Parliament Hill green space will be lost and heritage buildings demolished. And 32-storey modern buildings are inappropriate for this location. Have we learned nothing from the Chateau Laurier controversy.
Definitions
Infill - buildings that are constructed on vacant or underused properties, or between existing buildings.
Facadism - demolishing most of a building and leaving only the front or facade.
According to the document "Parliamentary and Judicial Precinct Area Site Capacity and Long Term Development Plan" :
---there will be height restrictions pertaining to any new developments on Wellington and Sparks Street. The condominium tower located at 101 Queen Street looks pretty tall to me. The National Capital Commission owns the land on which the reResidences by Ashcroft were built.
---
Block 1 between Elgin and Metcalfe Street contains:
the Langevin Building.
the Postal Station and several small buildings which could be combined for an infill while retaining their facades. (Page 87.)
--
-Block 2 between Metcalfe and O'Connor Streets contains:
the former American Embassy.
La Promenade.
Victoria and a series of small buildings, and is the site of the Capital Information Centre. The Fisher Building and La Promenade could be redeveloped. (La Promenade or the Valour Building on 151 Sparks is at the end of its life cycle according to Public Works and will most likely be flattened.)
---
Block 3 between O'Connor and Bank Street contains:
the Wellington Building redeveloped for swing space.
the National Press Building.
a series of others facing Sparks Street which could be combined as new infill, retaining the facades.
---(The height limit for structures facing Wellington Street will be 108 meters or
32 storeys according to this document, page 89/148, while the height limit for buildings facing Sparks Street will be 113 meters or
34 storeys. Until 1965 there was a height limitation of 45.5 meters or
13 storeys in downtown Ottawa, so that the Peace Tower could dominate the landscape.)
---infill between the Confederation Building and Justice Buildings.
---proposed infill next to the former American Embassy.
---infill of the West and East Block courtyards.(page 30.)
--------------------------------------
The federal government bought all of the properties on Wellington facing Parliament Hill in 1973, in order to preserve them. And Senator Serge Joyal created Bill S-203 in December 2019 to save the buildings. Bill S-203
An Act to amend the National Capital Act (buildings or works of national significance) has already passed the First Reading.
Properties that will be protected:
a.) the grounds in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street, known as Parliament Hill, and any buildings or works located on those grounds;
b.) the Senate of Canada Building, located at 2 Rideau Street in the City of Ottawa;
c.) the building located at 1 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;
d.) the Victoria Building, located at 140 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;
e.) the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, located at 144 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;
f.) the Wellington Building, located at 180 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;
g.) the Confederation Building, located at 229 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;
h.) the Justice Building, located at 249 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;
i.) the Supreme Court of Canada Building, located at 301 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;
j.) any place that has been commemorated as a historic place under paragraph 3 (a) of the
Historic Sites and Monuments Board.
k.) a national historic site as defined by subsection 2 (1) of the
Parks Canada Agency Act;
l.) any prescribed building or work.
----------------------------------------------
Many landmarks will be saved by Bill S-203:
1.) the Central Experimental Farm, Carling Avenue. Designated a National Historic Site of Canada by the the
Historic Sites and Monuments Board. The National Capital Commission gave a hospital corporation 50 acres of the Farm.
 |
| A 1998 Historic Sites and Monuments document pertaining to the Experimental Farm and Observatory campus. |
2.) The Dominion Observatory campus near Carling Avenue.
3.) The Connaught Building.
4.) National Arts Centre.
5.) East Memorial Building on Wellington.
6.) West Memorial Building on Wellington.
7.) Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington. A new federal Library and Archives Building is being constructed on Lebreton Flats, which will most likely replace the current one.
8.) the Chateau Laurier Hotel.
 |
Blocks 1, 2 and 3 opposite Parliament Hill.
|
