The Civic Hospital will intrude upon National Historic Sites of Canada and buffer zones.

Parks Canada-Protection and Ownership of the Rideau Canal.

Chapter 5 

Role of the Government of Canada. The Government of Canada is the owner of the property by virtue of the British North America Act. (1867). Protective designations: Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada (1926); Historic Sites and Monuments Act (1952-53); Department of Transport Act (1985)-Historic Canal Regulations.

Role of the Government of Ontario. "The province provides a framework for protecting cultural resources through the Ontario Heritage Act (1990)." "The Planning Act (1990) provides direction for municipal land-use planning in Ontario, to ensure that the province's interests are adhered to when local plans are formulated. Matters of interest include the protection of natural and cultural shore lands, both of which are important components of the canal."

 Role of Conservation Authorities.Conservation authorities are mandated under the Conservation Authorities Act (1990) to ensure the protection, restoration and effective management of Ontario's water resources, wetlands, woodlands and natural habitats."

Role of Municipalities. "Through the Ontario Planning Act, the Parks Canada Agency has the right to intervene in proposed development applications should it believe that the development will in any way, negatively affect the nominated property...Although the occasions when this has happened have been rare, the Parks Canada Agency has made successful interventions related to proposed developments."

A view of Dow's Lake from the Rideau Canal's Hartwell Lockstation.

The Rideau Canal, the Farm and Dominion Observatory Campus are National Historic Sites of Canada. And the Farm became a National Interest Land Mass in 1988 and the only institutions permitted on the land are federal libraries and archives; Agriculture Canada barns, laboratories, greenhouses and museums, etc. and the 100-year-old DARA Tennis Club.

Buffer Zones 

 A June 18, 2021 letter from Heritage Ottawa to Sean Moore, Planner, City of Ottawa: Re: Ottawa Hospital Master Plan.

"Hello Mr. Moore: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Hospital's Master Plan for the Sir John Carling site (SJC site.) As you know, Heritage Ottawa's mandate is to advocate for the protection and public appreciation of Ottawa's built heritage and special places. That said, we are particularily focused on impacts to the Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site upon which the hospital stands; the federally-designated buildings (FHBRO) on the Farm that are nearby; and the Rideau Canal NHSC and World Heritage Site (WHS)"

"Given the importance of the original picturesque landscape qualities for the benefit of patient health, this review will also be looking at the landscape treatment of the hospital site itself."

Impacts to the CEF NHSC, Federal-Designated Structures and the Rideau Canal NHSC/WHS.

"The Hospital committed to respecting and embracing the picturesque qualities of its site, not just out of respect for the surrounding historic properties, but even more so for the health benefits that such a naturalized setting confers on patients, staff and visitors. In the spirit of that commitment Heritage Ottawa offers these observations:

1.)  Buffering between the Hospital and the Farm seems to be a modest line of trees, which does not appear to rise to the height or width of an effective separating berm. This has significant impacts on the Dominion Observatory Complex, the Saunders Building, the Nutrition Building (Building #59) and Heritage House (Building # 60), all Recognized Federal Heritage Buildings. Recommendation: Create a substantial buffer (berm and plantings) between the SJC site and the CEF (certainly possible on the parking lot of the future Heart Institute) with trees and complementary vegetation that will provide a suitable buffer year-round.

2.)  There does not appear to be any kind of buffer between the staff parking and the Dominion Observatory Complex. 

3.)  Surface Parking: The Hospital originally asserted that there would be no surface parking, but now the Master Site Plan indicates a considerable amount of the site as surface parking.

4.)  Parkade: The Hospital also originally promised no above-ground parking. While only rising to four storeys above grade, the parkade nevertheless presents a prominent elevation towards the Rideau Canal NHSC & WHS. Height is not particularly the issue: rare is the parking garage that elicits gasps of wonder at the brilliance of its design. Gasps of horror, usually.

UNESCO has already identified the proposed Hospital as a potential threat to the integrity of the Rideau Canal World Heritage Site. This would provide more reason for scrutiny.

5.)  The Dominion Observatory Complex may once again become a functioning observatory for educational purposes. Recommendation: Minimizing light pollution from the buildings and from suitable landscape treatment and road lighting so as not to interfere with the Observatory Complex (and also not to impact negatively on the nearby residential neighbourhoods.)

6.)  Bird Life contributes to the environmental and heritage value of the site. Situated as it is between the Arboretum and mature trees, the Hospital should take care with the surfacing of the buildings, especially the patient towers.

7.)  Planning for a Winter City:

8.)  The entrance off Maple Drive is very close to the buildings of the Dominion Observatory Complex, especially the South Azimuth Building. It is,as the CHIS explains, under threat during construction and then subsequently during day-to-day access to the Hospital by emergency and other vehicles, including slow-moving farm vehicles. 

9.)  Maple Drive and the entrance off of Prince of Wales Drive are not for the exclusive use of emergency vehicles as the Master Plan asserts.