Thursday, February 22, 2024

The parkways.

 House of Commons Ottawa June 1, 1970 Mr. Skoberg (Moose Jaw) New Democratic Party: "Is the National Capital Commission giving favourable consideration to the development of a plan which would eliminate automobiles from the downtown area of Ottawa?"

Mr. Martin P. O'Connell (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Regional Economic Expansion) "...At present, no plans exist for the elimination of automobiles from downtown Ottawa."

House of Commons Ottawa May 15, 1970 Mr. Duncan Gordon Blair (Grenville-Carleton) Liberal: "...Is the government aware of a statement or statements to the press by the Chairman of the National Capital Commission to the effect that he might close the national capital parkways in this region for a week, for the strange inquiries of "Proving their importance in carrying traffic". The second part of my question is whether the Acting Prime Minister can assure the House that the government will not permit the people of this area this inconvenience  (caused) by the disruption that this extraordinary and senseless experiment will cause."

Hon. George J. McIlraith (Acting Prime Minister and Solicitor-General of Canada): "This statement has caused concern and I am very doubtful that the Chairman has any such authority under the National Capital Act passed by this Parliament."

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The scenic highways in the National Capital Region are part of the National Interest Land Mass and they cannot be de-paved, sold or given away. "Land forming part of the NILM will be retained by the National Capital Commission on behalf of the government in perpetuity."

"Federal, scenic highways and parks 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." (1950 Greber Report, page 228/395.)

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Scenic driveways in the National Capital Region in 1984 and 1985, the NCC Annual Report:

  • Ottawa River Parkway
  • Airport Parkway
  • Eastern Driveway
  • Queen Elizabeth Drive
  • Hog's Back Road
  • Rockcliffe Park Driveway
  • Queensway
  • Island Park Driveway
  • Station Boulevard
  • Experimental Farm Drive
  • Other Parkways
Quebec Parkways in 1984 and 1985
  • Gatineau Parkway
  • Voyageur Parkway
  • Philemon Wright
  • Northern Entrance
  • Hull South
  • Secteur Fournier
  • Lac des Fees Parkway

The following parkways and corridors were part of Canada's landscape in 1988:

  • Ottawa River Parkway-Wellington Street to Carling Avenue - 254 ha.
  • Champlain Bridge, Island Park Drive -15 ha.
  • Airport - 120 ha.
  • Eastern Parkway Hemlock Road to Highway 417 - 72 ha.
  • Eastern Driveway and Rockcliffe Parkway from Sussex Drive to Greenbelt - 255 ha.
  • Ottawa River Shoreline - proposed Voyageur Parkway - 84 ha.
  • Leamy Lake Park and part of Philemon Wright Corridor - 285 ha.

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The parkways are "relics of the 20th century" and de-paving them would create billions of dollars of surplus Crown real estate. (Ottawa Citizen interview, February 25, 2014.)

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 Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre discovered that the Dow's Lake parking lot is worth $4,021,000. The land has been rezoned as mixed-use and not institutional. The Dow's Lake parking lot was donated to a hospital.

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"Why is the NCC letting these parkways go dark?" CBC News October 23, 2023 by Alistair Steele. Only 83 of the 229 street lights on the Queen Elizabeth Driveway are working, every single streetlight on Colonel By Drive is out, and the scenic driveway through the Experimental Farm is completely dark.

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Petition for the NCC to restore access to the Gatineau Park Parkways. "This is a petition for the NCC to restore access to the Champlain Parkway, Gatineau Parkway and Fortune Parkway in Gatineau Park. Parkways are closed to motor vehicles except for a few hours on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

When the federal highways are closed, 13 parking lots with 377 free spaces are inaccessible;

1.) Pink Lake Lookout - 9 spaces

2.) Pink Lake Trail - 40 spaces

3.) Waterfall Trail - 18 spaces

4.) Lauriault Trail and Picnic Area - 30 spaces

5.) Mulvihill Lake and Picnic Area - 42 spaces

6.) King Mountain Trail and Picnic Area - 42 spaces

7.) Bourgeois Lake - 15 spaces

8.) Huron Lookout - 32 spaces

9.) Etienne Brule Lookout  and Picnic Area - 35 spaces

10.) Keogan Shelter - 34 spaces

11.) Fortune Lake Lookout - 9 spaces

12.) Penguin Picnic Area - 12 spaces

13.) Champlain Lookout - 64 spaces.

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