Zoning laws that prevent the Civic Hospital from building on the Farm. Part 2.

1.) Entry Zone - Prince of Wales Drive is a Scenic Entry Zone and I would assume that Maple Drive is included in that designation.

2.) National Cultural Institutions - The Agriculture Museum; a museum on the John Carling site to house national seed and insect collections.

3.) Rural Lands - The research fields.

Waterway and Shore Lands - Rideau Canal and nearby Experimental Farm shore lands.

Capital Parkway - Prince of Wales Drive north of the traffic circle and NCC Driveway.

Capital Urban Greenspace - Lands east of Prince of Wales.

Federal Node - Lands near Carling.

Capital Pathway Network - Recreational pathways running through the Farm. See the document "Integrated Network of Recreational Pathways for the NCR".

Pathways along the Arboretum.

1.) Entry Zone - The character defining elements of the Entry Zone are:

• Expansive lawn areas with mature specimen trees and curving paths.

• Long, framed vistas and varied, dramatic topography.

• Overlooks to Dow's Lake and the Rideau Canal.

• Roadways designed in the parkway tradition.

Design Directions - "...No new buildings or significant hard landscape features should interrupt the predominance of the soft landscape and the pastoral quality of this zone. The only suitable site for buildings is in the vicinity of the existing group of buildings near the traffic circle that support the Arboretum; a building in this area is only justified in relation to the management and expansion of research related to the tree collection."

"A new structure in this location should be designed and sited to integrate with existing buildings to create a meaningful "family" grouping. The environmental resources of this zone including wetland, woodland and grassland sub-zones, as identified in the City of Ottawa "Natural and Open Space Study (NOSS)" should be protected and enhanced..."

"The sense of open public access into and throughout the Entry Zone is integral to its landscape character and should be improved with upgraded pathways, signage and seating. Introduction of fences should be avoided."

Lawn Analysis: "Lawn is a primary component of the historic landscape character in the entry and core zones...The use of lawn should be maintained as the dominant groundcover in the Central Experimental Farm."

The William Saunders Building and the Central Green. Land north of the Saunders Building is being taken over by the hospital.

2.) A Zone for National Cultural Institutions -  "The historic role of this zone as the meeting place for the public and scientists interested in agricultural research and excellence should be the inspiration for the redevelopment of all sites within this zone to reinforce a sense of a research campus. Initiatives in support of this objective should include:

• Rehabilitation of the NCC Driveway as the 'Main Street' of the Central Experimental Farm with reference to historic photographs.

• Redevelopment of the Carling Building site to become a visitor's centre and to house the national seed and insect collections. (Note: The Sir John Carling Building cafeteria was identified as the venue for a visitor's centre and a museum but the cafeteria was demolished by the hospital.)

• Expansion of the research facilities in the vicinity of the Neatby building, including a major new greenhouse research area.

3.)  Rural Lands - the research fields. "The expansive fields, plots and shelterbelts are valued for the open fields which underscore the agricultural character of the place, and which are essential to an understanding of both the historic and on-going function of scientific agricultural research and to the understanding of 'a farm within the city'. (Note: The City of Ottawa is planning to annex a large part of Baseline Road Experimental Farm land for a public transit project. And during the mid-1970's Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau refused to transfer 700 acres of the Farm to the National Capital Commission for a housing development.. The land stretched from Clyde Avenue and Baseline open fields to Prince of Wales Drive. I am re-posting an Ottawa Journal article from 1974:

The 700-acre land grab that never happened.