6. Ottawa. When: May. Where: Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site's Arboretum boasts more than 2,000 varieties of trees and shrubs-including flowering cherry. Some of them date all the way back to the first plantings in 1889. Trails along Dow's Lake and the Ottawa River Valley also provide pops of pink thanks to pockets of flowering trees."
Threats to the Arboretum:
The Arboretum will be partially excavated: "It has come to our attention that the City of Ottawa is proposing to claim several meters of the Farm's southern border along Baseline for a rapid transit route. Moreover, it is understood that a part of the Arboretum next to the O-Train will be dug up." (A letter from Judy Dodds, President of the Friends of the CEF, to Federal Environment Minister McKenna, January 6, 2018.)
A need for more parking by the Civic Hospital: "There is a high probability that car arrivals at the campus in 2028 will far exceed the parking capacity. My best guess is that mitigation will eventually include TOH asking the NCC for more acreage on the Experimental Farm--probably in the Arboretum and along Maple Drive and even Commissioners Park for another parking garage and more surface parking lots." (The Glebe Report, 'Risk Management and the new Civic Hospital campus': by Barbara Popel, March 18,2022.)
A huge section of the Arboretum was rezoned, without public input or consent for the new Civic Hospital. (The Glebe Report, September 13, 2024, page 5.)
"Friends of the Farm raises concerns about future hospital impact on gardens, arboretum." (Ottawa West News, Melissa Murray, March 13, 2017.)
Encroachment on historic, irreplaceable landscapes. A letter to the head of the National Capital Commission: "Friends of the Central Experimental Farm were very supportive of the NCC process and review of a new site for the Ottawa Hospital. Unfortunately, the decision to choose a site at the Central Experimental Farm has prevailed. We believe that the potential impact of this decision on the grounds of the CEF needs to be stated."
"The specific site chosen for the hospital will challenge the public areas that are an integral part of the history and raison-d'etre of the Farm, and that objective is reinforced in the National Historic Site Management Plan."
 |
| I am reposting this document, the CEF became a National Historic Site of Canada in 1998. |
(Continuation of the letter to NCC Chair Dr. Kristmanson) "The Dominion Arboretum provides many benefits to residents and visitors to the Capital, removing air pollutants, reducing stress, cleaning groundwater, providing a cool retreat, reducing climate change, supporting wildlife and much more. In addition the Arboretum provides a living historic record of trees planted on the site since 1889."
"The Ornamental Gardens are of historic importance and national significance to all Canadians, as explained in the new FCEF publication Blooms: An Illustrated History of the Ornamental Gardens at Ottawa's Experimental Farm. These gardens comprise unique plant collections found nowhere else in Canada. FCEF volunteers provide thousands of hours annually, under the direction of AAFC staff, demonstrating invaluable community involvement."
"The first challenge to both of these areas by the intended development can be seen in the layout plan for the new hospital, including the location of the parking area. Buildings and paved surfaces will be located across Prince of Wales Drive from the Arboretum, changing both the sight and sound of the area. The construction will also displace many trees and hedges that were planted on the northwest side as an extension of the Arboretum. (Emphasis mine---savecfbrockcliffe.) It's also worth noting that while a number of Farm buildings i.e. the Dominion Observatory complex and other heritage buildings will be in the buffer zone between the research fields and the new construction, there won't be a similar buffer zone on the east side of the development."
"The second significant challenge will come from the re-design of roads and traffic management on the repurposed site. Any widening of Prince of Wales Drive to accommodate increased traffic will diminish both the Arboretum and the Ornamental Gardens. (Emphasis mine---savecfbrockcliffe.) Any change to the NCC Driveway, Birch Drive or Maple Drive will have a similar impact. Both will interfere with the intended landscape design as specified in the CEF National Historic Site Management Plan."
"A third and most significant threat will come from the precedent set that this project will make for future development. New encroachment could come from another border of the Farm, or it could come from the hospital administration's interest in continuous improvement to its facilities."
"The Friends of the Farm are dedicated to preserving and enhancing the public areas of the Farm. We believe that the NCC should be very specific in its guidance on this project, drawing on the NHS Management Plan, the CEF Advisory Council, and all resources available to protect these invaluable grounds. The NCC will be in a unique position to influence the design and construction so as to minimize the damage and additional encroachment on this National Historic Site. We urge you to exercise your full oversight responsibility to ensure the Farm is preserved for all Yours sincerely, Judy Dodds, President, Friends of the CEF.
The Civic Hospital plans to expand - The federal parcel donated to the Civic is bounded by Carling, Maple, Birch, the CEF Pathway, Queen Juliana Park and Prince of Wales Drive. POW Drive is across the street from the Arboretum. An official document proclaims that adjacent land "Meets criteria to support future expansion." and "Traffic access will increase on Prince of Wales Drive and the NCC Scenic Parkway."
(From "The New Civic Campus: A 21st Century Hospital in the Heart of Canada's Capital"---April 2016, page 10/75.)
 |
A July 20, 1946 article in the Ottawa Journal.
|
The following woods on the Farm are protected by the City:
- Arboretum Woods --- Federal
- Central Experimental Farm Woods---Federal
- Prince of Wales Woods---Federal, City (Google: "urban natural features strategy" City of Ottawa, April 11, 2006.)
No comments:
Post a Comment