City of Ottawa temporary buildings.

Front page of the Ottawa Journal, October 5, 1977.

 During the Second World War many temporary buildings were constructed---on Green Island; Wellington Street where the Library and Archives are now located; beside the Supreme Court of Canada; between the Daly Building and Revenue Canada Headquarters.

Temporary buildings 6 and 9 were on Sussex Drive where the American Embassy is now located. Building number 5 was on the Dow's Lake parking lot and number 8 was on the Experimental Farm//Queen Juliana Park.

After the Dow's Lake and Experimental Farm offices were demolished the government of Canada promised that the land would always be an open space:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa June 16, 1958. Hon. George James McIlraith (Ottawa Centre) Liberal: "Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the minister is now prepared to make the statement he said he would make concerning the policy of the government with respect to buildings on the central experimental farm."

The Hon. Charles Howard Green (Vancouver Centre) Minister of Public Works; Leader of the Government in the House of Commons; Progressive Conservative House Leader; Progressive Conservative: "The policy is that no buildings will be built on the central experimental farm except buildings for the Department of Agriculture."

Mr. Mcilraith: "If I may pursue the question a bit further, has the minister come to any conclusion as to what will be done with the land on the experimental farm when they are removed?"

Mr. Green: "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 when the temporary buildings are torn down nothing will be constructed on the site."

Mr. McIlraith: "I want to commend the minister for continuing the policy set out a few years ago  by the Liberal administration in that regard."

Temporary buildings No. 8 (the Experimental Farm) and No. 5 (Dow's Lake) are visible. Once they were removed, no other buildings were permitted to replace them. Eric Darwin-West Side Action photo.

This is what the Mayor, local politicians and the National Capital Commission envision for Dow's Lake and the Farm. Image is from "Reimagine Ottawa" by Clive Doucet. The land has already been rezoned from "Open Space" to "Mixed Use."

This property was untouchable, according to Canadian Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent; Federal Minister of Public Works Howard Charles Green; the Hon. George McIlraith and the document "The Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site Management Plan (7 of 20), Government of Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.":

"Parks Canada's Rideau Canal Management Plan serves as a key land use planning document for lands situated in the immediate vicinity of the Rideau Canal National Historic Site i.e. CEF lands abutting Dow's Lake and the Rideau Canal."

"In particular, back shore land use and development is expected to protect open space and ensure compatible activities with the historic character of the Canal."

"Views to the Canal from the Arboretum from other lands east of Prince of Wales Drive are also to be protected."

Queen Juliana Park was the location of Temporary Building No. 8.