Petition to STOP the Planned Permanent Closure of the Queen Elizabeth Driveway. Change.org.

 As I mentioned before, all the National Capital Region scenic parkways are dedicated to the memory of Canadian soldiers who lost their lives in foreign wars. The parkways will be owned by Canadians in perpetuity. (Greber Report of 1950, page 228/395.)

The driveways are protected by the Greenbelt and National Interest Land Mass designations.

 QE Driveway is also a Cultural Heritage Landscape: The value of the parkway lies in its associations with:

• The creation of Ottawa's Capital identity.
• Parkway urban design principles as they evolved from the early to the mid-20th century.
• Ottawa urban beautification projects.
• The value of the Queen Elizabeth Driveway also lies in its continuing contributions to:
• Urban design in Ottawa.
• Capital identity, including its use as the location of activities such as the Tulip Festival and Winterlude. (From: "Definition and Assessment of Cultural Landscapes of Heritage Value on NCC Lands" by Julian Smith and Associates, Contentworks, December of 2004.)

Heritage Ottawa wants the QE Drive to be a National Historic Site of Canada. The idea was put forward in November of 2024.

Directory of Federal Real Property Queen Elizabeth Drive

• Property Number: 02906
• Custodian: National Capital Commission
• Interest: Crown Owned
• Restriction: No Restriction
• Primary Use: Transportation Land
• Address: Queen Elizabeth Drive
• Place Name: No Data
• Municipality: Ottawa
• Province/Territory: Ontario
• Census Classification: Rural
• Land Area: 30.9207 ha (76 acres)
• Building Count: 1
• Floor Area: 93.32 sq. m.
• Record Created On: July 30th, 1998
• Record Last Modified On: November 9th, 2023

The scenic highways.

House of Commons Ottawa July 22, 1960 Mr. Thomas Miller Bell, Carleton, Progressive Conservative (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada): "Among the new projects to be undertaken, I believe the Ottawa River parkway takes the highest priority. Properly designed, it will be an almost revolutionary addition to our parkway system. To the whole capital it will give new character, added personality and distinction."

House of Commons Ottawa March 3, 1977 Mr. Walter Baker (Grenville-Carleton): "In view of the importance of roads, which was mentioned by the hon. member who has just resumed his seat, and in view of the importance of the quality of life, the movement of traffic and the general enhancement of the national capital, would the minister look into reactivating plans for the completion of the National Capital Commission parkway along the Ottawa River?"

House of Commons Ottawa September 20, 1968 MP Lloyd Francis (Carleton-Ottawa West): "The National Capital Commission is not responsible for providing the health, recreation, traffic engineering, street maintenance and other services that the City of Ottawa provides. I invite hon. members of this house, especially the new members, to drive along the magnificent western parkway which has just been created by the national capital commission. Drive west along the parkway on Wellington Street to its termination on Carling Avenue, and then turn around and come back. As you approach Wellington Street from the west, you will pass beside Nepean Bay which has been substantially beautified by the national capital commission's efforts. Look ahead and you will see Ottawa's skyline."

"The NCC has a long-standing policy to retain federal riverfront land." (The Hon. Ron Stewart, Official Land Use Policy in the City of Ottawa---June 1984.)

Report of the Federal District Commission, 1949, page 14/45: "The FDC is justly famous for the utilization of the scenic beauty of the federal capital. Wherever possible, parks and driveways are and will be located along the banks of the Ottawa and Rideau rivers, the Rideau Canal and Dow's Lake."

Land adjacent to the Rideau Canal is part of the National Interest Land Mass. NILM holdings include "The national institutions and symbols, rivers and canal banks, Confederation Boulevard, parkway corridors, Gatineau Park and the Greenbelt. Land forming the NILM will be retained by the NCC in perpetuity."

The Old Ottawa East Community Association indicated that "Colonel By Drive and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway are essential routes for residents, as well as a vital part of the communities' green and blue landscape." (NCC Capital Urban Lands Plan and Parkway Policy Review---Public Consultation, March of 2014.)

The Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway---An Ottawa Citizen interview with the NCC: "The impending removal from the parkway of hundreds of buses per day leads to the question of whether it makes sense to devote a huge portion of the city's prime real estate to a commuter roadway." February 25, 2014.

YouTube videos--- 1.)"Snow Music 'Color/Dance'" with music by George Winston. Featuring Queen Elizabeth Drive and the Agriculture Museum. 2.) "Ottawa Snow Drive and Walk" Showcasing the Experimental Farm's scenic driveway and Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Government of Canada parkways belong to the people of Canada---they are not "surplus Crown assets" that will generate billions of dollars if they are depaved.

"The parkways are relics of the 20th century." From a February 25, 2014 NCC, Ottawa Citizen interview.

 Major cultural landscapes in Ottawa

• Parliament Hill
• Major's Hill Park
• Rideau Hall
• Queen Elizabeth Driveway
• Rockcliffe Park
• the Central Experimental Farm "All dating from the 19th century, together they have played a key role in shaping people's image of the federal realm." ("Definition and Assessment of Cultural Landscapes of Heritage Value on NCC Lands" by Julian Smith, Contentworks, December 2004.)

Prince of Wales Drive is a gateway to the Experimental Farm, and it was transferred from the federal Department of Agriculture to the City of Ottawa. POW Drive is being widened from 2 lanes to 4.(Dow's Lake--Glebe Report, June 11, 2010.) The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is located on 901 Prince of Wales Drive. The Civic has indicated that "extensive demolition is required for the new build to proceed." Maple Drive and Prince of Wales Drive are being restricted to emergency vehicles---how will anyone have access to the museum and Dominion Observatory buildings.

"The parkways should not be viewed as commuter routes." From an NCC interview with Don Butler, the Ottawa Citizen, May 2014.

Greenbelt Properties ---Scenic highways in the National Capital Region during 1984 and 1985 Ontario:

• Ottawa River Parkway
• Airport Parkway
• Eastern Driveway
• Colonel By Drive
• Eastern Parkway
• Queen Elizabeth Drive
• Hog's Back Road
• Rockcliffe Park Driveway
• Queensway
• Island Park Driveway
• Station Boulevard
• Experimental Farm Drive
• Other parkways (From: NCC Annual Report 1984/85---page 32/70.)

Quebec:

• Gatineau Parkway
• Voyageur Parkway
• Philemon Wright
• Northern Entrance
• Hull South
• Secteur Fournier
• Lac des Fees Parkway
• Other parkways (From: NCC Annual Report 1984/85---page 32/70.) Scenic driveways in the National Capital Region are protected by the Greenbelt and National Interest Land Mass designations. And Queen Elizabeth Drive should be a National Historic Site of Canada, see the Heritage Ottawa report from 2024.  

Scenic highways in Gatineau are blocked off most of the time. Petition for the National Capital Commission to restore access to the Gatineau Park Parkways, 2021: "This is a petition for the NCC to restore access to the Champlain Parkway, Gatineau Parkway and Fortune Lake Parkway in Gatineau Park. Starting May 1st the NCC has closed the Champlain, Gatineau and Lake Fortune Parkways for motor vehicle access except from 1pm to an hour after sunset on Wednesday/Saturday and Sundays, which leaves access to the park by motor vehicles less than 15% of the time. This means there is no vehicle access to parking lots at:

• Pink Lake
• Waterfall Trail
• Lake Mulvihill
• Lake Mulvihill Picnic Area
• Penguin Picnic Area
• Etiane Brule Look Out
• Champlain Lookout
• Lake Fortune Lookout
• King Mountain Picnic Area

"There are no more short hikes to Pink Lake, King Mountain, Waterfall Trail, Champlain Lookout Loop or to the Western Cabin. This also limits access to any of these places on a morning ON ALL WEEK DAYS. We see this as:

1.) Discrimination against hikers and walkers and a total bias for exclusive Gatineau Park use by cyclers for the majority of the time.

2.) Discrimination against people with disabilities, seniors, people who have physical disabilities that affect their mobility or the amount of physical activity that they are able to do.

3.) Discrimination against families with children. Most of the parking lots are closed."

I am at the entrance to Kingsmere in the Gatineau Hills. Prime Minister Mackenzie King gave his estate to the people of Canada. 

 

"The Queen Elizabeth Driveway should be a National Historic Site of Canada." Heritage Ottawa.

 Part of a letter from Heritage Ottawa to the National Capital Commission, October 8, 2024: "Can one imagine our Capital region without its network of scenic parkways? How about our Ottawa River shoreline without the linear riverfront parks and parkways? Or the Rideau Canal without the iconic Queen Elizabeth and Colonel By Driveways that frame/embrace the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the Canal? It is virtually impossible..."

"The parkways of course did not appear by accident. They are here thanks largely to the foresight of visionaries like Frederick Todd, Herbert Holt and Jacques Greber, who all realized the need for parks for urban residents and the importance of the links with nature offered by the parkways."

Reposting. From 2019.

Conservation areas---1992.

Reposting-The former Sir John A. Macdonald and Queen Elizabeth Parkways may be depaved. "About 30 permanent gates, that are easy to open and close, would be installed at roads ending on QED between Laurier Avenue and Dow's Lake." (Reimagining the Queen Elizabeth Driveway, NCC Parkways for People Series, November 2021,)

"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." (The Greber Report of 1950, page 228/395.)

Scenic parkways cannot be depaved, privatized or off-limits to motor vehicles. They are protected by a federal designation, the National Interest Land Mass (1988):

Housing adjacent to the Queensway Carleton.

 "Much concern about the future of greenspace around the Queensway Carleton hospital if it is transferred to management under the NCC's Urban Lands portfolio." (page 17/124 of the Greenbelt Master Plan Review-LAND USE CONCEPT-Prepared for the NCC January 2012.)

"Ramifications of removing certain parcels from the Greenbelt were not well understood. There is concern about the "buildable site area" designation and and possible removal of the lands adjacent to the Qualicum community and the Queensway Carleton hospital."

"Area by the Queensway Carleton hospital should remain Greenbelt. It is a natural area used for recreation too."

Public Consultation Methodology Three public consultations, open to all members of the public were held, which saw a range of attendees:

•  Representatives of community associations (Bridlewood, Kanata Lakes, Trend-Arlington, Merivale Gardens)
• Members of the Ottawa Forest and Greenspace Advisory Committee
• Royal Galipeau MP; Rainer Bloess and Alan Hubley, City Councillors; representatives from the Greenbelt Coalitions; members of the organization JustFood; as well as concerned citizens and representatives from First Nations communities attended. 

Taxpayers of Canada are on the hook for affordable housing built on federal property---including 45 acres at the National Defence Medical Centre, 1745 Alta Vista Drive. Many social housing sites were privatized:

• Lebreton Flats---A federal agency called Wartime Housing Limited built residences for Canadian World War 11 veterans in 1946. All of the residents of Lebreton were evicted during the early 1960's. 
• Regent Park, Toronto
• Eldon Hall Place, Kingston

work in progress

 

Songs about Canada that are on YouTube.

 Bobby Gimby's Canada Song---1967

CA-NA-DA (One little two little three Canadians) We love Thee (Now we are twenty million)

CA-NA-DA (Four little five little six little Provinces) Proud and free (Now we are ten and the Territories sea to sea)

North south east west there'll be happy times, Church bells will ring ring ring

It's the hundredth anniversary of Confederation, Everybody sing together! 

CA-NA-DA (Un petit, deux petit trois Canadiens) Notre pays

(Maintenant, nous sommes vingt million) 

CA-NA-DA (Quatre petites cinq petites six petites Provinces) Longue vie (Et nous sommes dix plus les Territories, Longue vie)

Rah! Vive le Canada! Three cheers Hip, Hip, Hooray! Le centenaire, That's the order of the day

Frere Jacques Frere Jacques Merrily we roll along Together all the way.

Me at Expo 67 Montreal

This Land is Your Land Canada by The Travellers

This land is your land this land is my land, from Bonavista to the Vancouver Island

From the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes waters, this land was made for you and me.

As I went walking that ribbon of highway, I saw above me that endless skyway

I saw below that that golden valley, this land was made for you and me.

This land is your land this land is my land, from Bonavista to the Vancouver Island

From the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes waters, this land was made for you and me.

The sun came shining and I was strolling, and the wheat fields waving, and the dust clouds rolling

As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting, saying this land was made for you and me.

I visited Fort Henry in Kingston---1992.

Government real estate.

•  Action - Save the Garden City Lands-Richmond, B.C. Preserved.
• Save Downsview Park-Toronto
• Save Our Station-The former CNR Outer Station on 810 Montreal Street, Kingston
• Petition-Stop the rezoning of Parks to Condos, Queen Juliana in Little Italy
• Stop the rezoning of Queen Juliana Park at 870 Carling Avenue 

ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT 520 Preston Street and 930 Carling Avenue- 12 acres have been rezoned to General Urban Area by Ottawa City Council:

"Description: The purpose of the amendment is to facilitate the use of the selected site for a new Hospital. The amendment would remove approximately 5 ha. of land designated as Agricultural Research Area within the current Central Experimental Farm boundary and designate these lands as General Urban Area. It is also proposed to amend the Preston Carling District Secondary Plan to create a new "Hospital Area" designation for the entire hospital site."

This is what General Urban Area means in Canada's Capital:

1.General Urban Area permits many types and densities of housing, as well as employment, retail uses, service, industrial, cultural, leisure, green space, entertainment and institution use.

4. The General Urban Area permits uses that generate traffic, noise or other impacts that may have the potential to create conflicts within the surrounding community. 

More government of Canada properties that we are losing:

•  Rochester Field beside Maplelawn, 529 Richmond Road. The 9.3 acres were added to the Public Land Bank for affordable housing, November of 2024. ("Protecting Ottawa's Greenspaces"---Rochester Field was a popular park and soccer venue.)
• The National Defence Medical Centre on Smyth Road/1745 Alta Vista, Ottawa: - Comments from the public when 363 Smyth Road was sold: "Smyth Road is already too busy." "Development of this site means a loss of a large parcel of open space owned by the Crown" "This is Crown land-our land-and there should be no rush to develop it." "It is apparent that the consensus from the residents of the surrounding community was overwhelmingly negative. This totally unnecessary and unwanted project has now been approved over our heads by the City."
• Mile Circle near Rockcliffe
• The Natural Resources Canada campus on Booth Street
• Lebreton Flats are the western annex of the Parliamentary Precinct
• The 121-acre Tunney's Pasture campus
• The 465-acre Confederation Heights campus
•  Upton Farm - Charlottetown, PEI. The song "Help Save Old Upton Farm" is on YouTube.
• Protecting the Greenbelt - Ottawa-Carleton Wildlife Centre - I mentioned this before, the City of Ottawa wants 13,700 acres of the Greenbelt for housing, roads and shopping malls. The Greenbelt is untouchable. (Part of an August 24, 2019 letter to the Ottawa Citizen newspaper: "Whoa. Ottawa is already at one million people and expected to grow, but nowhere are they manufacturing more greenspace. Once you permit urban development of the Greenbelt that greenspace is lost forever. In short, don't bother considering this option." Alex Cullen.)

House of Commons Ottawa May 25, 2010 Mr. Marcel Proulx (Hull-Aylmer, Liberal): "The Liberal members from the National Capital Region, the member for Ottawa-Vanier, the member for Ottawa South and I have good reason to call for enhanced protection of the greenbelt. There are, as a matter of fact, no major regulations protecting this area. Together the City of Ottawa and the NCC could do what they like with it. We believe this greenspace must be protected from developers."

 

House of Commons Ottawa November 3, 1981 Mr. Jean-Robert Gauthier (Ottawa-Vanier) Liberal: "Last week Ottawa newspapers headlined that the NCC was prepared to give up land located in the Greenbelt, that untouchable zone surrounding the National Capital."

• "Depave the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway." "The impending removal from the parkway of hundreds of buses per day leads to the question of whether it makes sense to donate a huge portion of the city's prime riverfront real estate to a commuter roadway." (From an Ottawa Citizen interview with the NCC on February 25, 2014.)

Government properties that are on the Public Land Bank for affordable housing as of January 2025:

• The Shannon Park military base-Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
• New Glasgow Armoury, Nova Scotia
• Jean-Charles Chapais Experimental Farm-Levis, Quebec
• Kingston Pen
• 1745 Alta Vista Drive, the National Defence Medical Centre Heating Plant. Located 3 minutes away from the Ottawa General Hospital and Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. And the Ottawa Hospital needs more land for the General, Riverside and Civic.
• 5005 44th Street, Yellowknife NWT
  
  
  

Privatized.

CFB Chilliwack, CFB Jericho Beach and the Royal Roads Military College are gone. A Fraser Institute document. Danielle Smith and the Fraser Institute, 27 videos.

 

Reversionary land.

The 1984 Report of the Auditor General of Canada, Section 6.90.

 House of Commons Ottawa April 29, 1974 Mr. Hamilton (Qu'Appelle-Moose Mountain) Progressive Conservative: "Has the Minister a legal opinion from the Department of Justice as to their ownership of land underneath the rails? I put my question another way by saying that the Charter of the CPR and under the Charter of the various railways that make up the CNR, this land belonged to the Crown and was granted to the railways for the sole purpose of transportation. When any railway gives up land and no longer uses it for the purpose for which that Charter was granted, all that land reverts to the Crown which was the grantee."

Books, poetry and music that inspire me.

The Greening of America by Charles Reich, 1970

 I'm OK, You're OK---A Guide to Transactional Analysis by Dr. Thomas A. Harris

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield

The Aquarian Conspiracy by Marilyn Ferguson

The poem Desiderata by Max Ehrmann, especially the words "You are a child of the Universe, No less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here." The 1971 song Desiderata by Les Crane is on YouTube.

The song Firework by Katy Perry

The People's Railway. Updating.

1918 - The government of Canada creates the Canadian National Railway, Canada's first Crown corporation.

1966 - Demolition of Ottawa's Union Station is halted, after public opposition.

1969 - The Gordon Lightfoot song "Movin" is on YouTube.

1970 - The documentary "Festival Express" featured Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, Ian and Sylvia and The Band as they travelled across Canada and performed at concerts. The trailer and the movie are on YouTube.

1970 - Attempts were made to demolish Union Station and the Dominion Public Building on Front Street, Toronto. Union Station is now owned by the City of Toronto, and the Dominion Building next door was privatized.

1982 - The Hotel du Canada pavilion at Disney World in Florida is modelled after the Chateau Laurier.

The Hilton Corporation tries to buy the Ottawa's Chateau Laurier hotel. But the federal government tells Hilton that the hotel is not for sale. And if it were on the market, it would be sold to a Canadian company such as the Skyline.

Songs "Movin' In (from Montreal by Train") by Stompin' Tom Conners. The YouTube video was filmed at Toronto's Parkdale Station.

"Railroad Man" by Hank Snow of Nova Scotia is on YouTube. Also: "I've Been Everywhere", "Canadian Pacific 1971", "Green, Green Grass of Home" and "I'm Movin' On."

"Canadian Train Song" by Deryl Dale. 

Tunnels connected CNR hotels to train stations:

• Chateau Laurier - Ottawa
• Hotel Vancouver
• Queen Elizabeth - Montreal
• Fort Garry - Winnipeg
• Hotel Macdonald - Edmonton
• Bessborough - Saskatoon
• Beausejour - Moncton
• Nova Scotian - Halifax

Privatization leads to foreign ownership House of Commons Ottawa May 15, 1995 Mr. John Soloman (Regina-Lumsden, NDP): "With no rules on foreign ownership, CN is destined, with the Liberal government's blessing, to be purchased by individuals and corporations with no interest in Canada's future. The Liberal government is exchanging an east-west transportation system for a north-south system that will see even more foreign control of the Canadian economy. Bill C-89 brings to an end Canadians' ownership and control of their own railway..."

House of Commons Ottawa February 4, 2013 Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina, NDP): "What is happening is that our national dream is slowly drifting away as CN and CP are abandoning rail lines because they are not always profitable in this vast country of ours. Even though CN made $2.7 billion last year, it is unwilling to service some of the areas that are not turning a substantial profit. Thousands of tracks are being given up, whether they are for passenger rail or freight services."

House of Commons Ottawa May 18, 1995 Mr. Michel Guimond (Beauport-Montmorency-Orleans, BQ): "My question is for the Minister of Transport. The minister is about to privatize one of the most important crown corporations without restricting foreign ownership. CN, which was established at a cost of billions of dollars of public moneys, is an asset for Canada and Quebec. Should it be under foreign control it might not serve the interests of Canada."

Prime Minister Stephen Harper wanted to reclaim the Quebec Bridge in Laval from CN. 

Calls to re-nationalize the CNR and reclaim the original tracks more

All of the tracks in Canada should be owned by the government. MP Bill Blaikie, NDP 

The Fraser Institute:

The Fraser Institute also recommended the sale of the CN Tower, Forestry Canada, Via Rail and Vancouver's Canada Place with its iconic white sails.

"Booth Street Complex one step closer to designation under the Ontario Heritage Act".

 Heritage Ottawa, February 11, 2019.

The Booth Street campus is now included in the Public Land Bank. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney created the National Interest Land Mass in 1988---to prevent the City of Ottawa, NCC and developers from using federal property as a land bank. And to stop the mass privatization of military Crown assets, post offices, Dominion Buildings, CBC holdings...

I mentioned before that the campus is part of the National Interest Land Mass and should be owned by Canadians in perpetuity.

1983

The Booth Street Complex and the Farm are connected.

"Heritage buildings include Buildings 1 to 9 on the Natural Resources Canada campus, including the Dominion Observatory." (The New Civic Campus, A 21st Century Hospital in the Heart of Canada's Capital, page 10/76.)

The NRC complex and the Farm are protected by the designation National Interest Land Mass. Booth Street Complex "The site is bounded by Rochester Street to the west, Orangeville Street to the north, LeBreton Street South to the east and Carling Avenue to the south. The site area also includes the parcel at 299 Carling Avenue. The site is largely occupied by federal office and research facilities with some surface parking. The site borders Commissioner's Park to the south, residential uses to the east, Highway 417 and the residential land uses to the north, and mixed-uses including residential, office and retail uses to the west. The site is bisected by the local road network including Booth Street.

• Land Area: 10 hectares/26 acres
• Owner: Public Services and Procurement Canada, Natural Resources Canada
• National Interest Land Mass: Yes
• Existing Land Use: Agricultural Research and Federal Facilities/Employment
• Long-term planned use: Agricultural Research and Federal Facilities/Employment (Information is from NCC Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital,  page 27/256.)

NCC Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital, November 2016.

Central Experimental Farm---Baseline Rd-Merivale Rd

• Land Area: 25 hectares/62 acres
• Owner: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• National Interest Land Mass: Yes
• Existing Land Use: Agricultural Research
• Long term planned use: Agricultural Research

Central Experimental Farm---Carling Ave (West)

• Land Area: 22 hectares/56 acres
• Owner: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• National Interest Land Mass: Yes
• Existing Land Use: Agricultural Research
• Long term planned use: Agricultural Research

Central Experimental Farm---Carling Ave (Central)

• Land Area: 26 hectares/65 acres
• Owner: agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• National Interest Land Mass: Yes
• Existing Land Use: Agricultural Research and Federal Facilities/Employment
• Long term planned use: Agricultural Research and Federal Facilities/ Employment

Central Experimental Farm---Carling Ave (East)

• Land Area: 20 hectares/50 acres
• Owner: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, NCC
• National Interest Land Mass: Yes
• Existing Land Use: Federal Facilities/Employment, Informal Greenspace, Parking
• Long term Planned Use: Federal Facilities/Employment, Greenspace (Information is from the NCC Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital, pages 26/27 of 256 pages.)

Definition of a National Interest Land Mass "Land forming part of the NILM will be retained by the National Capital Commission on behalf of the government in perpetuity, for purposes which lie at the core of the NCC's mandate; and will be managed by the NCC with little or no further involvement by the Treasury Board Secretariat." (1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC Land Holdings.)

"The Central Experimental Farm, 960 Carling Avenue in Ottawa. The CEF National Historic Site is designated in its entirety as part of the National Interest Land Mass." (CEF National Historic Site Management Plan, Part 7/20.)

 National Historic Sites of Canada Act of 1985 - 

A Recognized Federal Heritage Building

Geological Survey of Canada Building, 601 Booth Street, Ottawa. Designation Date: 1997-11-27.

The photo is by Joseph Ting.

"Heritage buildings play a crucial role in preserving the cultural heritage of a community and provide a tangible connection to the past. They serve as symbols of cultural identity, reminding us of the rich history and tradition that have shaped our communities." (History or Heritage and what's the difference anyway? From the Internet.)

1992

 

Federal properties that were under review in 2006. (Recommended for disposal.) Updating.

Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street Ottawa. A brand-new archives building is envisioned for the Lebreton Flats. 

Sir Charles Tupper, 2720 Riverside Drive Ottawa.

John. G. Diefenbaker, 111 Sussex Drive Ottawa.

Lester B. Pearson, 125 Sussex Drive Ottawa.

East Memorial---Veterans Affairs, 284 Wellington Ottawa.

, 

National Printing Bureau, 45 Sacre-Coeur, Gatineau Quebec 

• National Film Board Headquarters, 3155 Cote-de-Liesse Road and 120 Houde Street, Montreal Quebec. "The former National Film Board headquarters in Saint-Laurent, Montreal, will be redeveloped into a mixed-use site. The redevelopment will include 600 to 700 apartments. Building F at 125 Houde will provide a minimum of 110 residential units. (Federal Land Initiative---Former NFB Building, August 24, 2024.)

Privatized Crown properties.

The destruction of Canada's Farm, Ottawa. March 31, 2025.

Why is a military hospital on a Land Bank list.

 The National Defence Medical Centre is 3 minutes away from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa General Hospital. The Ottawa Hospital needs more land for the General, Riverside and Civic hospitals: (Google: Untitled Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital---Planning and Support Services--Land Planning Matrix, May 28, 2007.)Health care institutions cannot be encroached upon--- by housing units or commercial establishments.

Directory of Federal Real Property National Defence Medical Centre, 1867 Alta Vista Drive Ottawa.

Property Number: 08635

Custodian: National Defence

Interest: Crown Owned

Restriction: No Restriction

Primary Use: Military

Address, Place Name and Municipality: Ottawa

Province/Territory: Ontario

Federal Electoral District: Ottawa South

Census Classification: Rural

Land Area: 18.4056 ha or 45 acres

Floor Area: 35, 202 sq. m.

Record Created On: May 29th, 1990

Record Last Modified On: October 28th, 2023

Plans to redevelop the 45 acres:

Hospital Lands Area Plan----City of Ottawa, September 2008.

The Civic, General and Riverside hospitals need more land.

 "The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) has developed a Master Plan which provides options and scenarios for future expansion and/or redevelopment of the Civic, General and Riverside campuses." (Planning and Support Services--Land Planning Matrix, May 28, 2007---Google: "Untitled Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital.")

Future Expansion--Flexibility for future expansion over and above what is currently planned.  Possible land options in 2007, NCC Options.

• Experimental Farm - Across from Existing Civic
• Experimental Farm - Across from Nepean Sportsplex
• Experimental Farm - Baseline and Fisher (Cross Road)
• Experimental Farm - Sir John Carling Building
• Hurdman Station
• Tunney's Pasture
• Bayview Yards - Adjacent to LeBreton Flats
• Woodroffe at Baseline - Beside Algonquin College
• Nortel Site - Carling at Moodie
• Confederation Heights - Riverside/Heron; Canada Post
• Booth Street 
• Hunt Club South Corner

A military hospital in Toronto was given away to the University of Toronto: House of Commons Ottawa July 12, 1966: Mr. Thomas Speakman Barnett, Comox-Alberni, B.C. (Co-operative Commonwealth Foundation CCF): "I should like to ask the Minister of Industry whether since the federal government has sold Sunnybrook Hospital to the University of Toronto for one dollar, the government will consider like action and selling a much less valuable property in Alberni for a like amount."

Parks Canada News Release, Ottawa, Ontario. January 15, 2025.

"Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister Responsible for Parks Canada, announced the designation of the Dominion Observatory Complex as a national historic site of Canada under Parks Canada's National Program of Historical Commemoration."

A statement by Minister Guilbeault: "For 65 years, the Dominion Observatory Complex was an important centre of research collaboration in the fields of astronomy, geophysics, seismology and gravitational studies. The precision of its master clock was also instrumental in setting official time standards across the country. Today's designation as a national historic site allows us to share important stories about our cultural heritage and stands as a testament to Canada's ingenuity and dedication in pursuing scientific excellence."

The buildings   

• Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
• Geophysical Laboratory
• Machine Shop
• Geodetic Survey
• Seismology Survey
• South Azimuth
• Photo Equatorial

My visit to Ottawa's Experimental Farm March 31, 2025.

 

The William Saunders Building

Another view of the William Saunders Building.

The Dominion Observatory Campus.