The Greber Report of 1950.

 Jacques Greber was an urban planner from Paris, France. After World War 11 Jacques Greber created a National Capital in Ottawa "dedicated to the memory of Canadians who gave their lives to the nation in the Second World War." (Greber Report,page 228/395.)

The following landscapes and buildings are sacrosanct or sacred: The Parliament Buildings.

Parliament Hill-After the 9-11attacks, a federal politician suggested that the public should be banned from the Hill. Now, the National Capital Commission and City of Ottawa are planning to remove land from the grounds of Parliament Hill and Supreme Court for a transit project. Councillor Jeff Leiper doubted that the project will ever be approved: "Kitchissippi Counc. Jeff Leiper worried some of the issues with the Wellington route would be "deal breakers" with the "stickiest" point being talks with the federal government to use fringes of the parliamentary precinct. Any tram on Wellington Street would need two stations and would require federal land on the north side of Wellington Street around the Supreme Court of Canada. It would also affect the current eight entrances to the precinct." ("Sparks Street tunnel preferred route for Gatineau tram" CBC News, September 2, 2020.)

The Greber Report recommended that the following properties should be retained as green space in perpetuity: "Extensive parks and playgrounds were recommended, including the acquirement of lands in the Laurentian Hills for a National Park, and the development of Dow's Lake and its adjacent lands as a recreational centre was strongly urged."(Page 199/395.)

Ottawa public gardens. Rockcliffe Park, 70 acres.   Central Park (Clemow Avenue), 16 ".   Brewer Park (End of Bronson Ave.) 39 acres.   Commissioner Park (Dow's Lake), 4 acres.   Green Island Park (Mouth of Rideau River), 6 ".   Nepean Point and Major's Hill Park, 21 acres.   McDonald Park (Charlotte Street), 7 acres.

Anglesea Square (York Street), 3 ".   Strathcona Park (Range Road), 8 ".   St. Luke's Park (Frank Street) 1-5 ".   Minto Park (Elgin St.) 1-5 acres.   Dundonald Park (Somerset St.) 2 acres.  

Plouffe Park and Juvenile Playground, Preston Street, 4 acres. A municipal housing agency is building hundreds of housing units on this land, located at 933 Gladstone.

McNab Park (Gladstone Ave.) 3 acres.   Reid Farm Park (Sherwood Drive) 6 ".   Ballantyne Park (Main Street) Ottawa East.  (Information is from Page 160/395, Greber Report.)

Hull public gardens.  Fontaine Park (Papineau St.) 4 acres.   Sainte-Marie Park (Saint-Redempteur St.) 1-5 ".   Laroque Park (Brodeur St.) 2 acres.   St. John Park (Montcalm St.) 2 ".    Mousette Park (Val Tetreau) 17 acres.

Parks under the control of the Federal District Commission (now called the National Capital Commission) - Total: 809.5 acres. (Page 163/395.)

The Greenbelt.

Buildings that were created for the Federal Department of Veteran's Affairs after World War 11:

East Memorial Building, 284 Wellington St. Ottawa. The monument was on a list of "surplus" Crown assets:"PWGSC Awards Contract with Respect to Certain Real Estate Assets" News Release, September 15, 2006.

West Memorial Building, 344 Wellington. A memorial colonnade over Lyon Street links the two buildings.
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Jacques Greber would never have approved of a PWGSC and National Capital Commission plan to modernize the Parliamentary Precinct. Eleven buildings on the Embassy Block are slated for demolition, and foreign architects are involved in a design competition to redevelop the most iconic landscape in Canada: "The south side of Wellington Street should be dignified, and be treated as a continuous monumental background to the north side. It should be subject to very strict height regulations"...more (Page 337/395, Greber Report of 1950.) As I have said before, the I.M. Pei Architectural Firm of New York City is on a list of companies that may be permitted to:----strip Canada's Maple Leaf Flag from the edifices; remove the names of prominent people; demolish our built history and design futuristic office towers. 

The Embassy Block, Wellington Street Ottawa. The former American Embassy, pictured above, is probably the only structure on Block 2 that will escape from clear cutting. The northern half of the Sparks Street Mall is on the hit list. And the local politician for Somerset Ward is eager to see more residential towers on the Mall. 

I will miss you terribly, David.

 1952-2020.My little brother passed away.

Gatineau Park.

"Since 1938 the Federal District Commission has been acquiring land on the high spur of the Laurentian Hills between the Gatineau and Ottawa Rivers for the purposes of a national  park. This area is mainly wooded and supports our native flora and fauna. In recent years by prohibiting hunting and trapping it has become a sanctuary for fur bearing animals such as deer, fox, beaver, mink and raccoon."

"Ultimately Gatineau Park will comprise about 50,000 acres of which 24,729 acres have been acquired up to December 31, 1949..  (From:" Federal District Commission Annual Report" 1949, page 15/75.)

Why is park land being removed from the most densely-populated area of Ottawa?

 The Central Experimental Farm.    Lebreton Flats.   The Department of National Defence Plouffe Park Armoury, 933 Gladstone Avenue.   The extension of Ev Tremblay Park, 101 Champagne Avenue, former Humane Society land.    Grounds of the former NCC headquarters, 401 Lebreton/289 Carling.

We do not want "parkettes" that are less than one acre of land. We do not want the tallest buildings in the National Capital clustered around LRT stations. 

Parks and Parkways of the Federal District Commission, 1949.

"The park and parkway system of the Federal District Commission is justly famous for its utilization of the scenic beauty of the Federal Capital Area whenever possible. The parks and driveways are and will be located along the banks of the Rideau and Ottawa Rivers, the Rideau Canal and Dow's Lake. In all, about twenty-two miles of parkways have been developed over a period of many years, and with the exception of several minor gaps, it is possible to drive along these scenic roads from the Village of Rockcliffe to the Champlain Bridges...The most important connection to be completed is that which exists between the driveways in Rockcliffe Park and Lady Grey Drive, and the Commission acquired the properties on Sussex Street which were in private ownership."

"In the future it is expected that additional parkways will be constructed to link up with the present driveways and to provide access to the many beauty spots not readily reached by the public."

"The park system comprises areas of natural beauty which were acquired by the Commission to ensure their retention and protection. The following areas of open space are owned or controlled by the Commission:

1.)  Owned in Ottawa, Hull, and in the immediate vicinity of these two cities. (undeveloped-885.6 acres.) 1, 257.8 acres. more....(The Federal District Commission is now the National Capital Commission.)

Name of Park or Driveway.

Bronson Park. Clemow and Monkland Avenues. Confederation Park. Central Park and Linden Terraces, Dow's Lake Park and Playgrounds.   Echo Drive.   Experimental Farm Driveway.   Eastview Park. Island Park Driveway.   King Edward Avenue Park.   Lady Grey Drive.   Nepean Point.  Lake Flora Park,Hull.  Major's Hill.  Macdonald Gardens. Nicholas Street Park. Parc Jacques Cartier, Hull.   Rockcliffe Park. Rideau Canal Driveway.  Strathcona. Dundonald Park, Somerset Street.   Val Tetreau Park, Hull. (Information is from the "Federal District Commission Annual Report, 1949" page 37/75.)

The long-term preservation of the Experimental Farm.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa November 4, 1974.

Mr. Walter Baker (Deputy House Leader of the Official Opposition; Progressive Conservative Party House Leader) Progressive Conservative.

Mr. Baker (Grenville-Carleton.) "Mr. Speaker, on October 7 I directed a question to the Minister of State for Urban Affairs (Mr. Danson) regarding...a theory he advanced in the course of "Question Period", that the government certainly would have to consider the adoption of a trade-off in respect of green spaces in Canadian cities. Subsequently the minister indicated that at least in so far as the two places I mentioned in the National Capital Area, namely the Experimental Farm and the Ottawa green belt, he regarded these as areas of special sensitivity, and shared my view and the view of many other members of the House, in respect of the necessity to preserve them."

"...There really is no open or green space available to those who live in high-rise housing, in row housing, in condominiums, or in densely populated areas. That green and open space which normally is provided by one's backyard, or the neighbourhood park, must be provided in these urban areas by green belt areas such as the Experimental Farm, or by other areas in other cities. This matter is of great concern not only in the National Capital Area but to other areas."

The Hon. Pierre De Bane (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of State for Urban Affairs.) Liberal.

Mr. De Bane: "Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member that the National Capital Commission is fully aware of the matter which he has raised, namely that we must preserve the green spaces of this area."

"I can assure the hon. member that there is no question of replacing the green spaces already existing in the national capital region with buildings. On the contrary, proposals are presently under study to link these green spaces together., so they are not isolated and remote...The long term preservation of these resources must be ensured, and at the same time the public must have access to them. The achievement of this objective implies the cohabitation of certain urban and rural environments. A typical example of this is, of course, the Experimental Farm in the centre of the city of Ottawa."

Federal green spaces in Ottawa are untouchable.

House of Commons Ottawa April 22, 1996. Petitions. 

MP Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West) Liberal: "Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to present a petition signed by close to 1,000 people. It arises from a situation that occurred in our nation's capital last year when the National Capital Commission was looking at selling off parts of green space and open corridors in the nation's capital."

"The petitioners call to the attention of the House that when Jacques Greber released his plan for the capital in 1950 it was at the direction of the capital as a national war memorial to those who had fought in the wars in defence of Canada. Therefore, the petitioners call on Parliament to ensure that this committment and the dedication of the green spaces of the nation's capital are maintained as a national war memorial and are not disposed of or sold."

MP Don Boudria was opposed to privatizing green space for foreign embassies.

 

The National Capital Commission is removing 9 acres of park land so that half a dozen embassies can be built on the property. The location is in Mechanicsville close to Laroche Park. (From December 26, 2020 Jon Willing article in the Ottawa Citizen "National Capital Commission seeking City of Ottawa approval for diplomatic precinct...") 

House of Commons Debates Ottawa February 7, 1986. Mr. Don Boudria (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell) Liberal. "Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has embarked on a policy of selling the Crown jewels. First it was the threat of logging national parks, then selling our national aircraft maker, then the possibility of privatizing Air Canada, and finally, the potential sale of part of Mile Circle Park right here in the city of Ottawa to build a U.S. embassy."

"The park is bordered by a residential neighbourhood. Hundreds of average Canadians live there and hundreds of children go to school there...As the opposition critic for the Department of Public Works I call on the Government to reject any American offers to buy or lease Mile Circle Park. I call on the Government to send a clear signal that Canadian parklands, our national treasures, are not for sale. I call upon the Government to state clearly that it will not act improperly by selling Mile Circle Park or locating an embassy on it."

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The City of Ottawa owned Laroche Park is identified as "an underutilized property" so it will not remain in the public domain when the embassies are built. Google: "Bayview Station CDP" April 2013, page 13/93.

The 2013"Bayview Station Community Design Plan" is outlined in red. The proposal encroaches upon Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard greenspace, which is protected by the NCC's National Interest Land Mass designation. The Ottawa River Parkway/SJAM Boulevard corridor encompasses 254 ha.

 

The National Capital Commission cannot sell land adjacent to the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway.

"National Capital Commision seeking city approval for diplomatic precinct along Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway in Mechanicsville." by Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen, December 26, 2020.

 Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway land is part of the National Interest Land Mass, and will be owned the people of Canada in perpetuity;

National Interest Land Mass.

"The National Interest Land Mass (NILM) consists of "national shrines, the river and canal banks, the Confederation Boulevard, the Gatineau Park, and the Greenbelt in the National Capital Region...Considered essential to the realization of the vision of the Capital...There are 37 individual parcels of property in this category currently owned by the NCC totalling some 44, 200 ha. in area."

"Land forming part of the NILM will be retained by the NCC on behal of the government in perpetuity, for purposes which lie at the core of the NCC's mandate; and will be managed by the NCC with little or no further management involvement by the Treasury Board Secretariat."

"Ottawa River Parkway, Wellington Street to Carling Avenue-254 ha." Google: 1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC. The Ottawa River Parkway is now called the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway.

 As I have said before, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney created the National Interest Land Mass in 1988 after 91 acres of Experimental Farm land on Carling Avenue were sold to the Municipality of Ottawa--- over the objections of Agriculture Minister John Wise. The NILM was supposed to prevent the NCC from selling federal property, and to keep the City of Ottawa from using government property as a land bank---especially the Greenbelt.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa May 13, 1988. Hon. John Wise, Federal Minister of Agriculture: "Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Hon. Member's continuing interest in the future of the Experimental Farm here in Ottawa. I want to take this opportunity to indicate to him that Agriculture Canada, my Department, has no plans or thoughts whatsoever concerning disposing of any portion of that property at any time. There is no question about that."

Hon. Members: "Hear, hear!"

Ottawa Greenbelt Development Under Review.

"For the first time, the City of Ottawa has identified more than 13,700 acres of the Greenbelt, worth $1.6 billion, that could be developed without damaging the integrity of the capital's most treasured natural landmark. The land, about a quarter of the 49,400 acre belt, is enough to provide more than 20 years of urban land for housing and employment if the National Capital Commission decides to open it up for development." Google: Greenbelt Wikipedia. June 17, 2008.

The NCC attempted to privatize Mile Circle near Rockcliffe for an embassy row.

Public property that was earmarked for Major's Hill Park was sold to the American embassy.

The British High Commission is demolishing a heritage building on 140 Sussex Drive designed by David Ewart, who also created the Royal Canadian Mint on 320 Sussex Drive.

The British High Commission is constructing a bunker that resembles a Cold War fallout shelter. The home of Canada's first Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, Earnscliffe, will no longer be visible. 

Two bridges that span the Rideau Canal were sold for a dollar.

 "In 1995-96, the (National Capital) Commission signed an agreement to sell the Laurier and Mackenzie King Bridges to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton for consideration of one dollar." Google: Report of the NCC, 1995-96 Annual Report, Page 45/111.

 According to a treaty signed between the governments of Great Britain and Canada, the Rideau Canal infrastructure would always be federal property:

House of Commons Debates  Ottawa June 1, 1950. Member of Parliament George Taylor Fulford (Leeds) Liberal: "...There was a rather quaint treaty signed between Great Britain and Canada when the canal was handed over to Canada. One of the clauses stated that Canada would maintain the canal system as long as the grass was green and the sky was blue."

Parks Canada is trying to abdicate responsibility for operating the UNESCO World Heritage Site."Parks Canada looking at divesting highways, bridges and dams." Google: "CBC News, August 26, 2017." The Rideau Canal has 53 dams and many bridges. According to a document that I read, heritage designations are "restricting" the sale of properties on local riverfronts:

1.) The Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, National Historic Site, a National Interest Land Mass and part of the Canadian Heritage River System. NILM properties are retained by the NCC in perpetuity. (1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC.)

The Rideau Canal Lands from downtown to Hog's Back encompass 90 hectares. The future of the Hog's Back Bridge is being debated. 

 TV Ontario produced a wonderful documentary about the Rideau Canal that can be viewed on YouTube, entitled "Tripping the Rideau Canal."

NCC real estate holdings during the years 1985 and 1986.

 Ontario Parkways.

Ottawa River    Airport    Eastern Driveway   Eastern Parkway   Colonel By Drive   Queen Elizabeth Driveway   Hog's Back Road   Rockcliffe Park Driveway   Queensway   Lady Grey Drive   Station Boulevard   Island Park Driveway   Experimental Farm Drive  other parkways.

Quebec Parkways.

Voyageur Parkway    Philemon Wright   Northern Entrance   Hull South   Gatineau Parkway  Lac des Fees Parkway   Secteur Fournier.

 Parks located in Ontario

Rideau River Park   Victoria Island   Patterson Creek 

 Vincent Massey and Hog's Back Parks -the Hog's Back Woods in River Ward are now privately and federally-owned, Google: "urban natural features strategy city of ottawa, April 11, 2006." 

 Commissioner's Park -the popular tourist venue will be disrupted by "the tallest buildings in Ottawa" that cluster around an LRT station.

 Nepean Point   Parliament Hill Promenade    White Fathers

   Hampton Park -the Hampton Park Woods in River Ward are now city and federally-owned, Google: "urban natural features strategy city of ottawa, April 11, 2006.

 Confederation Park   Park Benches   Supreme Court   Green's Creek   Central Park   Garden of the Provinces   Major's Hill   Kingsview   Strathcona Park   Green Island   Rideau Falls   other parks.

Quebec Parks

Gatineau Park   Brewery Creek Shoreline   Place du Portage Park   Tache Park   E.B.Eddy Park  Fontaine   Jacques Cartier   Parliament Hill Promenade   Leamy Lake  Experimental Park,Hull. Mousette Park.

Recreational facilities

Toboggan hills, Bruce Pit, skating rinks, LeBreton Flats campsite, Dow's Lake Marina.

My Great Grandfather Harry Herbener Shaw.

 

The Age of Aquarius, December 21, 2020.

Let the Sun Shine In. 

Redevelopment of the Parliamentary Precinct, Ottawa Canada.

 Embassy Block Site (Block 2)

Custodian: Public Services and Procurement Canada. Use: Office. Interest: Crown Owned. Address: Wellington (84, 100, 128, 140) Sparks (93, 107, 109, 115, 119, 121, 151) and Metcalfe (14) Streets, Ottawa Ontario.

Land Area: 0.9822 ha. Buildings: 11. Floor Area: (sq. m)34,450. Buildings: Victoria, 140 Wellington; Old U.S. Embassy Annex, 128 Wellington; Old U.S. Embassy, 100 Wellington; Birks, 107 Sparks; Valour, 151 Sparks; Bate, 109 Sparks; Marshall, 14 Metcalfe; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, 119 Sparks; Bank of Nova Scotia, 125 Sparks; fisher, 115 Sparks; Canada's Four Corners, 93 Sparks. Most of them have "reached the end of their life cycle."

Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council Site (Block 1).

Custodian: Public Services and Procurement Canada. Interest: Crown Owned. Primary Use: Office. Address: 80 Wellington Street and 59, 63, 65, 67, 69 75 and 85 Sparks Street, Ottawa.

Land Area: 0.6278 ha. Building Count: 8. Floor Area: 28,288 sq. m. Buildings: Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council, 80 Wellington; Postal Station B, 59 Sparks ; Hope Chambers, 63 Sparks; Blackburn, 85 Sparks; House of Norcano, 69 Sparks; Saxe (Canada Life) 75 Sparks; O'Brien, 65 Sparks; Nelms, 67 Sparks.

National Press Club Block Site (Block 3).

Custodian: Public Services and Procurement Canada. Interest: Crown Owned. Primary Use: Office. Address: Wellington (144, 150, 180) and Sparks Street (165, 181, 185.)

Land Area: 0.9925 ha. Building Count: 5. Floor Area: 45,642 sq. m. Buildings: National Press Building, 150 Wellington; Wellington Building, 180 Wellington; Dover-Brouse-Slater, 181-185 Sparks; Booth, 165 Sparks; Sir John A. Macdonald, 144 Wellington.

                                               

The Experimental Farm in Ottawa is surrounded by buffer zones.

Buffer zones will stop the Civic Hospital from relocating to the property.

1.)  National Historic Site of Canada protective zone ---500 metres. New construction is banned within 500 metres of National Historic sites, according to Senate Bill S-203, an Act to Amend the National Capital Act. (November 2019, First Reading.) The CEF was designated in 1998.

The 1998 document.

"Mr. Speaker, last week the Secretary of State for Parks and the minister of agriculture designated the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa as a national historic site...It will be a permanent visible reminder in the nation's capital to all Canadians of the importance of agriculture to our economic and social development." MP Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West-Nepean) Liberal, a Statement in the House of Commons, February 9, 1998.

2.)  Astrophysical Observatories---have a wide protective area:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa June 26, 1972. The Hon. Gaston Clermont (Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board.) Liberal."...The Dominion Observatory near Penticton BC was chosen for its freedom from man-made radio interference, a requirement for the detection of extremely weak radio signals from astronomical objects. Considerable land was acquired at that time and the government of British Columbia by order-in-council, placed a map reserve on all Crown land within a much larger buffer zone serving that site."  (My comments: The Astrophysical Observatory in the Capital will reopen one day, unless the Civic Hospital, Natural Resources Canada and Councillor Riley Brockington fail to protect it. The telescope has been transferred to the Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa for safekeeping; historical documents were retained by the NRC, and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is calling for the reopening of the site. On a personal note, my classmates and I looked through the Ottawa telescope in 1965---I believe that thousands of school children are being robbed of an unforgettable experience by being denied access to a fully functioning observatory.)

A YouTube video presented by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

3.)  National Parks General Regulations---30 metres or 100 feet. Commissioners Park is federal land and QJP was a gift to the people of Canada from the Director of Gatineau Park Eldon Eady in 1976. National urban parks operated by the NCC:

Commissioners at Preston and Queen Elizabeth Drive.

Major's Hill.

Nepean Point.

Confederation.

Vincent Massey.

Hog's Back.

Lebreton Flats.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa November 2, 1964. The Hon. Arthur Laing (Minister of Northern Affairs and Natural Resources) Liberal. "...A buffer zone has already been provided by virtue of a 100 foot reservation along the shore of the river for use by the public as contained in the National Parks General Regulations."

4.)  The Greenbelt - Commissioners Park is part of the National Capital Commission's Greenbelt. "Without being buffered our parks are being compromised." MP for Ottawa South David McGuinty, House of Commons, September 16, 2009.

5.)  The UNESCO buffer zone is 30 metres or 100 feet. Part of the Rideau Canal World Heritage Site is located at Dow's Lake. UNESCO said it will remove heritage designation from the Rideau Canal if an extension is built onto the Chateau Laurier Hotel and if a medical centre is built on the Farm.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa June 3, 2016. MP Wayne Stetski (Kootenay-Columbia) New Democratic Party. "Mr. Speaker, last week UNESCO's world heritage committee called on Canada to better protect Newfoundland's Gros Morne National Park from industrial development if it is going to keep its world heritage designation...Will the government not agree to put a buffer zone in place?"

The Hon. Catherine McKenna (Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Lib.) "Mr. Speaker, we believe in the ecological integrity of our national parks and we are committed to maintaining the ecological integrity of them. That applies to all parks including Gros Morne National Park."

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Ottawa Hospital New Civic Campus-CheckPoint Newsletter  December 17, 2020.

"When it opens in 2028, every day, thousands of patients,staff and visitors will come to the Ottawa Hospital's new Civic hospital campus...Perched on the edge of Dow's Lake on Carling Avenue, the Ottawa Hospital's new Civic development will be a jewel in the region's health system...the hospital will be among the largest and most advanced in Canada." 

"The federal government has graciously leased us a 50-acre piece of land that we find very inspiring. We imagine this futuristic health-care centre sitting up on the hill, looking out over the Central Experimental Farm and Dow's Lake, embedded organically into the landscape." (My comments: The Government of Canada stated that when the World War Two temporary buildings were removed the land would always be an open space. Temporary building #8 was located on 870 Carling and # 5 was near the lake.)

CheckPoint Newsletter December 17, 2020."The site is bounded by...the scenic Prince of Wales to the east and Maple Drive to the west. (My comments: New buildings cannot be constructed within 500 metres of the Astrophysical Observatory campus. Maple Drive cannot be encroached upon because of Senate Bill S-203, an Act to Amend the National Capital Act. 

The South Azimuth, Maple Drive. The City of Ottawa wants to flatten the landmark so that the lane can be widened. Prince of Wales Drive is being widened to four lanes from two. And the Sir John Carling Building cafeteria is slated for demolition by the Civic in 2021. The William Saunders Building is vacant. (Photo is from "Canada's Historic Places.")

House of Commons Debates Ottawa September 16, 2009. MP David McGuinty (Ottawa South) Liberal: "...In 1899, Parliament created the Ottawa Improvement Commission. It's focus was to beautify Ottawa as the national capital. It created driveways along the Rideau Canal and Rockcliffe Park, and Minto bridges and several new urban parks..."

"From 1927 to 1959, the Federal District Commission built the Champlain Bridge, the National War Memorial in Confederation Square, Gatineau Park and the famous Greber plan which set out and maintains...green space in this region...We know that our parks need to be protected but they need to be buffered...without being buffered our parks are being compromised."

House of Commons Debates Ottawa March 10, 1986. MP Barry Turner (Ottawa Carleton) Progressive Conservative."...The Mile Circle land has been held in trust since 1904 by the federal government as parkland. I cannot believe that today, in 1986, with all of our collective knowledge and experience, that the commission is actually threatening to destroy these parklands."

"I cannot accept the arguments that any development will be done in such a way as to maintain open spaces and a parkand setting. That is impossible since thousands and thousands of tons of concrete and steel will be sewn together by architects, engineers and construction workers to build embassies on the Mile Circle."

"My professional background is in conservation and tourism development, and I know what impact infrastructure can have on parkland. If parks are for people, and I truly believe they are, then you put any and all development outside of them."

The Stanley Park National Historic Site of Canada.

Vancouver, British Columbia.

 

The urban park is comprised of 384.4514 ha. of public land (950 acres) and the custodian is Parks Canada.

National Parks in Ottawa.

1.) 

Rockcliffe Park, Hillsdale Road, 7.3608 ha.

2.)

 Rideau Hall Parkland, 7.3608 ha.

3.)

Vincent Massey, Heron Road, 21.1995 ha. 5 buildings.

4.)

Vincent Massey, Riverside Drive, 8.3247 ha.

5.)

Hog's Back Park, 23.2657 ha, 2 buildings."City Council shall support the ownership transfer from Public Works and Government Services Canada to the City, those portions of Heron Road and Riverside Drive that traverse the Confederation Heights area to have them formally integrated as part of the arterial road network." (From:Confederation Heights 1950-2050.) The Hog's Back Woods are privately and federally owned. (From: urban natural features strategy, City of Ottawa, April 11, 2006.)

6.) 

Plouffe Park Site including Dome #1. 1010 Somerset Street West. 4 buildings. Surplus.

7.) 

Major's Hill, Mackenzie Avenue, 4.8613 ha.

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Rideau Hall or Government House during the 1960's. I inherited this photograph.

Will the Government of Canada and the city privatize the following landscapes.

Ownership. Google: "urban natural features strategy, City of Ottawa April 11, 2006."

a.)  Brittania Bay-City, Federal.

b.)  Brittania Conservation Area-City, Federal.

c.)  Carlington Woods - City, Federal, Private.

d.)  Hampton Park Woods - City, Federal.

e.)  Hog's Back Woods - Private, Federal.

f.)  Lemieux Island - City, Federal.

g.)  Montfort Woods - Private, Federal.

h.)  Nepean Creek Corridor - Private, Federal.

i.)  Prince of Wales Woods - City, Federal--- Prince of Wales Drive adjacent to the Farm is being widened from two lanes to four lanes. Google: "Dow's Lake-Glebe Report, June 11,2010."

Why Lebreton should be a Canadian National Park.

1.) The Lebreton Flats were a recreational area for years:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa November 22, 1991. Mr. Mac Harb (Ottawa Centre) "...We have approximately 150 acres of land on Lebreton Flats...In the summer part of the flats is used for camping, balloonists and people who might want to take a walk."

2.)  Lebreton is the western annex to the Parliamentary Precinct.

3.) Politicians and writers have suggested that the land should remain public, including the Hon. John Baird, the Hon. John Manley, Lindsay Lambert and MP Barry Mather:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa October 22, 1969. Mr. Barry Mather, New Democratic Party: "Is the government of Canada giving favourable consideration to the establishment of a national park at the LeBreton Flats in Ottawa?"

4.)  The Lebreton Flats cannot be sold or subdivided because the land is part of a National Interest Land Mass. Gatineau Park is also part of the NILM:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa September 16, 2009. Hon. Gordon O'Connor(Minister of State and Chief Government Whip CPC) "...Gatineau Park is included within the National Interest Land Mass. Such designation indicates a formal expression of the federal government's interest in the long-term use of these lands to create a capital that will inspire Canadians with pride and be passed on as a legacy for future generations."

5.)  Many federal parks in Ottawa have been encroached upon or sold off:

a.) Major's Hill Park-in 1908 and 1990's.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa July 6, 1908. The Hon. Robert Laird Borden (Leader of the Official Opposition) Conservative: "The park is... a portion of the national domain, and a portion of the grounds of parliament." (CONSTRUCTION OF A GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY HOTEL ON MAJOR'S HILL PARK.)

b.)  Mile Circle near Rockcliffe-The meadow is still a federal park: House of Commons Presentation of Petition, April 9, 1986: Mr. Barry Turner (Ottawa-Carleton) Progressive Conservative: "Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to present another petition signed by 34 residents of the National Capital Region who are very much opposed to the National Capital Commission's proposal to turn the Mile Circle into an embassy row. They indicate that Mile Circle was designated in 1925 by the Ottawa Improvement Commission as a national park."

c.)  Land beneath the Daly Building.

d.)  Mooney's Bay Park.

e.)  Queen Juliana.

f.)  Rochester Field on Richmond Road.

g.)  The 84-acre Moffat Farm Veterans Park - City of Ottawa Planning and Development Committee Minutes, February 28, 2002. 1709 Prince of Wales Drive. "...The land in question was acquired by the federal government to commemorate World War 11 veterans and became NCC property in 1960. Mr. Lindsay indicated Moffat Farm was designated in the Regional Official Plan of 1977 and in subsequent amendments of 1988 and 1997 as Waterfront Open Space, which precluded residential development."

"The property was designated for federal land use as a capital park of national interest....Mr. Lindsay, in response to a question from the Ward Councillor noted no parcels along the Rideau River designated Waterfront Open Space have been rezoned to residential in the city in the last 20 years. The Councillor opined this proposal is a rather big first step, to change the use of land in the nation's capital that has been protected since expropriation."

h.) Dow's Lake.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa March 2,1939. Mr. Heaps, Co-operative Commonwealth Federation: "...I know that the federal government has laid out a number of parks here, and open spaces used for playgrounds. To get a fairly accurate understanding we should know what use is being made of these open spaces in order to find out if Ottawa is receiving a square deal from the federal government."

The Hon. Charles Avery Dunning(Minister of Finance and Receiver General.) "Take for example, certain properties of the federal district commission surrounding Dow's lake. What was their actual value before the federal district commission built them up and turned them into the beautiful park which now exists?"

 6.)  The only buildings permitted on the Lebreton Flats are Government of Canada buildings---museums; offices; Library and Archives Canada...:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa March 30, 1966.

The Hon. G.J.McIlraith (Minister of Public Works; Leader of the Government in the House of Commons; Liberal Party House Leader) Liberal: "...In order to improve the foreground to Parliament Hill, the area which can generally be described as consisting of those lands bounded by Wellington Street, Bronson Avenue extended northerly, Nepean Bay, the Ottawa river and Bronson channel, (this land will) be used for the construction of government buildings which need to be located in the central part of Ottawa. It is planned that the first government building to be located in the area will be the new headquarters for the Department of National Defence."

There will be no height limitations on the Somerset towers at Preston.

 

Property Owner: Federal Government ( Public Services and Procurement Canada.) Location: South side of Somerset Street, west of Preston Street.  Site Area: 1.44 ha. excluding closed road allowance.  Height Limit: Minimum of 6.7 m. (within 400 metres of a transit station.)No maximum.Within 230 m of Gladstone (future Line 2 O-Train station.)  Adjacent to Plant Bath, 930 Somerset. (From:"Document 1-Affordable Housing opportunities.)

1010 Somerset Street today, December 2020.

From the article "PWGSC Awards Contract with Respect to Certain Real Estate Assets, September 15, 2006".The following properties were "surplus":

1.)  Tunney's Pasture.

2.)  1010 Somerset, Plouffe Park including Dome.

2.)  Major General George R. Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive.

3.)  Sir John Carling Building, 930 Carling Avenue-demolished.

4.)  National Library and Archives, 395 Wellington - why is a brand new archives building being constructed on Lebreton Flats. All of the buildings included on this list appear to be doomed, or they were privatized.

5.)  Taxation Data Centre, 875 Heron Road, Confederation Heights, River Ward.

From: "Confederation Heights, 1950-2050."

6.)  Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building, 90 Sparks Street, Somerset Ward - Larco.

7.)  Skyline Tower, 1400 Merivale Road, Towers 1 to V11, River Ward - Larco.

8.)  GOC Building, One Front Street West, Toronto - Larco.

9.)  Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive.

10.) RCMP Headquarters, 1200 Vanier Parkway - the federal property was sold to the city for affordable housing.

11.)  Place du Portage Phases 1and 2.

11.)  Place du Portage Phase 111.

12.)  Place du Portage Phase 1V.

more...

14.) National Printing Bureau, 45 Sacre-Coeur Blvd, Gatineau.

The Lincoln Fields Transitway Station, a future site of residential housing.

In my opinion, the City of Ottawa is trying to remove buses from Carling Avenue and the scenic parkways, and force the population into using Light Rail Transit.

Lands West-Lincoln Fields Station.

Property Owner: Federal Government. (National Capital Commission.)

Location: The subject is located in the Lincoln Heights area in the west end of the Old City of Ottawa, north of Carling Avenue and to the east of the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway. (As I have said before one of the joys of my life is travelling by bus on scenic driveways including the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway.) 

Site Area: 0.6 ha. or 1.48 acres.

Planning Considerations: Significant development potential on federally-held land. (NCC.) (From: "Document 1 Affordable Housing Opportunities.")

Kingston, Ontario in 1971.

My sister and I.

 

The Armoury on Montreal Street can be seen in the distance.

The City of Ottawa is closing recreational arenas.

1.)  Tom Brown Skating Arena, 141 Bayview Station Road-2 minutes away from City Centre on 250 City Centre Avenue, where business owners were given two weeks notice to vacate the premises. On December 1, 2020.  

2.)  RCGT Baseball Park, 300 Coventry Road-Site Area: 6.64 ha.Requirement: To disengage from stadium uses.(Google: "Document 1, Affordable Housing Opportunities.") Apparently the baseball park has now been rented for ten years.

3.)  Belltown Dome, 2915 Haughton Avenue -a few minutes by car from where I live in Bayshore.

4.)  McNabb Arena, 180 Percy Street.

5.)  J.A. Dulude Arena, 941 Clyde Avenue, River Ward. 

The future of the Terry Fox Athletic Complex in River Ward is being determined."The City will implement a master redevelopment plan for Mooney's Bay/Terry Fox Athletic Complex".(Google:"Confederation Heights 1950-2050.")

Petition: To save Ottawa's single pad ice rinks. - Change.org. "The City of Ottawa wants to close Tom Brown, Dulude, Belltown Dome, Mcnabb and a few other arenas in the city. These rinks are not only useful but a home for many Minor Hockey Leagues and it's players as well as the communities they're located in." 7,212 signatures are on the petition.

In February of 2020 the city gave away a landmark in Chinatown, the Dalhousie Community Centre:

The former Dalhousie Community Centre, 755 Somerset Street West.Somerset Ward.

The Preston-Carling Area Secondary Plan.

 Planning Area.

"This chapter applies to the Preston-Carling District, bounded on the north by Highway 417 and Orangeville Street; on the east by Rochester Street and Booth Street; on the south by Carling Avenue, Prince of Wales and the Central Experiment(al) Farm, and Norman Street; on the west by Bayswater Avenue, Sherwood Drive, Breezehill Avenue South, Hickory Street, Loretta Avenue South, Beech Street and Railway Street."

Highlights. My comments are italicized.

1.) "The Preston-Carling District is...surrounded by federal government facilities, family-friendly neighbourhoods and an abundant supply of beautiful open spaces." What federal government facilities? What beautiful open spaces? (The exception being Commissioners Park.) Most of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has been decommissioned; Riley Brockington all but admitted that the Observatory is doomed. And a sprawling medical centre is being constructed on the CEF. Ev Tremblay Park cannot expand because of recent and projected real estate developments. 

2.)  "The enhanced public realm throughout the area will allow for festivals such the traditional Italian Week to continuously celebrate the culture and people of this colourful district." Italian Week was celebrated on Juliana Park but now a cluster of the tallest buildings in the city are being built on QJP.  The Department of National Defence Armoury land on 933 Gladstone would have been a beautiful open space but that property has been snapped up.

3.)  "Some of the city's tallest and finest mixed-use buildings will cluster around the Carling Avenue 0-Train/future light rail transit (LRT) station. These buildings will form a new, exciting, and distinctive downtown skyline with transition towards the adjacent stable low-rise residential neighbourhood. Facing Dow's Lake and the Rideau Canal World Heritage Site, one of the most significant tourism and recreation destinations in the National Capital Region, these buildings will collectively present an image that is important not only to the city but also to the entire country." Who wants a Wall of China that separates tourist attractions from the street.

4.)  "The east-west Carling transit corridor will also be enhanced and in the long term will see an at-grade LRT." I cannot understand why this avenue needs an LRT... Unless... thousands of condominium units are projected for:

 the Westgate Mall, Carlingwood Mall and Lincoln Fields;

the grounds of the Civic, which revert to the city when the medical centre is torn down; and vacant land across from the hospital. 

A photograph I took on Canada Day 2019, close to where I live in Bayshore. You can see how busy this 4-lane arterial street is.Sometimes half an hour goes by without one vehicle driving by. LRT? Are you kidding me?

5.)  High rise developments with a height greater than 30 storeys and up to a maximum of 55 storeys may be permitted on properties fronting Carling east of the LRT and west of Norfolk Avenue. Norfolk Avenue is opposite a commemorative landscape that honours Canadian Soldiers.Members of the Dutch Royal Family visited Commissioners Park: Her Majesty Queen Juliana and H.R.H. Prince Bernhard; Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and H.R.H. Princess Margriet. It is a major location for the Tulip Festival.

My Dad gave me this photo of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard at the Tulip Festival, Dow's Lake.

May 18, 1967. An Ottawa Journal article.

Towers greater than 30 storeys tall are permitted on land west of Norfolk Avenue, opposite Commissioners Park.

6.)  Mid-rise development up to nine storeys may be permitted on the property located at 93 to 105 Norman Street. The planning/zoning decision was appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, see "The OMB and Norman Street."

The massive redevelopment of Confederation Heights, Ottawa.

 Confederation Heights is wholly owned by the Government of Canada. However, the City of Ottawa has overstepped their bounds, literally: "City Council shall support the ownership transfer from Public Works and Government Services Canada to the City, those portions of Heron Road and Riverside Drive that traverse the Confederation Heights area to have them formally integrated as part of the arterial road network."

"To satisfy additional recreational needs that may be generated as a result of new development within the employment centre, the City will implement a master redevelopment plan for Mooney's Bay/Terry Fox Athletic Complex."

Confederation Heights properties:Former Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Headquarters, 1500 Bronson Avenue. Sir Leonard Tilley Complex. Sir Charles Tupper Building.Taxation Data Centre. R.A. Centre - The R.A. Centre Woods are protected, Google: "urban natural features strategy, City of Ottawa, Aprl 11,2006."

Nearby: Parks Canada Marina.Vincent Massey Park - National Capital Commission. Mooney's Bay Park - owned by the National Capital Commission, rented by the city.

Confederation Heights, 1950-2050.

Condominiums will be constructed on the Dow's Lake parking lot and Queen Juliana Park.

"FEDCO has approved my motion, moved by Coun. Dudas, to slightly alter the ward boundary between Capital and River Wards, by moving the Dow's Lake Pavilion parking lot into River Ward to ensure the entire Ottawa Hospital project is in one ward." River Ward Councillor Riley Brockington, December 1, 2020. Part of the Experimental Farm was rezoned from Open Space to General Urban Area, to permit the construction of residential towers.The property reserved for the Civic Hospital is Institutional.

.Application #D01 ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT 520 Preston Street, 930 Carling Avenue-Official Plan Amendment-No Appeal. Adopted July 16, 2018. "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. (12 acres) of land designated as Agricultural Research Area within the current Central Experimental Farm boundary and designate these lands as General Urban Area."

According to Ottawa Citizen reporter Jon Willing, the Dow's Lake parking lot will be the focus of redevelopment: "According to the proposed rezoning map, the maximum height for a building in the middle of the hospital land will be about 10 storeys. Closer to the train station, the Preston-Carling secondary plan would kick in. The maximum heights in that plan allow for 20 storeys southwest of the station. The rezoning application also includes the parking lot northwest of the Dow's Lake pavilion. The land would change from an open space and park to a mixed-use centre." (From: "City files application for new Civic hospital land." Jon Willing, August 18, 2017.)

"Group calls for inquiry into Civic hospital move." "Reimagine Ottawa says 2016 decision to move Civic campus to Sir John Carling site lacked transparency."CBC News, January 17, 2018.)

Former Ottawa City Councillor and mayoral candidate Clive Doucet, and other members of Reimagine Ottawa.(CBC News photo.)

"Facing Dow's Lake and the Rideau Canal World Heritage Site:Some of the city's tallest and finest mixed-use buildings will cluster around the Carling Avenue O-Train/future LRT station." (From: Preston-Carling District Secondary Plan-3.0 Vison.)

As I have said before, during the Second World War, temporary buildings were constructed on the Dow's Lake parking lot and 870 Carling Avenue. The Government of Canada stated that the land would always be an open space when buildings #5 and #8 were removed:

Temporary building #5 on the parking lot and temporary #8 on Queen Juliana Park, 870 Carling Avenue. 

Hon. George James McIlraith (Ottawa-West) Liberal-"...Has the minister come to any conclusion as to what will be done with the land on the experimental farm now occupied by the temporary buildings when they are removed?"

Hon. Howard Charles Green (Minister of Public Works): "I take it that the hon. member for Ottawa-West refers to temporary buildings Nos. 5 and 8. For some years the policy has been that when these temporary buildings are torn down nothing will be constructed on the site." (House of Commons, June 16, 1958.)

The people of Canada have already lost 91 acres of the Farm at Clyde and Merivale. Federal Minister of Agriculture John Wise was opposed to that sale, for a massive subdivision including townhouses and senior citizen highrise buildings.  The 22-acre Commissioners Park at Carling and Preston is part of the Greenbelt.

 Prince of Wales Drive is being widened, from two lanes to four lanes.(From: "Dow's Lake-Glebe Report, June 11, 2010.") QJP is on the left and the $4 million dollar Dow's Lake parking lot is on the right.