My maternal greatgrandmother Annie, great uncle Bobby and grandfather Harry. The year was 1888 or 1889.

City of Ottawa temporary buildings.

Front page of the Ottawa Journal, October 5, 1977.

 During the Second World War many temporary buildings were constructed---on Green Island; Wellington Street where the Library and Archives are now located; beside the Supreme Court of Canada; between the Daly Building and Revenue Canada Headquarters.

Temporary buildings 6 and 9 were on Sussex Drive where the American Embassy is now located. Building number 5 was on the Dow's Lake parking lot and number 8 was on the Experimental Farm//Queen Juliana Park.

After the Dow's Lake and Experimental Farm offices were demolished the government of Canada promised that the land would always be an open space:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa June 16, 1958. Hon. George James McIlraith (Ottawa Centre) Liberal: "Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the minister is now prepared to make the statement he said he would make concerning the policy of the government with respect to buildings on the central experimental farm."

The Hon. Charles Howard Green (Vancouver Centre) Minister of Public Works; Leader of the Government in the House of Commons; Progressive Conservative House Leader; Progressive Conservative: "The policy is that no buildings will be built on the central experimental farm except buildings for the Department of Agriculture."

Mr. Mcilraith: "If I may pursue the question a bit further, has the minister come to any conclusion as to what will be done with the land on the experimental farm when they are removed?"

Mr. Green: "I take it that the hon. member for Ottawa West refers to temporary buildings Nos. 5 and 8. For some years the policy has been when the temporary buildings are torn down nothing will be constructed on the site."

Mr. McIlraith: "I want to commend the minister for continuing the policy set out a few years ago  by the Liberal administration in that regard."

Temporary buildings No. 8 (the Experimental Farm) and No. 5 (Dow's Lake) are visible. Once they were removed, no other buildings were permitted to replace them. Eric Darwin-West Side Action photo.

This is what the Mayor, local politicians and the National Capital Commission envision for Dow's Lake and the Farm. Image is from "Reimagine Ottawa" by Clive Doucet. The land has already been rezoned from "Open Space" to "Mixed Use."

This property was untouchable, according to Canadian Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent; Federal Minister of Public Works Howard Charles Green and the Hon. George McIlraith.

 The following document confirms the fact that the Farm is untouchable: "The Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site Management Plan (7 of 20), Government of Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.":

"Parks Canada's Rideau Canal Management Plan serves as a key land use planning document for lands situated in the immediate vicinity of the Rideau Canal National Historic Site i.e. CEF lands abutting Dow's Lake and the Rideau Canal."

"In particular, back shore land use and development is expected to protect open space and ensure compatible activities with the historic character of the Canal."

"Views to the Canal from the Arboretum from other lands east of Prince of Wales Drive are also to be protected."

Queen Juliana Park was the location of Temporary Building No. 8.

"Parks do not have to be grassy to be be green."

Recreational Land Strategy for Ottawa 2006-2031. 

4.4.2. Parks and Open Spaces-"The City's requirements for parks and open spaces may have to be revisited to ensure that the types of spaces required of developers reflect the need for quality spaces of all sorts (active, passive, programmed, soft-surface and hard-surface) at the right location, and at the right sizes. The goals of a review of parks and recreational land should be: "Quality over quantity of space should be the guiding principle". Parks don't have to be grassy to be green. One of the many appropriate types of public green space is the plaza. Sized right and positioned at the heart of a community, it becomes a genuine focal point. The city should accept parkettes as part of the 5% parkland dedication." (Note: A parkette or a pocket park is less than 0.5 hectares in size-savecfbrockcliffe.)

No, city of Ottawa, our descendants will not play in parkettes, not when they are surrounded by thousands of acres of greenspace---the Experimental Farm (1,000 acres); Ev Tremblay Park; the 22-acre Commissioners Park; the 2,000 plus acre Greenbelt Farm; Lebreton Flats...

Recreational centres may be sold for housing, and the Dalhousie Community Centre in Chinatown was recently given away for a dollar. Park land is rarely preserved--- the Humane Society land on 101 Champagne; Moffat Farm near Mooney's Bay; embassies are being constructed in Mechanicsville; apartments are being built on Rochester Field near Maplelawn on Richmond Road and the 100-acre Rideau Hall grounds are off-limits. Major's Hill Park encompassed more than 20 acres before the Chateau Laurier built their parking garage, and the National Capital Commission sold Major's Hill Park land to the American Embassy during the mid-1990's.

The former Dalhousie Community Centre,755 Somerset Street West.CBC News photo.

Federal buildings.

 

Skyline Campus, 1400 Merivale Road, Ottawa, Ontario. Built on the grounds of the Central Experimental Farm.

Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building, 90 Sparks Street, Ottawa.

Joseph Shepard Building, 4900 Yonge Street,Toronto, Ontario.

                                      

Canada Place, 9700 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta.

Douglas Jung Building, 401 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC---returned to the government of Canada.

Harry Hays Federal Building, 220 4th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa 2007.

March 19, 2007. MP Peggy Nash (Parkdale-High Park, Toronto, NDP.) "Mr. Speaker, the government's sell and leaseback scheme for federal buildings across the country is illogical. The scheme is going to hurt hard-working Canadians who pay taxes and who will now be on the hook for these arrangements for years and years to come. I wonder if the minister thinks that it makes good economic sense to sell his house and lease it back from the new owners for 25 years."

October 24, 2007. MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay, Ontario, NDP): "Mr. Speaker, this scheme was cooked up by the Liberals and is being carried out by the Conservatives and what we are looking at is an elaborate accounting shell game where they are going to bring in $1.4 billion now and it is going to cost taxpayers $3 billion. For example, there is the Harry Hays building in Calgary. Right now it costs taxpayers $5 million a year to maintain. Once it is sold it will cost taxpayers $20 million to maintain. Who is getting ripped off here? It is the Canadian public. Where is the accountability?

October 31, 2007. MP Diane Bourgeois (Terrebonne-Blainville, BQ.) "Mr. Speaker, today is a very sad day. Today, the sale of buildings belonging to taxpayers will be finalized even though the members in the committee and public service unions are against it and despite the request for a moratorium on this sale. This government is transferring ownership, through a leaseback agreement, of several very valuable federal buildings. This transaction will cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars and the government will lease the premises for 25 years"

RCMP Headquarters, 4225 Dorchester Blvd., Westmount, Montreal Quebec.

The Sinclair Centre, 757 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC. Designated a Classified Federal Heritage Building on July 15, 1983 by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. The Prime Minister named this building to honour his father-in-law the Hon. James Sinclair. The Sinclair Centre was returned to the government of Canada.

Are these buildings really "Secondary National Symbols?"

The East Block of Parliament, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

The West Block of Parliament.

The Supreme Court of Canada, 301 Wellington Street.The City of Ottawa is buying Supreme Court of Canada land and other sections of Parliament Hill for their Light Rail Transit. (Google: NCC Board, Tram preference on Wellington, new pathways for LeBreton..." by Jon Willing, Ottawa Citizen,January 21,2021.)

The Confederation Building, 229 Wellington Street.Wikipedia photo.

"The Supreme Court, Confederation Building and East and West Block and other Secondary National Symbols are afforded the second level of visual protection. The silhouette of background buildings may rise above the roofline of the Secondary National Symbols." (Page 96/153, Canada's Capital Views Protection.)

OTHER SECONDARY NATIONAL SYMBOLS IN THE CAPITAL

The National Gallery

Notre-Dame Cathedral

Museum of History

Chateau Laurier Hotel (Information is from "New Tools for View Controls in Canada's Capital 2016",page 37/76.)

   The Mayor and several members of City Council will probably support the hotel owners, if Larco wants to add 10 or more storeys to the Chateau Laurier extension:

 This is what former Somerset Ward/Little Italy Councillor Diane Holmes told David Reevely:

 "The Development Review Services is responsible for processing development applications. It has become increasingly apparent that this branch no longer represents the citizens or neighbourhoods of this ward. Rather, this branch represents the interests of the development industry. Input from the public is generally disregarded because this branch considers residents comments NIMBY comments."

  "The branch provides support to any application with little or no recognition of the neighbourhood wants or needs...You want to add 10 extra storeys on your building? Fine by us. You don't want to provide visitor parking? Use street visitor parking instead. Too many trees in front of your building? No problem, we'll remove them." ("Diane Holmes whacks the city's planning department" by David Reevely, Ottawa Citizen, May 19, 2014.)

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  Legal Title-Parliament Hill, House of Commons, Ottawa-December 21, 1963.

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Senate Bill S-203, an Act to amend the National Capital Act.

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Prime Minister of Canada John Diefenbaker is greeting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11 at the Chateau Laurier Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario. October 1957. Archives of Canada photo.

The Chateau Laurier addition ignores official guidelines.

 Glossary of terms that pertain to the hotel, Major's Hill Park and the Rideau Canal:

Blanket Height Control-A view protection tool that establishes a single and broadly applicable maximum permitted height of any new development within a designated area. Usually listed in metres above ground or metres above sea level.

Buffer Zone - An area of land designated for view protection achieved by utilizing various planning tools such as height limits, zoning and/or development restrictions.

Central Capital Landscape- The symbolic centre of the Capital Core, including the Parliament Buildings as well as the Supreme Court, Major's Hill Park, and green space on the Gatineau waterfront.

Cultural Landscape-A geographic area, including both cultural and natural resources exhibiting cultural or aesthetic values.

National Symbols-The Parliament Buildings and other major public buildings and physical landforms within the Parliamentary Precinct and around Confederation Boulevard.

View Controls-A set of policies and/or guidelines that aim to protect views of national symbols, natural features, or other landmarks. (The glossary is from "New Tools for View Controls in Canada's Capital-2016", page 28/76.)

"When determining the heirarchy of view protection policies, it is important to note that there are additional secondary national symbols within the Central Capital Landscape whose views are to be protected, preserved and enhanced. This includes national symbols on both sides of the Ottawa River such as the National Gallery, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Museum of History, the Supreme Court and Chateau Laurier." ("New Tools for View Controls in Canada's Capital-2016",page 37/76.)

House of Commons Debates Ottawa November 26, 1909. Regarding the Chateau Laurier Hotel.

Mr. George Eulas Foster (Conservative) "This is the first vote for the construction and we would like to know what the proposed buildings are to cost, what their capacity and what use they will be put to."

Mr. William Pugsley (Minister of Public Works) Liberal: "...The building will have one frontage on Sussex street and another on Major Hill park, length 590 feet and width 250 feet; two large courts 154 by 79; the building will have six stories and a basement on the park and seven stories and a basement on Sussex street; it will be 125 feet high on MacKenzie avenue and 150 feet high above Sussex street; the centre of the building will face York street which is quite a wide street. The lower end of the building will be 503 feet from St. Patrick street and the upper end 247 feet from the Lindsay property. It will be built of stone."

Mr. Foster: "What kind of stone?"

Mr. Pugsley: "Something similar to that in the Museum."

(Note: The National Capital Commission refuses to become involved in the Chateau Laurier debate because "the hotel is private property." However:

1.) The Grand Trunk Railway was a private corporation in 1908 and 1909, when it was negotiating for land on the federal Major's Hill Park. The park was part of Parliament Hill.

2.) The federal government had the power to approve or reject the Grand Trunk hotel architectural designs.

3.) The hotel parking garage did not obliterate views of the Chateau Laurier from Major's Hill Park. The new addition, built on the grounds of the garage, will obstruct views of the Chateau from Major's Hill Park. It will also remove sightlines of the Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill from the Mile of History.

4.) Why is the City of Ottawa involved in this project and not the Governor General of Canada, Senate of Canada, Public Works, National Capital Commission and Federal Department of Heritage? This is not a delapidated barn we're talking about---the hotel is a National Historic Site of Canada; protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act; a former Canadian National Railway property; the Canada pavilion at Epcot in Orlando, Florida is a replica of the castle; Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau refused to sell the CN hotels to Hilton during the 1970's and television shows and movies are filmed here ("Little Gloria, Happy at Last").

5.) Does anyone even care about the fact that the designation "UNESCO World Heritage Site" will be removed from the Rideau Canal if the extension is built?

Protecting important views in Ottawa.

The Centre Block of Parliament and the Hill.

  High rise office buildings may be constructed on the Hill." At least the upper part of the silhouette of the Centre Block will remain unobscured...The Supreme Court, Confederation Building and the East and West Block and other Secondary National Symbols are afforded the second level of visual protection. The silhouette of background buildings may rise above the roofline of the Secondary National Symbols." (From: Canada's Capital Views Protection, page 96/153.) The image is from CBC News, June 18, 2020.
 

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

 Chateau Laurier Hotel During the year 1969 Major's Hill Park land was expropriated to build a hotel parking garage. Now the garage has been torn down and a modern addition is being constructed on the site. The addition will block views of most of of Canada's Castle from Major's Hill Park. "I might point out that there will be a fine view from the parliament grounds of the back premises of the hotel." MP George William Fowler, House of Commons, July 6, 1908.

Experimental Farm  Hundreds of Experimental Farm trees are being clearcut, eventually, to accomodate a brand new medical centre. Former Ottawa mayors Jim Durrell and Jacquelin Holzman wrote a letter about the loss of trees: Hundreds of trees would need to be cut down. Yes,we counted, but we stopped at 500! (From:"NCC Federal Site Review for the New Civic Campus at the Ottawa Hospital" October 21, 2016, Page 215/256.)

Also, the Greenbelt Alliance of Canada's Capital said that all of Isabella Preston's crabapple trees that line Prince of Wales Drive are endangered because the Drive is being widened. On March 1, 2021 Canada Post honoured the work of the horticulturalist and her successors:  OTTAWA, ON, March 1,2021/CNW/ Today Canada Post released the last in its popular flower series, a two-stamp issue showcasing the blossoms of crabapple tree cultivars with a Canadian distinction, the Malus 'Rousseau' and Malus 'Maybride'. The pretty pink flower of the Malus 'Rosseau' bred by renowned ornamental plant breeder Isabella Preston was first introduced at the Central Experimental Farm in 1928.

March 1, 2021 stamps that were issued by Canada Post.

An August 18, 1977 Ottawa Journal article.

House of Commons Ottawa February 9, 1998. MP Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West-Nepean) Liberal: 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."

"That does not mean the farm will be frozen in time. It will continue to evolve as it has for 111 years but it will evolve in a way that is consistent with the important contribution it has made to agriculture in Canada and internationally."

"It will be a permanent reminder in the nation's Capital and to all Canadians of the importance of agriculture to our economic and social development. The people of this region are proud of the nation's Capital and it's national institutions. I know they will want to contribute to and be part of planning the Central Experimental Farm, our newest national historic site."

Earnscliffe, 140 Sussex Drive.

Ottawa River, Rideau River and Rideau Canal - The Greber Report of 1950 insisted that the National Capital Region was so so vast, that land adjacent to waterways was not necessary for housing or commercial development.

House of Commons Ottawa March 24, 1986. MP Jean-Robert Gauthier (Chief Opposition Whip, Whip of the Liberal Party) Ottawa-Vanier: "...My question is directed to the Deputy Prime Minister. Will he tell the House if it is federal policy to sell federally owned parklands? "...Mr. Speaker, could the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House whether it intends to act responsibly and give clear and precise instructions to all those who are responsible for our national parks, indicating clearly that none of our national parks are for sale." (Note: In the year 1925 the Ottawa Improvement Commission designated the Mile Circle near Rockcliffe a national park---MP Barry Turner (Ottawa-Carleton) House of Commons, April 9, 1986.)

The Greenbelt - A letter to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson regarding the Mer Bleue Bog: "Dear Mayor Watson: CPAWS Ottawa Valley has long focused on the preservation of Ottawa and the surrounding ecological integrity, natural beauty and diverse species. It is as a CPAWS supporter that I learned of the proposed changes to the Greenbelt. As a resident of the National Capital Region, the Greenbelt is important to me...Mer Bleue is the most biologically diverse area in Eastern Ontario, an internationally recognized RAMSAR site and and living laboratory where scientists from around the world come to  learn about climate change, bogs and the species which depend on them."

Part of an August 24, 2019 letter to the Ottawa Citizen, regarding residential expansion into the Greenbelt: "The City of Ottawa recently released its discussion paper "5 Big Moves" as part of its Official Plan Review...Much of it is laudible, but Policy 3 under Growth Management is not. The policy states: 'Where urban expansion may be required in the future...consider the potential to expand into the Greenbelt.' Whoa! Ottawa is already at one million people and expected to grow more, but nowhere are they manufacturing any 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, Ottawa.