An open letter to the Rt. Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada. Farms.com

My 2-day visit to the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa - August of 2023.

The Rideau Canal and the Parliament Buildings.  I visited the hotel swimming pool and Zoe's Restaurant, and on Saturday night I saw the fireworks at Lac Leamy in Quebec.

Me, and boats going through the Rideau Canal locks.

The Karsh tribute near the hotel.

Agriculture Canada

A timeline:

2023 - The medical building at 1081 Carling Avenue in Ottawa is being demolished, and shadows from proposed high-rises could affect research at the Experimental Farm across the street.

2023 - High-rises are being built on 780 Baseline Road: "Concerned with shadows casting onto the Central Experimental Farm which could impact the research land," (A comment from "City Of Ottawa As We Heard It Report" January of 2023.) 

2016-2023 - 50 acres of the Farm on Carling Avenue are donated to a hospital. The $4 million dollar Dows Lake parking lot and Queen Juliana Park are now being redeveloped; the designation "National Historic Site of Canada" was removed from 43 acres; Maple Drive and Prince of Wales Drive are being reserved for emergency vehicles; the Arboretum will be impacted if POW Drive is widened; the Historic Hedge Collection was dug up; at least 15 buildings on the Sir John Carling site may be flattened, including the Dominion Observatory campus and William Saunders Building; the Cafeteria Annex was flattened despite the fact that AAFC wanted to preserve the building as a visitor's centre and a museum for an historic insect collection;

2017 - The United Nations agency UNESCO will remove the designation "UNESCO World Heritage Site" from the Rideau Canal if a medical centre is built near the waterway.

August 30, 2002 - "The public fears that many other parklands, like the Experimental Farm and the Arboretum are on the NCC's list for sale." Senator Anne Cools, Senate of Canada in Ottawa.

2001 - 108 acres east of Prince of Wales Drive were destined for a botanical garden. The head of the Council of Canadians Maude Barlow said the project would lead to the privatization of the Farm.

Ottawa Citizen, August 3, 2001.The garden was never established. 

Botanical garden plan alarms Farm fans by Carolynne Wheeler, August 3, 2001:

-The Ottawa Botanical Society will charge $10 to $15 dollars for access to gardens it plans to build south of the arboretum. For the time being access to the Dominion Arboretum is free.

-Curfews are being imposed that prevent amateur astronomers and joggers from enjoying the site during the evening.

-The proposed botanical garden on the east side of Prince of Wales Drive would surround but not swallow the arboretum that is now a haven for nature lovers.

-Phase 1 of the project would fence off about 44 hectares (88 acres) of land now designated for research. It would improve the existing arboretum and (Fletcher) wildlife garden. (The Fletcher Wildlife Garden has a butterfly garden, a fish pond and bridges and they are open to the public and free. And the Arboretum and FWG do not have to be improved. savecfbrockcliffe.)

The Botanical Garden Master Plan in 2001. 

1998 - The NCC paid $1 for the Greenbelt Research Farm in Nepean. 

1997 - More than 50 buildings on the Carling Avenue location were slated for demolition, but the province of Ontario and heritage groups from across Canada saved them. ("The fight for the Farm goes on" Heritage Ottawa newsletter from the spring of 1997.)

1988 - 91 acres at Clyde and Merivale were sold to the City of Ottawa. 

The Experimental Farm is directly north of this proposed development.

780 Baseline Road at the corner of Fisher and Baseline Roads.

 

The current Fisher Heights Plaza.

• Concerned with shadows casting onto the Central Experimental Farm which could impact research land. ( An observation from the website "City of Ottawa As We Heard It Report - January 2023 - 780 Baseline Road.") A Change.org petition has been launched and many homeowners are worried about the impact that high-rise buildings will have on traffic, noise, crime rates, etc,

 More concerns that I have: The towers will block views of the Farm. And the Experimental Farm National Historic Site of Canada has buffer zones that cannot be breached. Also, according to the documents that I read today Agriculture Canada is not involved in the planning of this mega-project.

Canada's Farm

 House of Commons Ottawa May 13, 1988 Mr. David Daubney (Ottawa West): "Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. Will he agree that the Central Experimental Farm partly located in my riding is the flagship of Agriculture Canada's excellent research effort and contributes greatly to the unique beauty and character of the nation's capital. Will he confirm for the House that the Government has no intention of disposing of any part of the Experimental Farm proper, and in particular that part bordered by Merivale and Fisher Avenue in the city of Ottawa?"

The Hon. John Wise (Minister of Agriculture):"Mr. Speaker I appreciate the Hon. Member's continuing interest in the future of the Experimental Farm here in Ottawa. I want to take this opportunity to indicate to him that Agriculture Canada, my Department, has no plans or thoughts whatsoever concerning disposing of any portion of that property at any time. There is no question about that."

"I appreciate also the complimentary remarks the Hon. Member made with reference to that very unique facility. It has made a tremendous contribution to Canadian agriculture. It is one of the four original experimental farms established across Canada over 100 years ago. In fact, next to the Parliament Buildings, the Experimental Farm is the second most popular tourist attraction here in Ottawa."

Some Hon. Members: "Hear, hear!"  (Agriculture Canada was kept in the dark about the fact that 91 acres had already been sold to the city of Ottawa. Reminiscent of the Department of Agriculture and NCC not receiving notice about a recent city planning meeting, about shadows from proposed high rise buildings having a negative effect on Farm research. Thousands of houses, a Walmart and strip malls were built on Farm land at Merivale and Clyde.

The Scouts Canada Headquarters on 1345 Baseline Road is being demolished, the totem pole removed, and at least three high rises will be constructed on the vacant land. The City of Ottawa is taking property from Agriculture Canada, private homes, businesses and Pinecrest Cemetery for a Baseline Road transit project.)

Politicians who wanted to save the land (updating and reposting)

• Prime Ministers of Canada Mackenzie King, Louis St-Laurent, Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney.
• MP Elizabeth May
• MP Richard Cannings
• MP Monique Pauze
• MPP Joel Harden  
• Senator Anne Cools
• Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson: "I think the Central Experimental Farm is a real gem in the city and I don't think the public wants to take an open and green space and have it developed." (friendsofthefarm newsletter, summer of 2013, page 10/12.)
• MP Marlene Catterall
• MP David Bruce Daubney
• City of Ottawa Councillors Jeff Leiper, Catherine McKenney, Shawn Menard and Rawlson King.
• Writer and politician Clive Doucet
• Barnett Danson (Minister of National Defence) (Minister of State for Urban Affairs).
• Agriculture Ministers Sydney Fisher, William Motherwell, Thomas Crerar, James Gardiner, Douglas Harkness, John James Greene, Bud Olson, Eugene Whelan, John Wise and Gerry Ritz.
• Speaker of the House Lloyd Francis
• Deputy House Leader of the Opposition Walter Baker
• Federal Ministers of Public Works Erik Nielsen, George McIlraith, Howard Greene and Lucien Cardin.

Organizations that wanted to save the land. (reposting)

• friendsofthefarm
• Reimagine Ottawa
• Friends of the Central Experimental Farm
• Protect the Farm - Home Facebook
• Saving the Experimental Farm - Heritage Ottawa
• COALITION TO SAVE THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM
• Canadian Council on Food Sovereignty and Health
• Rideau Valley Conservation Authority  (1974)
• Save the Experimental Farm (1975)
• Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
• Contentworks "Coalition's fight to save Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa"
• National Trust for Canada
• SAVE THE FARM - Protest to save our trees and greenspace - Ecology Ottawa
• The Western Producer - Ottawa research farm under threat, November 24, 2016
• National Farmer's Union of Ontario - September 2, 2016.
• Ontario Chapter-Sierra Club of Canada
• Royal Astronomical Society of Canada-Preservation of the Dominion Observatory-A Proposal
• Glebe Community Association
• Glebe Annex Community Association
• Dalhousie Community Association
• Botanica Residents Association
• Champlain Park Community Association

Protected buildings, land and parkways.

• the Dominion Observatory is part of the Parliamentary Precinct. Buildings on or near the Precinct cannot be any higher than the Peace Tower and the campus is surrounded by buffer zones.
• the Booth Barn - The Booth Barn is protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act, after attempts were made to demolish it during the mid-1990's.
• Commissioners Park is included in the Greenbelt. Several people fear that the park will be converted to a parking lot for the Ottawa Hospital in 2028 when the hospital needs more land.
• Scenic Driveways including the Queen Elizabeth, Prince of Wales and NCC Driveway. All of the parkways in the National Capital Region are part of a 900-square-mile National War Memorial that was created in 1945 by Prime Minister Mackenzie King and Jacques Greber. ("The National Capital Commission Scenic Driveway is a tree-covered route flanked with bike trails. All the roads serving the site, with the exception of Prince of Wales Drive are expected to be widened to accommodate a greater density of traffic." From: Regenerating the Experimental Farm, page 30/74.) 
  

  

  A 1974 Ottawa Journal article. Agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan refused to give the National Capital Commission 700 acres during a "housing emergency" in 1974.

  
  

The Greenbelt.

The Research Farm on Woodroffe Avenue is protected by the Greenbelt designation. The property was an annex of the Farm on Carling Avenue. Prime Ministers of Canada (Mackenzie King, Louis St-Laurent, Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney) never wanted housing or commercial buildings on Agriculture Canada land---especially the Carling Avenue Farm. See a 1954 Cabinet document and debates in the House of Commons.

"HAVE YOUR SAY ABOUT THE GREENBELT'S FUTURE! Public Consultation."The Greenbelt consists of over 20,000 hectares of green space, forming a crescent-shaped band that surrounds the nation's capital. It is a living symbol of Canada's rural landscape and ecologically sensitive areas - with a mix of farms, forests and wetlands - which also provides important space for recreational uses, federal institutions and research facilities."

"The Greenbelt is like an 'Emerald Necklace' and exists as a living memorial to the Canadians who gave their lives in the Second World War. Starting at Shirley's Bay just north of Kanata, it circles down through Stony Swamp and Pinhey Forest, then continues east through the experimental farm, where it arcs back northward through Mer Bleue then follows Green's Creek to the Ottawa River. The Greenbelt reaches over a distance of 45 kilometers and ranges in width from two to ten kilometers. The National Capital Commission (NCC) has begun a review of the 1996 Greenbelt Master Plan, which guides how the Greenbelt is used, managed and protected, now and in the future. Join the discussion! As a very first consultation the NCC wants to inform and engage citizens while assessing the Greenbelt's existing conditions. We want to know what you think the Greenbelt's greatest features are." (Google: skyscraperpage forum, waterloo warrier May 29, 2009.) During World War 11 Temporary Buildings No. 5 and No. 8 were built near Dow's Lake and on Queen Juliana park:

Commissioners Park is part of the Greenbelt, the park is visible on the right between Dow's Lake and Carling. Buffer zones cannot be infringed upon.
 Federal Ministers of Agriculture, Public Works and Urban Planning (Erik Nielsen, Howard Green, George McIlraith, Barnett Danson, Eugene Whelan, Bud Olson, John Wise... more) never wanted to see any loss of property boundaries on 960 Carling Avenue. The designations National Historic Site and National Interest Land Mass should have protected the land, greenhouses, museum, barns, laboratories, astronomy buildings, Fletcher Wildlife Garden and scenic driveways.

The Greenbelt is untouchable.

  2067 Greenbelt Vision Statement "The Greenbelt will forever protect natural systems, agriculture and opportunities for outdoor recreation and will inspire Canadians and contribute to the sustainability and quality of life in Canada's Capital Region." (page 53/196.)

The Greenbelt is part of the National Interest Land Mass - "Land forming part of the NILM will be retained by the NCC in perpetuity for purposes which lie at the core of the NCC's mandate." (Google: 1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC.)

City of Ottawa White Paper on Development in the Greenbelt "The City is undergoing an Official Plan Review which, among other things, examines the need for additional land for urban purposes. The Greenbelt contains a large range of facilities that are well used by local residents. These facilities include 100 kilometers of trails used for skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and bird watching; the Stoney Swamp and the Mer Bleue nature areas; the boat launch at Shirley's Bay; the Black Rapids lock station on the Rideau Canal; the campground on Corkstown Road; several toboggan hills; and the National Capital Equestrian Centre...It is estimated that of the 20,800 hectares in the Greenbelt, at least one quarter (approximately 5,560 hectares) might be eligible for development consideration if the Greenbelt designation was removed and the development policies of the City Official Plan were applied to these lands."

Federal politicians who wanted to save the land- (reposting):

• MP Marcel Proulx (Hull-Aylmer, Liberal.)
• Hon. Gordon O'Connor (Carleton-Mississippi Mills, Conservative)
• Hon. John Baird, Minister of the Environment
• Hon. Jim Prentice- Minister of the Environment
• Hon. Mauril Belanger (Ottawa-Vanier, Liberal)
• MP Beryl Gaffney (Nepean, Ontario, Liberal)
• Hon. Don Boudria (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell) Liberal
• MP Royal Galipeau (Ottawa-Orleans, Conservative)
• Hon. David McGuinty (Ottawa South) Liberal
• Hon. Barnett Danson (Minister of State for Urban Affairs) Liberal

  

  An October 8, 1974 front-page article in the Ottawa Citizen: "Danson says no to housing on Farm, Greenbelt."

 Greenbelt properties (reposting):

• Agriculture Canada research farms
• the Greenbelt Research Farm on 1740 Woodroffe Avenue
• Green's Creek Conservation Area
• Hornets Nest soccer fields
• Pine View golf course
• Mer Bleue Conservation Area
• Hylands Golf Club
• The Log Farm
• Bruce Pit
• Conroy Pit
• Lime Kiln trail
• Pinhey Forest
• Stoney Swamp Conservation Area
• Wesley Clover Park - the former Nepean National Equestrian Park and former Ottawa Municipal Campground
• the 19th Tee Driving Range
• Airport land 
• the Connaught National Army Cadet Summer Training Centre
• Shirley's Bay

Federal properties that Canadians may lose.

The Rideau Canal from Ottawa to Kingston. "Parks Canada to look at divesting highways, bridges and dams. Cash-strapped agency examines whether to sell or divest non-heritage assets worth $8.3 B." by Dean Beeby, CBC News, August 26, 2017. Parks Canada does not believe that the waterway has any cultural or heritage value.

The Lebreton Flats - House of Commons Ottawa November 23, 1967 The Hon. George McIlraith (Minister of Public Works): "The Lebreton Flats were envisioned as a western extension of the Parliamentary Precinct. Buildings on or near the Parliamentary Precinct cannot be any taller than the Peace Tower."

Dominion Observatory - "The popularity of the Observatory occurred when it opened in 1905, due to the support of Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Laurier's advocation reinforced the idea that the Observatory was to be considered an arm of the parliamentary precinct." (From: "Journal of the Study of Architecture in Canada" and "Mary Grey and the Architecture of Canada's Dominion Observatory"---Sharon Odell, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.)

Commissioners Park, the Arboretum, Macoun Memorial Garden, vacant land where the Observatory stood, William Saunders Building, Ornamental Gardens, greenhouses, the Booth Barn; research fields...The Ottawa Hospital has indicated that by year 2028 they will need more land. 

Early 1980's.

The Greenbelt - "A million people could live here."- Bill Teron. The City of Ottawa wants 13, 700 acres.

The Confederation Park National Historic Site located at Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue in Ottawa. For a hockey arena ?

Parliament Hill - 

Parliament Hill

The Sparks Street Mall. The Trudeau government bought properties on Wellington Street and the Mall in order to save the heritage buildings, expand the Parliamentary Precinct and prevent the construction of residential towers in the area:

 House of Commons Ottawa July 20, 1973 The Hon. Jean-Eudes Dube (Minister of Public Works) Liberal: "...I wish to announce, Mr. Speaker, that I have today, on behalf of the government, filed a notice of intent to expropriate all the land and buildings in the area bounded by Wellington Street, Elgin Street, Sparks Street and Bank Street.

 The purpose of this expropriation is, as I have indicated, to protect the environment of Parliament from any development which could adversely affect it and simultaneously to provide the land for an appropriate expansion of parliamentary facilities and other government requirements. The property of the United States Embassy has been excluded from this expropriation but discussions are well advanced for its acquisition..."

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More highways, bridges, buildings, land and furniture will be given away or sold. The terms National Historic Site of Canada, Classified Federal Heritage Building, Recognized Federal Heritage Building and National Interest Land Mass mean nothing. The City of Ottawa owns the Mackenzie King Bridge, Laurier Avenue Bridge, Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill, the Prince of Wales Parkway, the Ottawa Teachers College on 195 Elgin Street and (soon) Heron Road and Riverside Drive within Confederation Heights..

Foreign architects are redeveloping government properties across from Parliament Hill. In their planning documents I could not see one Canadian Maple Leaf Flag or the statue of Terry Fox.

The Ottawa Hospital will intrude upon buffer zones.

The Dominion Observatory and Experimental Farm are National Historic Sites of Canada and the Rideau Canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bill S-203-1. Section 2 of the National Capital Act is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order: building or work of national significance means

(a) the grounds in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street, known as Parliament Hill, and any buildings or works located on those grounds;

(b) the Senate of Canada Building located at 2 Rideau Street in the City of Ottawa;

(c) the building located at 1 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;

(d) the Victoria Building, located at 140 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;

(e) the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, located at 140 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;

(f) the Wellington Building, located at 180 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;

(g) the Confederation Building, located at 229 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;

(h) the Justice Building, located at 249 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;

(i) the Supreme Court of Canada Building, located at 301 Wellington Street in the City of Ottawa;

(j) any place that has been commemorated as a historic site under paragraph 3(a) of the Historic Sites and Monuments Act;

(k)) a national historic site as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Parks Canada Agency Act, and

(l) any prescribed building or work.

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House of Commons Ottawa February 9, 1998 Member of Parliament Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West-Nepean, Lib.) "Mr. Speaker, last week the Secretary of State for Parks and the minister of agriculture designated the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa as a national historic site..."

 Bill S-203 should prevent the removal of land from Parliament Hill and the Supreme Court of Canada for a tram project, and the loss of Baseline Road and Carling Avenue property for road widening. The last time Carling Avenue was widened, several heritage buildings were flattened including the North Azimuth.

 Two separate documents allude to the possibility of mass demolition so that the "new build" can proceed. more

The Rideau Canal will no longer be a UNESCO World Heritage Site if the Chateau Laurier and Ottawa Hospital move ahead with their plans. more
 

Permanent changes.

1.) "The National Capital Commission Scenic Driveway is a tree-covered route flanked with bike trails. All of the roads serving the site with the exception of Prince of Wales Drive are expected to be widened to account for a greater density of traffic." (Regenerating the Experimental Farm, 2016, page 30/74.)

"Prince of Wales Drive adjacent to the Farm is being widened from 2 lanes to 4 lanes." (Dow's Lake-Glebe Report, June 11, 2010.) 

The National Capital Commission transferred Prince of Wales Drive to the Municipality of Ottawa. "The parkways which now run through the Farm, the Driveway which is owned by the National Capital Commission and Prince of Wales Drive which is owned by the Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton are scenic roadways which link the Farm to the city and reinforce the distinctive character of the historic place." (The Ottawa Hospital, Official Documentation for the Hospital Master Plan, pages 7 and 8.)

Prince of Wales Drive should always be owned by the citizens of Canada:"The scenic highways in the National Capital Region are dedicated to the memory of Canadian soldiers who died fighting in foreign wars. They will be owned by the citizens of Canada in perpetuity." (The Greber Report, page 280/395.)

"Prince of Wales Drive is part of a network of scenic highways that were created by Frederick Todd, Herbert Holt and Jacques Greber. Approximately 13.5 kilometres of scenic parkways were constructed by the Ottawa Improvement Commission and the Federal District Commission preceding 1945. That network included:

• the former Lady Alexandra Drive along the banks of the Ottawa River through Rockcliffe Park to Government  House.
• Lady Grey Drive
• Island Park Drive
• the Champlain Bridge
• Queen Elizabeth Drive along the Rideau Canal and through the Experimental Farm to Carling Avenue."

2.) Relocation of the intersection of Ash Lane and Winding Lane.

3.)"I have several times mentioned to developers or their agents that they should be going after the Sir John Carling Building, which the Feds propose to raze to the ground, even though all the grassy area between it and Carling is already zoned for high-rises. The obsolete office building should be gutted, reclad and sold out as condos." (West Side Action, November 18, 2011.)

The grassy area between the Sir John Carling Building and Carling Avenue was called Queen Juliana Park. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau gave the park to the people of Canada in 1976 after the National Capital Commission banned the following activities on Commissioners Park---Canada Day and Italian Week festivities; fundraising for different organizations etc. (Google: "Stop the rezoning of Parks to Condos-Queen Juliana in Little Italy.") The Minister of Public Works Mr. McIlraith told the House of Commons that no buildings would be permitted on the land after the World War 11 Temporary Buildings were removed. House of Commons June 16, 1958. And Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent signed a Privy Council Order in Council on March 19, 1954, declaring that the entire Experimental Farm would remain "an open area" in perpetuity.

The William Saunders Building in 1940. All of the trees and green space north of the building are being taken over by a medical centre.

4.) Most of Birch Drive will disappear. Photos are included in the friendsofthefarm newsletter:

HEADS UP! ROAD CLOSURE ON BIRCH DRIVE:

• Section of Birch Drive closed on July 11, 2022 at the new hospital site.
• Birch Drive closure at Maple Drive and bulldozer, August 16, 2022.
• "Construction Site". Birch Drive closed near the William Saunders Building, August 16, 2022. (friendsofthefarm newsletter, Fall of 2022, Volume 34, page 3/12.)