Facts about the Baseline Road, Ottawa rapid transit system.

---Land will be taken from the Pinecrest Cemetery.
---A strip of land at least 22 feet wide will be annexed from the Central Experimental Farm along Baseline Road.
---232 properties will be affected, both commercial and residential.
---Up to 15 private properties will be expropriated.
----Councillor Riley Brockington is concerned about the loss of more of the Experimental Farm. He wants the federal government to clarify what their long-term plans for The Farm are.
The Baseline Road project was unanimously approved by City of Ottawa councillors on January 17, 2017.


Property Requirements
"The Recommended Plan requires additional rights-of-way from adjacent properties. The land taking requirement ranges from less than a metre to full acquisition (up to 15 private properties.) A total of 232 properties are identified to be affected, which includes 222 private properties.
Strips of land are also required from 10 properties owned by the National Capital Commission, the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Exact property requirements will be determined during the detailed design stage of the project."
(Google: [pdf] Baseline Road Bus Rapid Transit and Complete Street.." Page 21/28.)
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"Figure 7-Baseline Road (Merivale to Prince of Wales). The project requires a strip of land (the typical widening being in the range of 7 m) from the Central Experimental Farm to accommodate median BRT lanes."(Google: [pdf] Baseline Road Bus Rapid Transit and Complete Street..."Page 18/28.)
 (Note: 7 m is 22 feet wide. A typical street is 29 feet wide - AC.)
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Comments from River Ward councillor Riley Brockington about the Baseline Rapid Transit System development.
Continued erosion of the Experimental Farm.

"I acknowledge and recognize that very little private property within River Ward is being used/expropriated for this project. As a trade-off, land from the Central Experimental Farm is being used. The staff reports describe "a strip of land to accommodate median BRT lanes is to be used. How much land is a "strip" and what is the land currently used for by Agriculture Canada.

"I would like to echo my on-going concerns first raised in 2015 shortly after the announcement was made to relocate the Ottawa Civic regarding the long-term plans for education and research on Central Experimental Farm lands by Agriculture Canada.

" I believe the federal government needs to clarify what the long-term plans are for the Farm. Additionally, if pieces of the Farm can be given up for other projects deemed to be in the public interest, the federal government needs to publicly indicate what criteria they are using to determine what is and what is not in the public interest."
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The Baseline Road Rapid Transit Corridor, with the station on a median. No wonder the Farm, Pinecrest Cemetery and 222 private residences will be forced to give up property. And 15 families will lose their homes. This reminds me of the Spadina Expressway debacle in Toronto, Ontario during the 1960's. The author of "The Death and Life of Great Cities" Jane Jacobs, saved Toronto from the Spadina Expressway.

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Trolleys or streetcars are envisioned for Carling Avenue according to the Preston-Carling District Secondary Plan. During the 1950's, the Dominion Observatory lost the North Azimuth building when the street was widened.

 Views east along Carling Avenue.