Rochester Field on Richmond Road is being taken over by housing.

 The Cole and Rochester families sold Maplelawn to the Federal District Commission, now known as the National Capital Commission. The Deed stipulated that the land would remain a green space, for Canadians to enjoy in perpetuity. However, condominiums will be constructed and 40 trees have already been chopped down. Rochester Field was a popular location for soccer players and people walking their dogs. Ottawa Councillor Jeff Leiper wanted the park to be preserved.

Rochester Field is being redeveloped. July 17, 2020. (I am reposting my article). The City of Ottawa rezoned the property in order to facilitate the construction of apartments along Richmond Road. This is what local politician Diane Holmes told reporter David Reevely:

"The Development Review Services Branch is responsible for processing development applications. It has become increasingly apparent that this branch no longer represents the citizens or neighbourhoods in this ward...Input from the general public is generally disregarded because this branch considers residents comments to be NIMBY comments...The branch provides support to any application with little or no recognition or consideration of the neighbourhood wants or needs. This is happening throughout the ward where applications are submitted before the developer and the community have a chance to sit down and discuss the proposal. You want to add 10 extra storeys on your building? Fine by us. You don't want to provide visitor parking? Use street parking instead. Too many trees in front of your building? No problem, we'll remove them." (Ottawa Citizen, May 16, 2014). 

Intensification is being forced on Government of Canada real estate near LRT stations:

• 933 Gladstone
• Lebreton Flats
• 80-90 Bayview Road
• 1010 Somerset Street West

Canada does not have a ruling class that owns castles and vast expanses of land. It has become apparent during this epidemic, this quarantine, that we need green spaces for our mental and physical health. Access to public land is a human right, a God-given right. We need sunlight and trees and space. I think of all the people and their pets who are confined to apartments without air conditioning. Who are suffering and dying. Children who do not have back yards or access to playgrounds and parks, who are suffering from "Nature Deficit Disorder," How traumatic that must be.

Our children may not be Their Royal Highnesses, or the progeny of high tech billionaires or legendary musicians. But they have the right to enjoy Mother Nature, which was created by God for all of Mankind, not for a privileged few.

Federal parklands that Canadians may lose in the future:

• Rochester Field
• Queen Juliana Park on 870 Carling Avenue
• Commissioners Park - According to an article in "The Glebe Report" the 22-acre landscape may be needed for parking by the Ottawa Hospital.
• Major's Hill Park - was part of Parliament Hill at one time, and it was Ordnance and Admiralty land used for the defence of Canada. 
• The Mile Circle near Rockcliffe 

Amy's Corner by Amy Kempster---Champlain Speaker, March 2004, Volume 23, Number 6 "The land closest to our community is west and north of Maplelawn fronting on Richmond Road. If the NCC wins the appeal (with the Ontario Municipal Board) they could then ask for a zoning amendment. Their appeal states that this parcel is not deemed to form part of the 'National Interest Land Mass'..."

"In his campaign literature our councillor suggested he would ask the city to obtain the Maplelawn field (Rochester Field) for a park, so perhaps he knew it was in danger of disposal."

The City of Ottawa and the National Capital Commission are ignoring traffic studies, environmental reports and the will of the people:

• Save Little Italy
• Alliance to Save Our Greenbelt
• Save Our Greenspace!
• Friends of Rochester Field
• Ontario Chapter Sierra Club of Canada
• Friends of the Central Experimental Farm
• Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Association
• Save Mooney's Bay
• Moffat Farm Citizen's Coalition-2002
• Save Mile Circle-1986
• Saving the Central Experimental Farm-Heritage Ottawa
• Protect the Farm-Home-Facebook
• Save the Farm-1975
• Save the Central Experimental Farm-Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
• SAVE THE FARM-Protest to save our trees and green space-Ecology Ottawa
• The National Trust for Canada

This is our land Take away the No Trespassing and Private Property signs. And the Gates of Hell that stop the people of Canada from entering property that should be in the public domain.