Why does the government of Canada want to demolish the Dominion Observatory campus?

1966.

Dominion Observatory - #1.  Observatory House - #2.  Geophysical Laboratory - # 3.  Seismology Survey Building - #7.  South Azimuth on Maple Drive - was # 4 in the year 1966 and is now #8.  Photo Equatorial - was #5 in 1966 and is now #9. The Zenith Transit Telescope, #9; and buildings #3 and #8 in the 1966 photo were removed.

 The Observatory Campus was originally part of a land deal between the federal government of Canada and the Civic Hospital Corporation. But the powers that be reconsidered that location. However, the Civic does not want irregular parcels of land. And a local councillor in Ottawa cannot guarantee that the Civic will retain the buildings---the Civic demolished the Sir John Carling cafeteria annex fairly recently: "Counc. Riley Brockingon, who represents the newly leased land, has been trying to lock into the lease conditions that would preserve as many existing buildings as possible, such as the domed building that used to hold the Dominion Observatory. He was not invited to the signing, he said." (From: "Reevely-Feds say they''ll pay $11.8 million to clean up new Civic site." Ottawa Citizen, February 23, 2018.)

The entire Central Experimental Farm was designated a National Historic Site by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in 1998:

House of Commons Ottawa February 9, 1998 - Statements in the House - MP Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West-Nepean) Liberal:" Mr. Speaker, last week the Secretary of State for Parks and the minister of agriculture designated the Central Experimental Farm as a national historic site. This does not mean that the farm will be frozen in time. It will continue to evolve as it has for 111 years but it will evolve in a way that is consistent with the important contribution it has made to agriculture in Canada and internationally."

"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. The people of this region are proud of the nation's capital and its national institutions. I know they will want to contribute to and be part of planning the future of the Central Experimental Farm, our newest national historic site."

The Central Experimental Farm, site No. 11, the Sir John Carling location:

• On this site we have at least 24 buildings including Buildings 1 to 9, the Natural Resources Campus (including the Dominion Observatory.)
• Number 20, the K.W. Neatby Building and the Oilseed Research Centre.
• Extensive demolition or relocation of buildings is required to allow for the new build to proceed. (From: "The New Civic Campus: A 21st Century Hospital in the Heart of Canada's Capital, April 2016" page 10/76.)

Boundaries Located on the northeast portion of the the CEF. The parcel is bounded by Carling Avenue, Maple and Birch Drives, Prince of Wales Drive and the Central Experimental Farm Pathway and Queen Juliana Park.

Advantages of site #11.  (1) Meets land criteria if outside of the current boundaries of Sir John Carling site-test fit shows how 60 acres fit and the boundaries of the outlines.

(2) Meets location criteria of being in the centre core. While not as close as CEF-West or CEF-Central site, the access from Highway 417 via Carling Avenue or Parkdale Avenue is still very effective. Location overlooks Queen Juliana Park with potential for direct synergies for wellness amenities and recreational relationships within the neighbourhood and the community.

(3) Meets land access criteria - access from Highway 417 and potential access from Carling Avenue and Prince of Wales Drive.

(4) Meets transportation criteria - access from Highway 417 and Carling Avenue. Will take longer as it is somewhat farther than CEF-Central and CEF - West. Potential access from both Carling Avenue and Prince of Wales Drive. Option integrates well with major road system for patient, visitor and emergency vehicle access. Public transportation runs along this route. Option allows for effective integration of mass transit plan in future (bus, light rail, etc.)

(5) Meets criteria to support future expansion.

(6) Minimal community impact.

(7) Potential to integrate existing mature trees.

(8) Meets infrastructure criteria.

(9) Meets patient access proximity criteria.

(10) No impact on research plot - need affirmation from AAFC.

Disadvantages of site #11.

(1) Irregular boundaries.

(2) Located adjacent to a known fault line (need to confirm that the site will meet the hospital post-disaster building construction requirement.)

(3) Increase in height/depth of parking structure required based on tight density.

(4) Inability to maintain program adjacencies with connected buildings due to site configuration.

(5) Incompatibility with the scale of adjacent buildings.

(6) Traffic will increase on Prince of Wales Drive and the National Capital Commission Driveway.

(7) Will need to review the impact of Prince of Wales Drive being used as the secondary access for service vehicles, etc.

(8) CEF is a National Historic Designation.

(9) This location has the tightest site density.

(10) Potential impact on the community living near Prince of Wales Drive if the traffic volume increases.

(11) During construction neighbourhood may be impacted.

(12) Capital costs would be significantly higher in this location.

House of Commons Ottawa - The removal of the telescope from the Ottawa Dominion Observatory in 1970.

House of Commons Ottawa September 18, 1968 - Cancellation of the Queen Elizabeth Observatory in the Okanagan Boundary, British Columbia - Member of Parliament Bruce Andrew Thomas Howard (Okanagan Boundary) Liberal: "I have now spoken for several minutes on the waters of the earth. I think it is only fitting that I should raise my sights and talk about the stars in the heavens."

"I am sure that all the hon. members of this house will understand that peculiar feeling of dismay that I had when, upon barely arriving in Ottawa as the eager new member for Okanagan Boundary riding, I switched on the television and learned that the largest federal project under development in my riding, the Queen Elizabeth observatory, had been cancelled. My mind went back to the warm summer day two years ago when the then minister of energy, mines and resources officially opened the road to the top of Mount Kobau. There were very high hopes that day. The minister said in his remarks: "Now instead of the four freedoms we have five freedoms-for we have added the right of every Canadian to look through the best telescope in the world and see the stars!"

"Yes, it was to be the best telescope in the world for, even though it was not the largest mirror, it was to be made better so that Canada would be ahead of the world in astronomy. In a report of April of this year by the dominion astrophysics observatory at Victoria it is stated: A comparison of this blank and inspection reports from all recent blanks over 103 inches indicate that it is by far the best large mirror ever made. Now this is all finished."

" Like the smashing of the Arrow we are going to throw the great project on the scrap heap. The scientists that would have been Canadians will now give the benefits of their talents to other countries. It reminds me of that song from the thirties that went "I built a tower to the sky. Now it's done. Buddy, can you spare a dime." We have been told that the failure of the project was because of financial considerations. Surely at some time in the future, a nation such as Canada can find the money to complete such a noble project. But wait: We are going to sell the mirror. The best piece of optical glass ever made is going to be sold on the second hand market. Like impoverished nobility, we are going to pawn the family jewels for some pittance in a second hand store.