construction of high rise condominiums from 30 to 55 storeys high at every station or hub. Section 5.1.3 of the Preston-Carling Master Plan points out that "Carling Avenue will be a prominent, beautiful and comfortable multi-modal 'great street' with wide sidewalks and and bicycle lanes/tracks separated from vehicular movements..." As I have said before, Carling is "my street" and part of my identity and I like it just the way it is. During the summer I can leave my windows open and the noise from cars does not bother me at all. Sometimes at night half an hour goes by and I do not hear any cars drive by.
The Dominion Observatory Campus may be saved, but that calls for the sale of PWGSC and National Capital Commission land east of the new Civic property. (From: NCC Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus of the Ottawa-November 2016.) Will the Civic take over the parking lot near Dow's Lake Pavilion? Will the Tulip Festival have to find a new location? I wouldn't put anything past the politicians and bureaucrats who run Crown corporations and believe that OUR property is THEIR property.
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It is important to maintain the integrity of the Ottawa Experimental Farm:
1.) The Gamelin Experimental Farm in Gatineau, including the Animal Virus Laboratory was divested by the NCC.
2.) The Greenbelt Research Farm was transferred from Agriculture Canada to the National Capital Commission. All of the animals and equipment are gone. "As of March 31, 1998, the Greenbelt Research Farm, which covers 1,200 (2,965 acres) of land bordered by Hunt Club Road, Woodroffe Avenue, Fallowfield Road and Greenbank Road ceased to function as an Agriculture and Agri Food Canada Research Centre."
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| The former 2,965 acre Greenbelt Research Farm, Ottawa. An Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm that no longer exists. The National Capital Commission is selling or leasing the Farm to various entities including a film studio and a transportation technology company. |
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| The Daly Building was demolished. Many people had lofty visions for the land which is near the Parliament Buildings, Conference Centre and the Chateau. We wanted to see a park dedicated to John Lennon. |
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Groups that oppose the privatization of Canadian federal property.
1.) Petition - Stop the rezoning of Parks to Condos, Queen Juliana in Little Italy - Ottawa.
2.) Stop the rezoning of Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue, Ottawa.
3.) Save the Central Experimental Farm - Ottawa.
4.) Protect the Farm - Home|Facebook - Ottawa.
5.) Save the Central Experimental Farm - Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital.
6.) Saving the Central Experimental Farm| Heritage Ottawa.
7.) COALITION TO SAVE THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM - Ottawa.
8.) Save the Farm - Protest to save our trees and greenspace - 2017 - Ottawa.
9.) Petition - Protection of the Central Experimental Farm as a research facility and a national historic site of Canada - Ottawa.
10.) The National Trust for Canada - wants to save the Experimental Farm.
11.) Rideau Valley Conservation Authority - wanted to save the Experimental Farm in 1974.
12.) Save the Experimental Farm - 1975 - The National Capital Commission pressured the Federal Government to give hundreds of acres of Experimental Farm land to the NCC. Then a high density housing subdivision would be created. The government of Pierre Trudeau refused to hand over the property.
13.) Alliance to Save Our Greenbelt - Ottawa.
14.) Save Our Greenspace - Ottawa.
15.) savecfbrockcliffe - Ottawa.
16.) S.A.V.E. Senneville as a Village Environment - Senneville, Quebec.
17.) Friends of the Farm P.E.I. - Ravenwood Farm, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island - Ravenwood is an Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm.
18.) Upton Farm Preservation - Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Upton Farm was an Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm.
19.) Save Downsview Park - Toronto, Ontario.
20.) Set Downsview Free - Toronto, Ontario.
21.) Action - Save the Garden City Lands - Richmond, British Columbia.
22.) Save the Kingston Penitentiary and Regional Treatment Centre - Kingston, Ontario.
23.) Friends of the Kingston Penitentiary
24.) Save Our Prison Farms - A national campaign.
25.) Keep the Prison Farms - Manitoba.
26.) ipetition - Don't Erase History, Protect the Kingston Penitentiary - Kingston, Ontario.
27.) #ygk Challenge: Save Kingston Penitentiary and the Regional Treatment Centre - Kingston, Ontario
28.) Save the Kingston Portsmouth Harbour and Greenspace.-Kingston, Ontario.
29.) Moffat Farm Citizens's Coalition - Ottawa. (2002)
30.) Federation of Citizens' Coalition - The group tried to save Moffat Farm in 2002.
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Ottawa City Councillor Riley Brockington has confirmed that the Dominion Observatory Campus near Carling Avenue could be demolished. He is the councillor for the Ward that includes the Experimental Farm. According to an Ottawa Citizen newspaper article:
" Coun. Riley Brockington, who represents the newly leased land, has been trying to lock into the lease conditions that would preserve as many buildings on the property as possible, such as the Dominion Observatory." (From: "Reevely: Feds say they'll pay $11.8 to clean up new Civic Site" Ottawa Citizen, February 23, 2018.)
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The federal government is giving away part of a National Historic Site to the Civic Hospital (for $1 dollar) and tax payers are on the hook for $11.8 million dollars. Riley Brockington is willing to let the Civic take over the entire Dominion Observatory campus.
The Reimagine Ottawa group which includes politician Clive Doucet is correct, there should be a public inquiry into the whole " Civic Hospital relocating the Farm" debacle. And why did Riley Brockington not divulge the fact that 12 acres of the new Civic land has been rezoned, to facilitate the construction of residential housing on the site?
The 12 acres of new Civic land has been rezoned "General Urban Area" and that designation permits "many types and densities of housing."
2.) Stop the rezoning of Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue, Ottawa.
3.) Save the Central Experimental Farm - Ottawa.
4.) Protect the Farm - Home|Facebook - Ottawa.
5.) Save the Central Experimental Farm - Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital.
6.) Saving the Central Experimental Farm| Heritage Ottawa.
7.) COALITION TO SAVE THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM - Ottawa.
8.) Save the Farm - Protest to save our trees and greenspace - 2017 - Ottawa.
9.) Petition - Protection of the Central Experimental Farm as a research facility and a national historic site of Canada - Ottawa.
10.) The National Trust for Canada - wants to save the Experimental Farm.
11.) Rideau Valley Conservation Authority - wanted to save the Experimental Farm in 1974.
12.) Save the Experimental Farm - 1975 - The National Capital Commission pressured the Federal Government to give hundreds of acres of Experimental Farm land to the NCC. Then a high density housing subdivision would be created. The government of Pierre Trudeau refused to hand over the property.
13.) Alliance to Save Our Greenbelt - Ottawa.
14.) Save Our Greenspace - Ottawa.
15.) savecfbrockcliffe - Ottawa.
16.) S.A.V.E. Senneville as a Village Environment - Senneville, Quebec.
17.) Friends of the Farm P.E.I. - Ravenwood Farm, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island - Ravenwood is an Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm.
18.) Upton Farm Preservation - Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Upton Farm was an Agriculture Canada Experimental Farm.
19.) Save Downsview Park - Toronto, Ontario.
20.) Set Downsview Free - Toronto, Ontario.
21.) Action - Save the Garden City Lands - Richmond, British Columbia.
22.) Save the Kingston Penitentiary and Regional Treatment Centre - Kingston, Ontario.
23.) Friends of the Kingston Penitentiary
24.) Save Our Prison Farms - A national campaign.
25.) Keep the Prison Farms - Manitoba.
26.) ipetition - Don't Erase History, Protect the Kingston Penitentiary - Kingston, Ontario.
27.) #ygk Challenge: Save Kingston Penitentiary and the Regional Treatment Centre - Kingston, Ontario
28.) Save the Kingston Portsmouth Harbour and Greenspace.-Kingston, Ontario.
29.) Moffat Farm Citizens's Coalition - Ottawa. (2002)
30.) Federation of Citizens' Coalition - The group tried to save Moffat Farm in 2002.
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Ottawa City Councillor Riley Brockington has confirmed that the Dominion Observatory Campus near Carling Avenue could be demolished. He is the councillor for the Ward that includes the Experimental Farm. According to an Ottawa Citizen newspaper article:
" Coun. Riley Brockington, who represents the newly leased land, has been trying to lock into the lease conditions that would preserve as many buildings on the property as possible, such as the Dominion Observatory." (From: "Reevely: Feds say they'll pay $11.8 to clean up new Civic Site" Ottawa Citizen, February 23, 2018.)
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The federal government is giving away part of a National Historic Site to the Civic Hospital (for $1 dollar) and tax payers are on the hook for $11.8 million dollars. Riley Brockington is willing to let the Civic take over the entire Dominion Observatory campus.
The Reimagine Ottawa group which includes politician Clive Doucet is correct, there should be a public inquiry into the whole " Civic Hospital relocating the Farm" debacle. And why did Riley Brockington not divulge the fact that 12 acres of the new Civic land has been rezoned, to facilitate the construction of residential housing on the site?
The 12 acres of new Civic land has been rezoned "General Urban Area" and that designation permits "many types and densities of housing."
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Residents of Little Italy in Ottawa are fighting back.
1.) Petition - City of Ottawa Planning-Stop the rezoning of Parks to Condos, Queen Juliana in Little Italy.
2.) Stop the rezoning of Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue.
3.) SAVE LITTLE ITALY - Ms. Jamie Lieuw.
4.) City of Ottawa Planning Committee - Tuesday, 24 June 2014 - "(Somerset) Ward Councillor Holmes noted that work on the Preston-Carling Secondary Plan had been underway for the past decade, at which time tensions in the neighbourhood had risen. She noted that the area's residents were prepared to accept increased intensification along Carling Avenue, but she wanted to ensure that the district known as "Little Italy" would continue to be supported and preserved, and would not be undermined by the plan." (work in progress)
5.)
2.) Stop the rezoning of Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue.
3.) SAVE LITTLE ITALY - Ms. Jamie Lieuw.
4.) City of Ottawa Planning Committee - Tuesday, 24 June 2014 - "(Somerset) Ward Councillor Holmes noted that work on the Preston-Carling Secondary Plan had been underway for the past decade, at which time tensions in the neighbourhood had risen. She noted that the area's residents were prepared to accept increased intensification along Carling Avenue, but she wanted to ensure that the district known as "Little Italy" would continue to be supported and preserved, and would not be undermined by the plan." (work in progress)
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| From: A Centretown News article "The OMB and Norman Street: an inside look" by Eric Darwin, May 14, 2016. |
Monday, June 24, 2019
New condos may be constructed on the Central Experimental Farm Ottawa.
From: The City of Ottawa website that provides information about zoning changes.
Application #D01-01-17-0016 - ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT
520 Preston Street, 930 Carling Avenue - Official Plan Amendment - No Appeal. Adopted July 16, 2018.
12.3553 acres of Experimental Farm land has been rezoned as a General Urban Area by Ottawa City Council.
"Description - The purpose of the amendment is to facilitate the use of the selected site for a new Hospital. The amendment would remove approximately 5 ha. of land designated as Agricultural Research Area within the current Central Experimental Farm boundary and designate these lands as General Urban Area. It is also proposed to amend the Preston Carling District Secondary Plan to create a new "Hospital Area" designation for the entire hospital site. The new "Hospital Area" designation will contain key policy direction to guide the future direction of the Ottawa Hospital."
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This is what the zoning term "General Urban Area" means in this city:
Policies- 1.) General Urban Area designation permits many types and densities of housing, as well as employment, retail uses, service, industrial, cultural, leisure, green space, entertainment and institutional use.
4.) The General Urban Area permits uses that may generate traffic, noise or other impacts that may have the potential to create conflicts with the surrounding community. These types of uses are often large and serve or draw from broader areas.
General Urban Area designation permits the development of a full range and choice of housing types to meet the needs of all ages, incomes and life circumstances, in combination with conveniently located employment, retail, service, leisure, entertainment and cultural uses.
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Perhaps an apartment will be built for medical students or a high rise hospice will be created. I am sure that many ideas have been floated around to make the presence of residential towers on the Farm palatable. Then in a few years an entity such as Ottawa Community Housing will buy one of the buildings. A federal Crown corporation called the CMHC built many subsidized housing communities, for example Regent Park in Toronto. Then Regent Park was sold to Toronto Community Housing.
The Experimental Farm and the Dominion Observatory are National Historic Sites of Canada, but that does not preclude the construction of office buildings and subdivisions on the land. The Skyline Towers on 1400 Merivale Road Ottawa were federally-owned until Larco Investments (Chateau Laurier) bought them in 2007. The buildings are classified as "low rise" by EMPORIS. The Clyde/Merivale Experimental Farm land was sold to the Municipality of Ottawa in 1988, then to a private businessman who created "Central Park".
People from all over the world wrote letters to the National Capital Commission imploring the federal Crown corporation to "Save the Central Experimental Farm", see the 2017 YouTube video "Ottawa prepares to hand over Historic Federal Farmland to corporate developers".
Application #D01-01-17-0016 - ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT
520 Preston Street, 930 Carling Avenue - Official Plan Amendment - No Appeal. Adopted July 16, 2018.
12.3553 acres of Experimental Farm land has been rezoned as a General Urban Area by Ottawa City Council.
"Description - The purpose of the amendment is to facilitate the use of the selected site for a new Hospital. The amendment would remove approximately 5 ha. of land designated as Agricultural Research Area within the current Central Experimental Farm boundary and designate these lands as General Urban Area. It is also proposed to amend the Preston Carling District Secondary Plan to create a new "Hospital Area" designation for the entire hospital site. The new "Hospital Area" designation will contain key policy direction to guide the future direction of the Ottawa Hospital."
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This is what the zoning term "General Urban Area" means in this city:
Policies- 1.) General Urban Area designation permits many types and densities of housing, as well as employment, retail uses, service, industrial, cultural, leisure, green space, entertainment and institutional use.
4.) The General Urban Area permits uses that may generate traffic, noise or other impacts that may have the potential to create conflicts with the surrounding community. These types of uses are often large and serve or draw from broader areas.
General Urban Area designation permits the development of a full range and choice of housing types to meet the needs of all ages, incomes and life circumstances, in combination with conveniently located employment, retail, service, leisure, entertainment and cultural uses.
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Perhaps an apartment will be built for medical students or a high rise hospice will be created. I am sure that many ideas have been floated around to make the presence of residential towers on the Farm palatable. Then in a few years an entity such as Ottawa Community Housing will buy one of the buildings. A federal Crown corporation called the CMHC built many subsidized housing communities, for example Regent Park in Toronto. Then Regent Park was sold to Toronto Community Housing.
The Experimental Farm and the Dominion Observatory are National Historic Sites of Canada, but that does not preclude the construction of office buildings and subdivisions on the land. The Skyline Towers on 1400 Merivale Road Ottawa were federally-owned until Larco Investments (Chateau Laurier) bought them in 2007. The buildings are classified as "low rise" by EMPORIS. The Clyde/Merivale Experimental Farm land was sold to the Municipality of Ottawa in 1988, then to a private businessman who created "Central Park".
People from all over the world wrote letters to the National Capital Commission imploring the federal Crown corporation to "Save the Central Experimental Farm", see the 2017 YouTube video "Ottawa prepares to hand over Historic Federal Farmland to corporate developers".
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Sunday, June 23, 2019
The City of Ottawa wanted to rezone Queen Juliana Park.
According to two documents, the City of Ottawa wanted to rezone 870 Carling Avenue to permit redevelopment of the land:
Italian Community Centre - Stop the rezoning of Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue - (2013) - The petition was sent to the planning committee at the City of Ottawa.
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Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association - CHNA provided a wide range of comments to the city on the Revised Final Draft of the Preston-Carling Secondary Plan. We strongly opposed the excessive height for the buildings in the Preston Carling area which will overwhelm the existing community and flood neighbourhood streets with vehicular traffic...CHNA also opposed the city's proposal for development on Queen Juliana Park, arguing that with intensification , existing park and green space is more important than ever for a healthy community.
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Several years ago I was watching a City Council meeting on Rogers Cable/CPAC and one of the Ottawa councillors noted that a "wall of condos" would line Carling Avenue.
Italian Community Centre - Stop the rezoning of Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue - (2013) - The petition was sent to the planning committee at the City of Ottawa.
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Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association - CHNA provided a wide range of comments to the city on the Revised Final Draft of the Preston-Carling Secondary Plan. We strongly opposed the excessive height for the buildings in the Preston Carling area which will overwhelm the existing community and flood neighbourhood streets with vehicular traffic...CHNA also opposed the city's proposal for development on Queen Juliana Park, arguing that with intensification , existing park and green space is more important than ever for a healthy community.
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Several years ago I was watching a City Council meeting on Rogers Cable/CPAC and one of the Ottawa councillors noted that a "wall of condos" would line Carling Avenue.
You are not going to ruin my city, local politicians.
A document called the "Preston-Carling Secondary Plan" provides shocking details about what is envisioned for Carling Avenue, Little Italy, the Experimental Farm and surrounding properties. Some vision... Vancouver was once a beautiful city but now it resembles Hong Kong because public land such as the Expo 86 and 2010 Olympic Games properties were funnelled to wealthy developers.
1.) Section 4.22 High-rise Buildings (30+) - Some of the city's tallest buildings may be permitted in the Preston-Carling District. These buildings will be prominent features in the skyline and landscape and will have a significant impact on the identity and characteristics of the district and the City..." For your information, local politicians, I do not want to see the character and landscape of the Experimental Farm and Little Italy changed. A traffic impact study has not even been conducted or a visual impact study, to determine how these new buildings will affect Dow's Lake, Commissioner's Park, the Rideau Canal and adjacent areas.
2.) Section 5.1. 3 Streetscape Typologies and Enhancement - a.) Carling Avenue will be a prominent, beautiful and comfortable multi-modal "great street " with wide sidewalks and bicycle lanes/tracks separated from vehicular movements as well as large trees adjacent to the sidewalk and the median east of Preston Street.
I believe that the entire Dominion Observatory campus will be flattened. The Observatory is a National Historic Site of Canada but that means nothing. The Observatory campus is the backdrop for a January 2, 2017 YouTube video called "Ottawa prepares to hand over Historic Federal Farmland to corporate developers."
3.) Station Area - Section 4.1.1.
" Centred around the Carling Avenue O-Train future LRT station along Carling and Champagne Avenues, the Station Area will incorporate a wide range of transit supportive uses and see the tallest buildings and the highest densities in the entire District."
4.) Section 4.1.1. - Areas east of the O-Train/future LRT - " High rise mixed use development with a height greater than 30 storeys and up to a maximum of 55 storeys may be permitted on properties fronting Carling Avenue east of the O-Train/future LRT and west of Norfolk Avenue."
Are you people insane? The following buildings in New York City are 55 storeys high:
The Bank of America Tower
The Time Warner Center South Tower
The Time Warner Center North Tower
The Trump Tower in Manhattan is 58 storeys high.
Years ago an Ottawa city councillor predicted that "a wall of condos" would someday line Carling Avenue. This is what former Somerset Ward City Councillor Diane Holmes said about Ottawa's planning department:
"The Development Review Services Branch is responsible for processing development applications. It has become increasingly apparent that this branch no longer represents the citizens or neighbourhoods in the ward. Rather, this branch represents the interests of the development industry. Input from the public is generally disregarded because this branch considers residents comments to be NIMBY comments...The Branch provides support to any application with little-or-no recognition or consideration of the neighbourhood wants and needs...This is happening throughout the Ward where applications are submitted before the developer and the community have the chance to sit down and discuss the proposal...You want to add 10 extra stories on your building? Fine by us. You don't want to provide visitor parking? Use on street public parking instead. Too many trees in front of your building? No problem, we'll remove them." (From: A May 19, 2014 Ottawa Citizen article by David Reevely, "Diane Holmes whacks the city's planning department.")
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The National Capital Commission originally chose Tunney's Pasture as the location for a new hospital for the following reasons:
Capital Interests
1.) Section 4.22 High-rise Buildings (30+) - Some of the city's tallest buildings may be permitted in the Preston-Carling District. These buildings will be prominent features in the skyline and landscape and will have a significant impact on the identity and characteristics of the district and the City..." For your information, local politicians, I do not want to see the character and landscape of the Experimental Farm and Little Italy changed. A traffic impact study has not even been conducted or a visual impact study, to determine how these new buildings will affect Dow's Lake, Commissioner's Park, the Rideau Canal and adjacent areas.
2.) Section 5.1. 3 Streetscape Typologies and Enhancement - a.) Carling Avenue will be a prominent, beautiful and comfortable multi-modal "great street " with wide sidewalks and bicycle lanes/tracks separated from vehicular movements as well as large trees adjacent to the sidewalk and the median east of Preston Street.
I believe that the entire Dominion Observatory campus will be flattened. The Observatory is a National Historic Site of Canada but that means nothing. The Observatory campus is the backdrop for a January 2, 2017 YouTube video called "Ottawa prepares to hand over Historic Federal Farmland to corporate developers."
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| The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory near Carling Avenue., Ottawa. |
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| The Photo Equatorial Building near Carling Avenue. (Wikipedia photo). |
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| The South Azimuth Building near Carling Avenue. (flickr.com photo.) |
" Centred around the Carling Avenue O-Train future LRT station along Carling and Champagne Avenues, the Station Area will incorporate a wide range of transit supportive uses and see the tallest buildings and the highest densities in the entire District."
4.) Section 4.1.1. - Areas east of the O-Train/future LRT - " High rise mixed use development with a height greater than 30 storeys and up to a maximum of 55 storeys may be permitted on properties fronting Carling Avenue east of the O-Train/future LRT and west of Norfolk Avenue."
Are you people insane? The following buildings in New York City are 55 storeys high:
The Bank of America Tower
The Time Warner Center South Tower
The Time Warner Center North Tower
The Trump Tower in Manhattan is 58 storeys high.
Years ago an Ottawa city councillor predicted that "a wall of condos" would someday line Carling Avenue. This is what former Somerset Ward City Councillor Diane Holmes said about Ottawa's planning department:
"The Development Review Services Branch is responsible for processing development applications. It has become increasingly apparent that this branch no longer represents the citizens or neighbourhoods in the ward. Rather, this branch represents the interests of the development industry. Input from the public is generally disregarded because this branch considers residents comments to be NIMBY comments...The Branch provides support to any application with little-or-no recognition or consideration of the neighbourhood wants and needs...This is happening throughout the Ward where applications are submitted before the developer and the community have the chance to sit down and discuss the proposal...You want to add 10 extra stories on your building? Fine by us. You don't want to provide visitor parking? Use on street public parking instead. Too many trees in front of your building? No problem, we'll remove them." (From: A May 19, 2014 Ottawa Citizen article by David Reevely, "Diane Holmes whacks the city's planning department.")
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The National Capital Commission originally chose Tunney's Pasture as the location for a new hospital for the following reasons:
Capital Interests
- The site is associated with the least impact on natural, public, recreational and agricultural functions, and is occupied by many surface parking areas.
- Any potential impacts to the heritage character of the site could be mitigated through design.
- Selection of this site avoids impacts to the Central Experimental Farm Historic Site.
- Selection of this site may displace some existing federal facilities; however, the NCC-approved Tunney's Pasture Master Plan already envisions the divestiture of the western half of the site for non-federal mixed use.
- It may offer opportunities for partnerships or adaptive reuse given the presence of Health Canada's existing facilities on-site. (From: "National Capital Commission Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital" November 2016, Page 3.)
Saturday, June 22, 2019
The many reasons why a hospital should not be built on the Experimental Farm. Ottawa.
1.) A traffic study has not been conducted, see the article "Community demands traffic study before Civic hospital approval" CBC News, June 13.
A traffic study was conducted in 2004 for the Booth Street Corridor and traffic volumes on Booth Street are projected to increase between 10% and 15%, because of the LeBreton Flats redevelopment, see the document "Booth Street Corridor Study - May 2004". Two-way traffic volumes during rush hour were 1,000 veh/hour on Gladstone Avenue and 1,200 veh/hour on Preston Street. That was fifteen years ago.
2.) A group called Reimagine Ottawa is calling for a public inquiry to find out why the Civic Hospital was given approval to build a new hospital on 930 Carling Avenue and 520 Preston Street. Politician and writer Clive Doucet is a member of Reimagine Ottawa. Actually, I would like to find out why 18 Experimental Farms were decommissioned. And why did the Chretien government want to demolish the Dominion Observatory during the 1990's ---was the Civic going to take over the entire Observatory campus as well as the land where the Sir John Carling Building was located? Ottawa City councillors appear to be so biased in favor of residential and corporate developers. Our descendents will have to live with (cope with) with decisions they are making today.
3.) Public Services and Procurement Canada sold 3.4 acres of land, located at 291 Carling Avenue and 369 LeBreton Street, during the year 2017.
4.) The former Department of Energy, Mines and Resources campus is being massively redeveloped. Several of the heritage buildings will be preserved and the area transformed into another Distillery District, similar to the one in Toronto. But huge parking lots will be needed because of the influx of thousands of people.
The Kingston Penitentiary and Portsmouth Olympic Harbour in Kingston, Ontario are being converted into a Distillery District, according to former councillor Liz Schell: "Redevelopment is a huge opportunity-Schell" - by Elliot Ferguson, Kingston Whig Standard, July 7, 2017.
"Over the years one after another condominium has appeared leaning right over the Distillery District and it hasn't interfered with the functionality and beauty of the area" she said. "It was a requirement that the Distillery District, if it was going to survive, it had to have housing."
Kingston Penitentiary is one of the most historic properties in Canada and a major tourist attraction. The Pen and the Prison for Women were built with limestone, therefore they can last for thousands of years, just like the Giza Pyramid in Egypt. I am beginning to wonder why this country has a Minister of Heritage and a Historic Sites and Monuments Board, if they are powerless to protect irreplaceable landmarks.
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For decades I have lived in townhouses right next to Carling Avenue; this is my street, part of my identity. My street cannot handle the bombardment of traffic from a new hospital; a Distillery District on Booth and Rochester and the creation of a geared-to-income subdivision on 933 Preston. I have no idea what is being envisioned for 291 Carling. I feel like my territory has being invaded. This has to stop.
We the people owned all of these properties.. For years we have been dispossessed, our land and buildings have been stripped away from us. Our descendents should be the property owners, not Amazon or Walmart.. Or American President Donald Trump who built a Trump Tower on railway land at Bay and Adelaide in Toronto. Our land.
Grown children who are disinherited by their parents feel betrayed, cheated, dismissed and abandoned. Why are the people of this nation being cheated out of their collective inheritance?
A traffic study was conducted in 2004 for the Booth Street Corridor and traffic volumes on Booth Street are projected to increase between 10% and 15%, because of the LeBreton Flats redevelopment, see the document "Booth Street Corridor Study - May 2004". Two-way traffic volumes during rush hour were 1,000 veh/hour on Gladstone Avenue and 1,200 veh/hour on Preston Street. That was fifteen years ago.
2.) A group called Reimagine Ottawa is calling for a public inquiry to find out why the Civic Hospital was given approval to build a new hospital on 930 Carling Avenue and 520 Preston Street. Politician and writer Clive Doucet is a member of Reimagine Ottawa. Actually, I would like to find out why 18 Experimental Farms were decommissioned. And why did the Chretien government want to demolish the Dominion Observatory during the 1990's ---was the Civic going to take over the entire Observatory campus as well as the land where the Sir John Carling Building was located? Ottawa City councillors appear to be so biased in favor of residential and corporate developers. Our descendents will have to live with (cope with) with decisions they are making today.
3.) Public Services and Procurement Canada sold 3.4 acres of land, located at 291 Carling Avenue and 369 LeBreton Street, during the year 2017.
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| 291 Carling Avenue/369 LeBreton. (Photo is from glebeannex.) |
The Kingston Penitentiary and Portsmouth Olympic Harbour in Kingston, Ontario are being converted into a Distillery District, according to former councillor Liz Schell: "Redevelopment is a huge opportunity-Schell" - by Elliot Ferguson, Kingston Whig Standard, July 7, 2017.
"Over the years one after another condominium has appeared leaning right over the Distillery District and it hasn't interfered with the functionality and beauty of the area" she said. "It was a requirement that the Distillery District, if it was going to survive, it had to have housing."
Kingston Penitentiary is one of the most historic properties in Canada and a major tourist attraction. The Pen and the Prison for Women were built with limestone, therefore they can last for thousands of years, just like the Giza Pyramid in Egypt. I am beginning to wonder why this country has a Minister of Heritage and a Historic Sites and Monuments Board, if they are powerless to protect irreplaceable landmarks.
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For decades I have lived in townhouses right next to Carling Avenue; this is my street, part of my identity. My street cannot handle the bombardment of traffic from a new hospital; a Distillery District on Booth and Rochester and the creation of a geared-to-income subdivision on 933 Preston. I have no idea what is being envisioned for 291 Carling. I feel like my territory has being invaded. This has to stop.
We the people owned all of these properties.. For years we have been dispossessed, our land and buildings have been stripped away from us. Our descendents should be the property owners, not Amazon or Walmart.. Or American President Donald Trump who built a Trump Tower on railway land at Bay and Adelaide in Toronto. Our land.
Grown children who are disinherited by their parents feel betrayed, cheated, dismissed and abandoned. Why are the people of this nation being cheated out of their collective inheritance?
Is the Government of Canada planning to sell off more federal buildings?
Is that why public servants are being offered "alternative work hubs"?According to a June 3, 2019 Ottawa Citizen newspaper article:
"The pilot project, called GCcoworking, is being spearheaded by Public Services and Procurement Canada and seeks to provide federal government employees with flexible workplaces separate from their regular offices or their homes." (From: "Federal government opens 2 of 5 alternative work hubs for public servants." by Kayla Douglas, Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 2019.)
(Note: The Department of Public Works and Government Services is now known as Public Services and Procurement Canada.)
On September 15, 2006 PWGSC Minister Michael Fortier conducted a study of 35 Crown-owned buildings. This is what happened to the portfolio:
Sir John Carling Building, Headquarters of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - Carling Avenue Ottawa - Demolished.
Fairmont RCMP Complex, 657-37th Avenue West, Vancouver British Columbia - sold.
National Film Board Headquarters, 3155 Cote-de-Liesse, Montreal. Named the Norman McLaren Building to honour a producer and artist who won an American Academy Award. The complex is now vacant and will likely be demolished.
Harry Hays Building, 220 - 4th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta - sold to Larco Investments.
Canada Place, 9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta. Sold to Larco Investments.
Skyline Towers 1 to V11, 1400 Merivale Road, Ottawa - sold to Larco Investments.
Sinclair Centre, 757 Hastings Street West, Vancouver, British Columbia - named the Sinclair Centre to honour James Sinclair, father-in-law of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The former Canada Post Dominion Building was almost sold to Larco Investments.
Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building, 90 Sparks Street, Ottawa - sold to Larco Investments.
Revenue Canada Agency, 305 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Montreal - sold to Larco Investments.
RCMP Headquarters, 4225 Dorchester Blvd., Westmount Quebec. - sold to Larco Investments.
Taxation Data Centre, 875 Heron Road, Ottawa - the entire Confederation Heights government complex (256.99 acres) will be the focus of a massive residential and commercial redevelopment, spearheaded by the National Capital Commission and Public Services and Procurement Canada, see the document "Confederation Heights - Queen's University".
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Minister Fortier said: "The average age of the office space portfolio is approximately 44 years and several key properties have reached their life expectancy."
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Crown assets that will probably be privatized in the future, they were part of a list of 35 buildings that were being reviewed:
John G. Diefenbaker Building, 111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
National Library and Archives, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa - the building will be "surplus" when a new structure is built on LeBreton Flats.
Sir William Logan Building, 580 Booth Street, Ottawa - is part of the former Department of Energy, Mines and Resources campus. A majority of the site is the focus of a major condominium/ Ottawa Community Housing and commercial development.
Tunney's Pasture Complex, Ottawa - is being converted into a high density condominium and commercial district. I believe that the Brooke Claxton Health Canada landmark will eventually be demolished, Health Canada employees are part of a pilot project to use alternative work hubs.
Place du Portage, Phases 1 and 11 - 50 rue Victoria, Gatineau Quebec.
Winnipeg Tax Centre, 66 Stapon Road, Winnipeg Manitoba.
Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
Place du Portage complex, 11 Laurier Avenue, Gatineau Quebec.
Major General George R. Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa.
Nicholson Building, RCMP Headquarters and Trailers - 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa.
"The pilot project, called GCcoworking, is being spearheaded by Public Services and Procurement Canada and seeks to provide federal government employees with flexible workplaces separate from their regular offices or their homes." (From: "Federal government opens 2 of 5 alternative work hubs for public servants." by Kayla Douglas, Ottawa Citizen, June 3, 2019.)
(Note: The Department of Public Works and Government Services is now known as Public Services and Procurement Canada.)
On September 15, 2006 PWGSC Minister Michael Fortier conducted a study of 35 Crown-owned buildings. This is what happened to the portfolio:
Sir John Carling Building, Headquarters of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada - Carling Avenue Ottawa - Demolished.
Fairmont RCMP Complex, 657-37th Avenue West, Vancouver British Columbia - sold.
National Film Board Headquarters, 3155 Cote-de-Liesse, Montreal. Named the Norman McLaren Building to honour a producer and artist who won an American Academy Award. The complex is now vacant and will likely be demolished.
Harry Hays Building, 220 - 4th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta - sold to Larco Investments.
Canada Place, 9700 Jasper Avenue NW, Edmonton, Alberta. Sold to Larco Investments.
Skyline Towers 1 to V11, 1400 Merivale Road, Ottawa - sold to Larco Investments.
Sinclair Centre, 757 Hastings Street West, Vancouver, British Columbia - named the Sinclair Centre to honour James Sinclair, father-in-law of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The former Canada Post Dominion Building was almost sold to Larco Investments.
Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building, 90 Sparks Street, Ottawa - sold to Larco Investments.
Revenue Canada Agency, 305 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Montreal - sold to Larco Investments.
RCMP Headquarters, 4225 Dorchester Blvd., Westmount Quebec. - sold to Larco Investments.
Taxation Data Centre, 875 Heron Road, Ottawa - the entire Confederation Heights government complex (256.99 acres) will be the focus of a massive residential and commercial redevelopment, spearheaded by the National Capital Commission and Public Services and Procurement Canada, see the document "Confederation Heights - Queen's University".
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Minister Fortier said: "The average age of the office space portfolio is approximately 44 years and several key properties have reached their life expectancy."
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Crown assets that will probably be privatized in the future, they were part of a list of 35 buildings that were being reviewed:
John G. Diefenbaker Building, 111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
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| Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret attends the official opening of the former Ottawa City Hall, 111 Sussex Drive. (1958) (Photo from City of Ottawa Archives.) |
Sir William Logan Building, 580 Booth Street, Ottawa - is part of the former Department of Energy, Mines and Resources campus. A majority of the site is the focus of a major condominium/ Ottawa Community Housing and commercial development.
Tunney's Pasture Complex, Ottawa - is being converted into a high density condominium and commercial district. I believe that the Brooke Claxton Health Canada landmark will eventually be demolished, Health Canada employees are part of a pilot project to use alternative work hubs.
Place du Portage, Phases 1 and 11 - 50 rue Victoria, Gatineau Quebec.
Winnipeg Tax Centre, 66 Stapon Road, Winnipeg Manitoba.
Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa.
Place du Portage complex, 11 Laurier Avenue, Gatineau Quebec.
Major General George R. Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa.
Nicholson Building, RCMP Headquarters and Trailers - 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa.
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| RCMP Headquarters, 1200 Vanier Parkway, Ottawa, during the year 1983. |
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| A 1985 report prepared by the Hon. Erik Nielsen, a Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. Eighteen Agriculture Canada experimental farms are gone, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada abandoned their entire portfolio of lighthouses, 1,000. Parks Canada may sell off $8 Billion dollars worth of infrastructure in our National Parks, that includes highways, roads, nature trails, bridges and culverts. The Rideau Canal is a National Historic Site of Canada and UNESCO World Heritage Site---will the lockstations and locks be privatized? They are classified as "infrastructure" and Parks Canada is their custodian. They are located at Hog's Back; Smiths Falls; Poonamallee; Kingston Mills; Merrickville; Burritt's Rapids; Newboro; Jones Falls; Chaffey's Locks; Black Rapids; Nicholson; |
Friday, June 21, 2019
More endangered neighbourhoods and landmarks.
I get physically ill when I see the proliferation of high-rise condominiums and construction cranes in Little Italy, Ottawa. Somerset Ward councillor Catherine McKenney is determined to obliterate any green space in a prime tourist location. My family and I visit Little Italy and Dow's Lake--- the restaurants, the Absolute Comedy Club and the Tulip Festival. I have lived in townhouses right next to Carling Avenue for 21 years; and the Experimental Farm, Observatory Campus, Little Italy and Andrew Haydon Park are part of my soul, my geist, a German word meaning mind/spirit.
How many business people and local residents want to see:
---the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources campus turned into another Distillery District.
--land behind the High School of Commerce redeveloped by Ottawa Community Housing
---more residential towers.
--- geared-to-income housing on federal land at 933 Gladstone. An armoury was located here.
---a mega-hospital on the nearby Central Experimental Farm.
Ottawa councillors are elected to serve the people, not the real estate industry.
The American government is preserving the integrity of Little Italy in New York City, the neighbourhood is listed on the "National Registry of Historic Places."
Richmond, British Columbia's Cannery Row is a National Historic Site of Canada, but the integrity of the site has been compromised by changes in land use. The Monterey, California Cannery Row is immortalized in a Bob Dylan song "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands"; a John Steinbeck novel and the Nick Nolte/ Debra Winger movie "Cannery Row."
Grain elevators are a vanishing Canadian silhouette. Why is the Federal Minister of Culture not trying to preserve these irreplaceable landmarks? The Inglis, Manitoba grain elevators are National Historic Sites of Canada.
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Books and poetry that inspired me:
The Greening of America - by Charles Reich.
I'm OK, You're OK - A guide to transactional analysis by Dr. Thomas A. Harris.
Books by self-help guru Wayne Dyer.
The Celestine Prophecy - by James Redfield.
The Aquarian Conspiracy - by Marilyn Ferguson.
The poem Desiderata by Max Ehrmann, especially the words "You are a child of the Universe, No less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here." The 1972 hit song Desiderata by Les Crane can be viewed on YouTube.
How many business people and local residents want to see:
---the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources campus turned into another Distillery District.
--land behind the High School of Commerce redeveloped by Ottawa Community Housing
---more residential towers.
--- geared-to-income housing on federal land at 933 Gladstone. An armoury was located here.
---a mega-hospital on the nearby Central Experimental Farm.
Ottawa councillors are elected to serve the people, not the real estate industry.
The American government is preserving the integrity of Little Italy in New York City, the neighbourhood is listed on the "National Registry of Historic Places."
Richmond, British Columbia's Cannery Row is a National Historic Site of Canada, but the integrity of the site has been compromised by changes in land use. The Monterey, California Cannery Row is immortalized in a Bob Dylan song "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands"; a John Steinbeck novel and the Nick Nolte/ Debra Winger movie "Cannery Row."
Grain elevators are a vanishing Canadian silhouette. Why is the Federal Minister of Culture not trying to preserve these irreplaceable landmarks? The Inglis, Manitoba grain elevators are National Historic Sites of Canada.
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| Dawson Creek, British Columbia grain elevators - 1973. |
Books and poetry that inspired me:
The Greening of America - by Charles Reich.
I'm OK, You're OK - A guide to transactional analysis by Dr. Thomas A. Harris.
Books by self-help guru Wayne Dyer.
The Celestine Prophecy - by James Redfield.
The Aquarian Conspiracy - by Marilyn Ferguson.
The poem Desiderata by Max Ehrmann, especially the words "You are a child of the Universe, No less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here." The 1972 hit song Desiderata by Les Crane can be viewed on YouTube.
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| The 1970 book The Greening of America awakened me from my dream-state and altered my consciousness. Author Charles Reich passed away June 16, 2019. (Photo from Wikipedia) |
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
This is what happens, when Canadian federal properties are privatized.
Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa.
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| A 1988 Privy Council Order-in-Council. The Municipality of Ottawa sold the 91 acres of land to a developer who created the high-density "Central Park" housing development. |
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| A 1975 front page Ottawa Journal newspaper article. Federal Minister of Agriculture Eugene Whelan refused to sell any Farm land, despite pressure from the Chairman of the National Capital Commission Douglas Fullerton. |
Montgomery's Tavern became the Headquarters for William Lyon Mackenzie's "Upper Canada Rebellion." The building later became Postal Station K.
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| The former Canada Post building at 2384 Yonge Street. Parks Canada did not try to preserve the two-storey landmark. The photo is from flickr.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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| The Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa resembles a European medieval castle. The proposed addition to the hotel should be banned, because of guidelines outlined in the document "Rideau Canal National Historic Site-Principles for Good Waterfront Development": 2.) Conserve historic buildings and cultural heritage features. It is particularly important to conserve and reuse historic houses and cottages; lodges, mills, barns, fences and other cultural heritage features to preserve the landscape character of the Rideau Corridor. 4.) New buildings should be designed to complement the landscape character and architectural style of the surrounding area. Buildings should be in proportion to the size and frontage of the property to fit in with the surrounding built environment." The Rideau Canal was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. |
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| Kingston Penitentiary, Kingston ,Ontario - Three of the walls that surround the former pen will be removed; guard towers will be preserved "if possible" and eleven limestone buildings are slated for demolition. High rise condominiums, townhouses, a hotel and commercial establishments will be constructed on the site. --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, Edmonton Alberta - a 1953 addition, called "the box" was demolished in 1986.
Fairmont Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba - a residential tower was built on former hotel property.
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CBC parking lot, Toronto, Ontario
CBC parking lot, Vancouver, British Columbia
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The American Embassy, 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa - The site where the building is located was a greenspace and a parking lot owned by the National Capital Commission. The architectural design of the Embassy would never be approved today, because the building looms over the ByWard Market, and the style of the Embassy does not conform to the style of nearby landmarks - the Parliament Buildings; the Connaught Building, 555 Mackenzie Avenue that resembles a castle; the Chateau Laurier Hotel and the Conference Centre on Rideau Street. At one time Sussex Drive was known as "Ottawa's Mile of History".
The American Embassy in Ottawa is similar to the William J. Clinton Museum and Library, 1200 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock Arkansas. President Clinton attended the official opening of the American Embassy on Sussex Drive, Ottawa, which is sometimes called "the battleship". Did Bill Clinton participate in designing "the battleship"?
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| The Sir John Carling Building can be seen in the distance. The Carling building is gone, YouTube has several videos of the demolition, including slow motion and high-definition views. The National Capital Commission and several politicians want to see a new Civic Hospital built on the land. The noise and light pollution, helicopters landing on the roof, massive influx of cars and emergency vehicles and the disruption caused by construction will ruin Little Italy; Dow's Lake; the Dominion Observatory Campus and Commissioner's Park, which is sacred ground. The Ottawa Tulip Festival is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the City. The following politicians want to see a new hospital constructed on the green space: Federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna Federal Minister of Heritage Melanie Joly Ottawa Centre Member of Provincial Parliament Yasir Naqvi Somerset Ward Ottawa politician Catherine McKenney - Catherine McKenney also approved the massive redevelopment of federal land at 933 Gladstone Avenue; the influx of high rise condominiums in Little Italy, and the huge redevelopment of government property at the Natural Resources Canada Booth Street property. A politician who is opposed to a new Civic Hospital being built on Experimental Farm land: Former Capital Ward City councillor and candidate for Mayor of Ottawa Clive Doucet. A YouTube video called "Ottawa prepares to hand over Historic Federal Farm land to Corporate Developers" outlines the reasons why a new Civic Hospital should not be located on the Agriculture Canada land. The government of Pierre Trudeau created a compendium with the images and descriptions of numerous government properties. For example: The former Energy, Mines and Resources campus, now called the Booth Street Complex:  The Pierre Trudeau government also: ---Refused to transfer Ottawa's Experimental Farm land to the National Capital Commission, a commercial Crown corporation that privatizes and leases government of Canada properties. --Conducted an inventory of all Canadian National Railway real estate in 1980, when the CNR said they were creating a real estate subsidiary. That inventory included hotels, train stations; 100,000 acres of land; bridges; culverts; roundhouses; CN Towers in Toronto; Edmonton; Saskatoon and London, Ontario; warehouses, more... ---The Trudeau government documented how many properties Canada Post owned, which was 2,200, worth $2 Billion dollars in 1984, see the "1984 Report of the Auditor General of Canada" Chapter 13. -- PM Pierre Trudeau tried to return Canadian Pacific Railway land to the people of Canada, see my blogs. ---Created a Crown corporation called "Harbourfront" after the government of Canada bought 100 acres of industrial waterfront land in Toronto. The land was supposed to be green space "for future generations". ----A government of Canada official signed the" UN Convention for the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage"treaty in 1976. UNESCO was created to protect international cultural landmarks and landscapes that are threatened by war; redevelopment or neglect. Quebec City and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia are already UNESCO World Heritage cities---I believe that Canada's lighthouses, and the Kingston Penitentiary and nearby buildings should be protected by UNESCO. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  |
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| Building 55, Downsview Toronto, before. |
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| Building 55 after. |
Sunday, June 16, 2019
A Canadian Senator, the Hon. Serge Joyal, is opposed to Larco's plan for the Chateau Laurier.
THE SENATE
Thursday, May 30, 2019.
SENATOR'S STATEMENTS - Chateau Laurier Extension
Hon. Serge Joyal: Honourable Senators, I think it is only proper to draw your attention to a project to expand the Chateau Laurier, which is located across the street from the Senate building, because the Chateau Laurier is part of Parliament Hill's historic core...Let me remind you that back in 1912, the Chateau Laurier's architects, Ross + MacFarlane from Montreal, also developed the plans for the Union Station, where we sit now.
The objective at that time was to build two outstanding buildings to give visitors to Ottawa the impression of a grand and perennial national capital in the classical historical style of ancient Rome, with a train station modelled on the Roman public baths of Emperor Caracalla, and an impressive hotel with all the charm of a medieval castle with its turrets and towers.
Today the historical integrity of the Chateau Laurier is threatened by an expansion project that would add a modern addition to the original construction that would have, as commented on by Mayor Jim Watson, the subtlety of a pile of containers...Honourable senators, we cannot remain indifferent to the historical mistake that will happen with this ill-conceived expansion project, as very nearly happened before.
Let me remind you that in 1966 the federal Public Works Department had decided to demolish the train station where the Senate sits now to allow for parking spaces. What a disaster it would have been...We would not be sitting here today in this beautiful historic building.
Senators should have their voices heard as standing against the proposed expansion project of the Chateau Laurier because the architectural details are ill matched. It does not take into account the character and soul of the original building and its built environment.
Parliamentarians represent the loyal customers who support the profitability of the Chateau Laurier. We are also the trustees of the integrity of Parliament Hill. Let us have our voices heard in denouncing such a historical error. I believe future generations will credit us for preventing this mistake, as we today thank those who prevented the demolition of this very Senate building in 1966.
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To see YouTube video of Senator Joyal's statement, Google:
Senator Joyal, P.C. on the Chateau Laurier Extension-May 30, 2019 (English feed.)
Le sénateur Joyal sur le projet d'agrandissement du Chateau Laurier - 30 mai 2019. (Source francaise).
Thursday, May 30, 2019.
SENATOR'S STATEMENTS - Chateau Laurier Extension
Hon. Serge Joyal: Honourable Senators, I think it is only proper to draw your attention to a project to expand the Chateau Laurier, which is located across the street from the Senate building, because the Chateau Laurier is part of Parliament Hill's historic core...Let me remind you that back in 1912, the Chateau Laurier's architects, Ross + MacFarlane from Montreal, also developed the plans for the Union Station, where we sit now.
The objective at that time was to build two outstanding buildings to give visitors to Ottawa the impression of a grand and perennial national capital in the classical historical style of ancient Rome, with a train station modelled on the Roman public baths of Emperor Caracalla, and an impressive hotel with all the charm of a medieval castle with its turrets and towers.
Today the historical integrity of the Chateau Laurier is threatened by an expansion project that would add a modern addition to the original construction that would have, as commented on by Mayor Jim Watson, the subtlety of a pile of containers...Honourable senators, we cannot remain indifferent to the historical mistake that will happen with this ill-conceived expansion project, as very nearly happened before.
Let me remind you that in 1966 the federal Public Works Department had decided to demolish the train station where the Senate sits now to allow for parking spaces. What a disaster it would have been...We would not be sitting here today in this beautiful historic building.
Senators should have their voices heard as standing against the proposed expansion project of the Chateau Laurier because the architectural details are ill matched. It does not take into account the character and soul of the original building and its built environment.
Parliamentarians represent the loyal customers who support the profitability of the Chateau Laurier. We are also the trustees of the integrity of Parliament Hill. Let us have our voices heard in denouncing such a historical error. I believe future generations will credit us for preventing this mistake, as we today thank those who prevented the demolition of this very Senate building in 1966.
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To see YouTube video of Senator Joyal's statement, Google:
Senator Joyal, P.C. on the Chateau Laurier Extension-May 30, 2019 (English feed.)
Le sénateur Joyal sur le projet d'agrandissement du Chateau Laurier - 30 mai 2019. (Source francaise).
The term "National Historic Site of Canada" means nothing.
1.) The Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa - sold by the Mulroney government to the CPR hotel chain in 1988. Then Canada's Eiffel Towers were sold to the multinational corporation Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Now the Ugandan-born Lalji family are attaching a steel bunker to the Chateau, which will block views of the Rideau Canal and the Parliament Buildings.
2.) The Quebec Bridge - Shortly before the Canadian National Railway was privatized in 1995, the Chretien government gave the Quebec Bridge to the CNR for $1 dollar. Now Bill Gates and his buddies refuse to refurbish the bridge.
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| Buster Keaton on the Quebec Bridge, in a scene from his movie "The Railrodder". |
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| Bill Gates is the richest man in the world ,thanks to his investments in companies like CN Rail. Now he refuses to refurbish the Quebec Bridge, which was given to him. |
4.) Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa -
5.) Union Station (CPR and Grand Trunk) Toronto - The Grand Trunk Railway became the CNR. Politicians David Crombie and John Sewell prevented the demolition of the train station during the 1960's. The Ontario government is trying to preserve historic buildings in the area, the government created "The Union Station Heritage Conservation District" which will protect:
The train station
the John Street Roundhouse
Royal York Hotel
Dominion Public Building - One Front Street West - Larco is planning to build skyscrapers on the National Historic Site of Canada. Fat chance.
6.) The Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Federal Penitentiary - Laval, Quebec.
7.) Royal Canadian Mint - 320 Sussex Drive, Ottawa- Prime Minister Brian Mulroney saved the Mint: Part of an article by Susan Delacourt, November 1, 2010:
"Nearly 25 years ago, former prime minister Brian Mulroney was headed to work, sitting in the back of his limousine as it headed down Sussex Drive. As the car passed the Royal Canadian Mint Mulroney gazed out the window and was startled to discover construction workers busy dismantling the magnificent stone architecture at the 1908 building. "Stop the car" Mulroney told his driver.The prime minister got out and asked the workers just what they thought they were doing. The men explained they had been sent by Public Works. Mulroney bluntly gave them a new work order. "You can put your tools down, guys, because you're not doing it." The prime minister then called the Minister of Public Works and told him to halt the deconstruction."
8.) Postal Station K, 2384 Yonge Street, Toronto - The former Montgomery's Tavern, where William Lyon Mackenzie organized the Upper Canada Rebellion. The original building now has huge holes in the walls, and a high-rise condominium is under construction, type in "2384 Yonge Street Toronto" on the Internet to see the devastation.
9.) The Dominion Astronomical Observatory, Carling Avenue, Ottawa - The main observatory and surrounding buildings are part of the Central Experimental Farm National Historical Site of Canada. During the year 1965 my schoolmates and I visited the Farm during a field trip; we all had a chance to use the Dominion Observatory telescope. The telescope was removed from the building, and the Chretien government wanted to demolish the site because of "budget cuts." Perhaps back in 1995 there were already plans in motion to build a new Civic Hospital on the grounds of the Observatory campus.
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| The Dominion Observatory, Ottawa, Ontario. (Photo from Wikipedia.) |
10.) Rideau Hall and Landscaped Grounds, 1 Sussex Drive, Ottawa - The Right Hon. Jeanne Sauve, Governor General of Canada, banned the public from the grounds of Rideau Hall during the year 1986. However, the Right Hon. Ray Hnatyshyn reopened the gates when he became Governor General of Canada in 1990.
11.) Windsor Station, 1160 Avenue des Canadiens de Montreal, Montreal Quebec -
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| A 2009 classified ad from the Globe and Mail newspaper. Windsor Station was the headquarters of the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1889 until 1996. During the 1960's the CPR wanted to demolish Windsor Station, Toronto's Union Station and the North Toronto Summerhill Station, now a Liquor Control Board of Ontario dispensary. |
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Ottawa's Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Larco Investments cannot build a seven-storey addition to the Chateau Laurier Hotel, because the addition does not complement the architectural style of the Chateau Laurier.
Rideau Canal National Historic Site - Principles for Good Waterfront Development
2.) Conserve historic buildings and cultural heritage features. It is particularly important to conserve and reuse historic houses and cottages; lodges, mills, barns, fences and other cultural heritage features to preserve the landscape character of the Rideau Corridor. Aboriginal communities share a long history and relationship with the pre and post canal landscape.
4.) New buildings should be designed to complement the landscape character and architectural style of the surrounding area. Buildings should be in proportion to the size and frontage of the property and fit in with the surrounding built environment.
The Rideau Canal and Corridor are National Historic Sites of Canada and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. World Heritage Sites have buffer zones, which prevent the construction of new buildings that are not in character with the area. And buffer zones protect the views and access to designated temples, landscapes, landmarks, etc..
World Heritage and Buffer Zones
"Buffer zones are an important tool for properties inscribed on the World Heritage List.'
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If the Village of Portsmouth in Kingston, Ontario becomes a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site, the following events will not happen:
1.) The Kingston Penitentiary will not be demolished so that high rise condominiums, townhouses, a hotel, restaurants and a sailing club can be built on the site. And the guard towers, perimeter walls and limestone buildings will be preserved.
2.) Residential buildings that block the views of Lake Ontario will not be constructed on the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour property.
3.) Walls, bars and locking mechanisms will not be removed from the nearby Prison for Women, so that the landmark can be converted into condominiums and commercial space. And residential towers that block the views of Lake Ontario will not be built on the grounds.
4.) A residential development will not be created on the grounds of the nearby Church of the Good Thief. The church, as well as the Pen, Prison For Women, Penitentiary Tower, Rockwood Asylum and many other buildings were constructed by Kingston Pen inmates, using limestone.
5.) The City of Kingston will not buy the land belonging to Corrections Canada, the Training Centre. on Union Street. Kingston has a shortage of housing, and the city is anxious to buy "surplus' federal land.
6.) The Penitentiary Tower on Union Street will never be demolished, by Queen's University or whomever the University decides to sell it to.
7.) The Rockwood Asylum will not be flattened or converted into condos. The owner of the Asylum is the Government of Ontario, and they are selling the "ghost building", as well as Guelph Reformatory, the London Psychiatric Hospital, Perth Jail, etc.
8.) The Penitentiary Museum on King Street West, right across from the Pen, will not be shut down and sold.
9.) The Isabel MacNeill Halfway House for Women on King Street West will not be sold or flattened.
10.) The St. Helen's Complex, including Stone Gables, will not be flattened or converted into housing. The property should be a museum complex.
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Rideau Canal National Historic Site - Principles for Good Waterfront Development
2.) Conserve historic buildings and cultural heritage features. It is particularly important to conserve and reuse historic houses and cottages; lodges, mills, barns, fences and other cultural heritage features to preserve the landscape character of the Rideau Corridor. Aboriginal communities share a long history and relationship with the pre and post canal landscape.
4.) New buildings should be designed to complement the landscape character and architectural style of the surrounding area. Buildings should be in proportion to the size and frontage of the property and fit in with the surrounding built environment.
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| Merrickville's historic downtown along the Rideau Canal. |
World Heritage and Buffer Zones
"Buffer zones are an important tool for properties inscribed on the World Heritage List.'
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If the Village of Portsmouth in Kingston, Ontario becomes a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site, the following events will not happen:
1.) The Kingston Penitentiary will not be demolished so that high rise condominiums, townhouses, a hotel, restaurants and a sailing club can be built on the site. And the guard towers, perimeter walls and limestone buildings will be preserved.
2.) Residential buildings that block the views of Lake Ontario will not be constructed on the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour property.
3.) Walls, bars and locking mechanisms will not be removed from the nearby Prison for Women, so that the landmark can be converted into condominiums and commercial space. And residential towers that block the views of Lake Ontario will not be built on the grounds.
4.) A residential development will not be created on the grounds of the nearby Church of the Good Thief. The church, as well as the Pen, Prison For Women, Penitentiary Tower, Rockwood Asylum and many other buildings were constructed by Kingston Pen inmates, using limestone.
5.) The City of Kingston will not buy the land belonging to Corrections Canada, the Training Centre. on Union Street. Kingston has a shortage of housing, and the city is anxious to buy "surplus' federal land.
6.) The Penitentiary Tower on Union Street will never be demolished, by Queen's University or whomever the University decides to sell it to.
7.) The Rockwood Asylum will not be flattened or converted into condos. The owner of the Asylum is the Government of Ontario, and they are selling the "ghost building", as well as Guelph Reformatory, the London Psychiatric Hospital, Perth Jail, etc.
8.) The Penitentiary Museum on King Street West, right across from the Pen, will not be shut down and sold.
9.) The Isabel MacNeill Halfway House for Women on King Street West will not be sold or flattened.
10.) The St. Helen's Complex, including Stone Gables, will not be flattened or converted into housing. The property should be a museum complex.
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The Canadian National Railway refused to tell Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen how much property they owned.
The CNR knew. CN Real Estate was created in 1980 to commercialize the property holdings of the Crown corporation. Just as the Canadian Pacific Railway created Marathon Realty in 1963 to monetize the millions of acres of land they were given by Prime Minister of Canada Sir John A. Macdonald. Sir John A. gave the land to the CPR with the understanding that any land no longer needed by the CPR would return to the Crown, the people of Canada. The reversionary land was never returned to its rightful owners.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was delisted from "The Federal Directory of Real Property" website because the land and buildings are gone. The CBC operated out of the Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa for years.
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| From: The Erik Nielsen Report, 1985. |
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| From a 1992 directory of federal real estate. |
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| From a 1992 directory. |
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| From: The Erik Nielsen Report, 1985. |
Friday, June 14, 2019
Save the Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa.
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| "Let the Future Begin" a 1997 document. In 1995 CN Real Estate became the Canada Lands Company. ' |
Chateau Laurier - Ottawa
Queen Elizabeth - Montreal
Bessborough - Saskatoon
Fort Garry - Winnipeg
Hotel Vancouver - CNR and CPR.
Jasper Park Lodge - Alberta
Scribe Hotel - Paris
Hotel Beausejour - New Brunswick
Hotel Macdonald - Edmonton.
The people of Canada deserve answers to the following questions:
1.) Why has Wellington Street in Ottawa not been designated a "Wellington Street Cultural Heritage District"? Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act gives municipalities the power to protect important cultural and tourism districts.
I believe that Wellington Street from the Library and Archives Building to the Chateau Laurier, is in dire need of protection by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, because:
The ByWard Market; Cathedral Hill; the Village of Rockcliffe Park and many other districts in the city are protected by Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. The Parliamentary Precinct should be protected by Parks Canada; the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport;the City of Ottawa and the United Nations agency UNESCO, if necessary. The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Library and Archives Building, with its high ceilings; marble staircases and massive windows may be converted into condominiums when a new Archives building is constructed on LeBreton Flats.
During the 1960's the National Capital Commission contemplated demolishing the Conference Centre, a former train station across from the Chateau, see the website "NCC Watch" - Blunders.
On September 15, 2006 Minister of Public Works Michael Fortier conducted a review of 35 Crown-owned buildings. Most of 35 properties are gone now, they were either demolished (Agriculture Canada Headquarters); sold to Larco, or they are vacant. The Archives( 395 Wellington); the Wellington Building ( 180 Wellington) and the East Memorial Building (284 Wellington) were also on the "review" list.
The West Memorial Building (344 Wellington) and former American Embassy have been vacant for years.
2.) Why does a Vancouver-based private company own the Chateau Laurier; Hotel Vancouver and seven Government of Canada buildings, including Revenue Agency headquarters in Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton and Calgary? Is the Connaught Building at 555 Mackenzie Avenue Ottawa on the "hit list?'
3.) Why does Parks Canada never intervene and stop the sale and demolition/alteration of National Historic Sites of Canada? I am talking about the Kingston Penitentiary and surrounding buildings; the 1,000 lighthouses that Fisheries and Oceans Canada recently divested; the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary in Laval, Quebec and the Dominion Public Building, One Front Street, Toronto:
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| Larco, the owner of the Chateau Laurier, is planning to add skyscrapers to the Dominion Public Building, next to Union Station, Toronto. |
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| CN Real Estate (Canada Lands Company) demolished the London, Ontario CN Tower, see the video on YouTube "CN Building Implosion London On". CN Real Estate owned the Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa. |
5..) I believe it is an act of war to deliberately ruin a country's heritage buildings, libraries and railway history and infrastructure. Now Parks Canada wants to privatize the infrastructure in our National Parks.
6.) The CN Hotels were sold to the real estate arm of the Canadian Pacific Railway, called Marathon Realty. There have been lawsuits against Marathon Realty and the CPR. Also, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau tried to return CPR property to the Crown, the people of Canada.
Read the Stevie Cameron book "On the Take" especially the chapters about federal property. The Member of Parliament for Yukon, Erik Nielsen, told Stevie Cameron that the government owned at least $60 billion dollars worth of real estate when he was the Minister of Public Works from 1979/80.
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| The 1988 Privy Council Order in Council that resulted in the sale of the CNR Hotels, including the Hotel Macdonald, Edmonton; Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg; the Chateau. Before the divestiture, ordinary Canadians were not consulted; there were no debates in the House of Commons; no referendums...Prime Minister John Diefenbaker thought that Orders-in-Council were undemocratic. Entire military bases, armouries, veterans hospitals, Crown corporation property such as Post Offices; Agriculture Canada Experimental Farms; Expo 67 land; etc. are sold via Orders-in-Council. |
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| The Chateau Laurier Hotel was a National Historic Site of Canada. |
8.) A condominium tower was built on land behind the Fort Garry Hotel, 222 Broadway, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Fort Garry was also a CN Rail hotel. CN Real Estate sold the land as well as the air rights---that is why the Toronto waterfront has a proliferation of high rise towers that block the city's views of Lake Ontario.
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| An archival image of the Fort Garry Hotel, before a residential tower was built on the land behind it. A tunnel connected the hotel to Union Station across the street. |
Below: Photographs I took of Princess Diana visiting Parliament Hill, Ottawa.
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| Princess Diana on Parliament Hill. |
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