The Trees - Part 1.

House of Commons Ottawa, September 21, 2011-Statements by Members: Mr. Royal Galipeau (Ottawa-Orleans, CPC): "Mr. Speaker, six months ago the House proclaimed National Tree Day. That day has arrived. We have a worldwide reputation for our wildlife, clean air and beautiful communities. For that we should thank trees. We all have a role to play in planting, growing and protecting trees."

Heritage Conservation Districts are protected by Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act: The Booth Barn on the CEF is protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

Isabella Preston's crabapple trees lined Prince of Wales Drive on the CEF.

OTTAWA HOSPITAL MASTER PLAN ON The Central Experimental Farm.

"It has generally been agreed that a new Ottawa hospital is necessary. The question is, where is the most suitable location, considering accessibility, land and financial cost. The primary site with it's master plan has been selected by the Ottawa hospital board (OHB) and City Council to be the Central Experimental Farm (CEF), although the planners in both the City and the National Capital Commission (NCC) plus the public recommended the Tunney's Pasture site over CEF for various physical and heritage reasons. I understand...that even the Toronto Hospital Board on review of the proposal strongly recommended the Tunney's Pasture site over the CEF. Who are they that they have the final say on the leasing of the CEF for this plan?" 

Number one is Agriculture and Ag-Food Canada. The main question is what is the Ministers' long term plan and goal for the CEF? It is Ag Can's heritage and historic site and above all, the beginning of Ag research in Canada.

Second player is Parks Canada (PC) and its' historic sites and monuments branch. The CEF was granted and certified the status as a NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE in 1998 and is also recognized as a WORLD HERITAGE SITE. The CEF is known as only one of three known functioning research farms within the centre of a city in the world. As a NHS it does not just mean the protection of its buildings, but includes green space, gardens, walkways and in this case most significantly TREES.The extensive use of green space which is part of what is considered the lung of the City and the culling of 100 year old trees in unbelievable. It is equivalent to those who recently for other reasons, demolished statues of the Queen, Sir John A. our founding father and others. 

"Sir John Carling selected William Saunders of London Ontario, a noted tree expert as the first Director of Agricultural Research and who selected the CEF site in 1886 and he immediately began planting trees donated by Russia, England, Jamaica, Japan, California and Minnesota along Maple, Elm Drive and what we now know as the NCC driveway, researching their hardiness to our climate."

"This was the beginning of the Arboretum. The Dominion Arboretum today between Prince of Wales and Dows Lake started in 1889. The plantings of Saunders donated trees made all the Farm the Arboretum."

"According to the present 'master plan' 680 trees will be removed, (cut down.)" (From: Peter Elliott, Friends of the Farm, August 3, 2021.)