Reposting - A letter from Member of Parliament Elizabeth May to Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna gave 50 acres of the Central Experimental Farm to the Civic Hospital. Heritage Minister Joly removed the designation National Historic Site of Canada from 40 acres of the property.

700 trees, barns, museums, the Astrophysical Observatory, greenhouses, William Saunders Building, William Saunders Garden, the $4 million dollar Dows Lake parking lot (MP Pierre Poilievre discovered how much money the parking lot was worth),bicycle and pedestrian pathways, land beside the Baseline Road border, Maple Drive, Queen Juliana Park, the Rideau Canal waterway, etc. are not protected.

The Rideau Canal should not be sold.

   The federal government is planning to build a bridge between the Hartwell Locks and Carleton University. A 104-acre Botanical Garden was abandoned because of the negative impact it would have on the Farm and the Hartwell Locks. The Botanical Garden---

1.)  Must not include any use of land or facilities on the west side of Prince of Wales Drive.

2.) The use of any land or facilities on the east side of Prince of Wales must meet the Canadian Heritage (Parks Canada) criteria (e.g.) it must not have a negative impact on the heritage values of the Canal nor impede the operation of the Canal, specifically at Hartwells lockstation but also navigation in general.

3.) The Arboretum, if included, must remain free and open to the public. (Note: A fence that is surrounding Queen Juliana Park is preventing pedestrian and bicycle access from Carling Avenue to the Arboretum--- a recent comment on Skyscraper.com forum.)

4.) The Fletcher Wildlife Garden must remain as it is.

5.) The Commemorative Integrity Statement must be observed.

6.) The land use must be compatible with other jurisdictions (e.g. NCC, Parks, City of Ottawa, etc.) and designations (National Interest Land Mass of the Central Experimental Farm) and,

7.) It must clearly demonstrate financial viability/self-sufficiency. (Google: General Meeting 12 June 2002-Greenspace Alliance.)

Don't change the Arboretum "The Ottawa Botanical Garden Society has been wanting to put a botanical garden on the site of the Arboretum for a long time. This would be a commercial venture including fencing of the Arboretum and the adjacent land South. Everyone would pay to use the property for running, tobogganing, walking (dogs or otherwise) even if those activities are allowed at all."

"I am pleading with people, please write to Agriculture Canada to put a stop to any changes to this heritage property. I think there is a great need to let Agriculture Canada know how people feel about the grounds being changed and fenced. Even if not fenced (which I feel it would be), there would be many changes to the site that I think would affect all runners and walkers." (Google: The Glebe Report, August 17, 2001.)

Federal laws ban inappropriate construction near the Rideau Canal. In 2019 the United Nations agency UNESCO sent a letter to the federal government, regarding inappropriate development adjacent to the Rideau Canal. The Environment Minister and Parks Canada Minister told  UNESCO that the federal government does not have enough money or staff to monitor developments along the Rideau Canal: Parks Canada "has a limited capacity to participate in the review and comment on municipal plans and selected waterfront land...As well, resource constraints do not allow for full follow-up or monitoring of developments to ensure that commitments and agreements have been addressed..." (From: "Save Our Rideau" UNESCO Letter of Concern, page 5/16)

Projects that should not proceed because of concerns by the United Nations/UNESCO:

• Chateau Laurier proposed expansion (Ottawa)
• Third Bridge Crossing (Kingston)
• Rideau Marina (Kingston) - rejected by the City of Kingston
• Former Davis Tannery (Kingston) - rejected by the City of Kingston
• New Ottawa Civic Campus (Ottawa)

A July 23, 1965 article in the Ottawa Journal.

 House of Commons Ottawa June 1, 1950 George Taylor Fulford (Leeds): "There was a rather quaint treaty signed between Great Britain and Canada when the canal was turned over to Canada. One of the clauses stated that Canada would maintain the canal system as long as the grass was green and the sky was blue."

In the year 2018 the Environment Minister planned to sell $8 billion dollars worth of infrastructure in Canada's National Parks and Historic Sites. Including dams, bridges, roads, highways, weirs etc. The Rideau Canal has 24 lock stations, 52 dams, 42 bridges and weirs.

A wonderful, 4-hour documentary on YouTube. From the year 2020.

I am trying to find the rest of the letter-savecfbrockcliffe.

The Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa was a National Interest Land Mass, National Historic Site of Canada and part of a 900 square mile memorial, dedicated to Canadian soldiers by Prime Minister Mackenzie King and Jacques Greber. House of Commons Ottawa May 13, 1988 Progressive Conservative. Mr. David Bruce Daubney (Ottawa West): "Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. He will agree that the Central Experimental Farm partly located in my riding is the flagship of Agriculture Canada's excellent research effort and contributes greatly to the unique beauty and character of the nation's capital. Will he confirm for the House that the Government has no intention of disposing of any part of the Experimental Farm proper, and in particular that part bordered by Merivale and Fisher Avenues in the city of Ottawa?"

Hon. John Wise (Minister of Agriculture) Progressive Conservative. "Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Hon. Member's continuing interest in the future of the Experimental Farm here in Ottawa. I want to take this opportunity to indicate to him that Agriculture Canada, my Department, has no plans or thoughts whatsoever concerning disposing of any portion of that property at any time. There is no question about that."

"I appreciate also the complementary remarks that the Hon. Member made with reference to that very unique facility. It has made a tremendous contribution to Canadian agriculture . It is one of the four original experimental farms established across Canada over 100 years ago."

"In fact, next to the Parliament Buildings, the Experimental Farm is the second most popular tourist attraction here in Ottawa."

Some Hon. Members: "Hear, hear!"

The duty of the Minister of the Environment (Parks Canada) is to protect the National Parks, National Historic Sites and the Rideau Canal. However---

• 50 acres of the Farm were donated to a hospital 
•  700 trees will be sacrificed.
• the Dows Lake parking lot is worth $4 million
• the Dominion Observatory and South Azimuth may be demolished.
• the people of Canada are losing park land, Maple Drive and Birch Drive, the DARA Tennis Club, Historic Hedge Collection, laboratories and greenhouses, William Saunders Garden, views of the Rideau Canal and pedestrian and bicycle pathways.

Affected Visual Presentations if a medical centre is built on the Farm:

• views of Prince of Wales Scenic Entry---include views toward proposed loading docks.
• view from entrance to Queen Elizabeth Drive/Dows Lake (at Preston/Prince of Wales.)
• views from Dows Lake to main hospital buildings.
• views from Carling Avenue both east and west of the main hospital building.
• views identified in the Commemorative Integrity Statement for the Central Experimental Farm.
• views from adjacent CEF heritage buildings (e.g. Dominion Observatory Complex, Saunders Building), along Commissioners Drive and/or Maple Drive.
• view identified in the NCC Visual Assessment Views Analysis (2009 and 2013).
• view from/along the Rideau Canal including from Commissioners Park, Hartwells Lockstation and Colonel By Drive (that were assessed for the Campus Master Plan and parking garage applications.)  (Google: City of Ottawa Development application Search - Cultural Impact Statement - Addendum 2 - D07-12-22-0168. Date Received: 2022-12-07. Addresses: 930 Carling, 520 Preston.) 

The City of Kingston protected land that was adjacent to the Rideau Canal.

 The Rideau Marina and former Davis Tannery. "Parks Canada, the federal agency tasked with protecting the Rideau Canal National Historic Site, had expressed concern about the 'incompatible scale of the development.' 

"While Parks Canada notes improvements to the revised proposal including reduced building height, enhanced vegetative screening and a greater setback from the water, there remains, however, concern regarding the height and overall scale of the proposed development in this particular landscape, dominated by mature vegetation and two-storey residential developments." ("Planning tribunal rejects Homestead's Rideau Marina project." Kingston Whig Standard, March 9, 2020.) One building on 4 acres of land.

But the City of Ottawa and Parks Canada approved the construction of a massive hospital adjacent to the Rideau Canal in the nation's capital.

 

Views of Dows Lake/the Rideau Canal cannot be negatively affected.

 The city of Kingston rejected development proposals because they would compromise views of the Rideau Canal. "UNESCO expresses concern about Rideau Marina project". Kingston Whig Standard, February 11, 2020:

"UNESCO has concerns about the impact of a seven-storey apartment building proposed for the former Rideau Marina site along the Cataraqui River."..."ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) considers that the construction of a 26-metre high building adjacent to the boundary and buffer zone of the World Heritage property holds the potential to negatively affect the OUV (Outstanding Universal Value) of the property..."

In the year 2022 the city of Kingston rejected the Davis Tannery project. 

City of Ottawa Development Application Search - Cultural Impact Statement-Addendum 2-D07-12-22-0168:

• Application Status: Active
• Date Received: 2022-12-07
• Addresses: 930 Carling, 520 Preston
• Ward: Ward 16-Riley Brockington
• Application: Site Plan Control
• Description: The developments proposed are Phase 3 and Phase 4 of the Ottawa Hospital Master Site Plan. Phase 3 is the CUP (Central Utility Plant) containing electrical, heating and cooling equipment located at the rear of the hospital. Phase 4 is the hospital main building consisting of a 2-storey podium, two towers (8 and 12 storey) and pavilion flanking main entrance.

"This phase of the development of the new hospital has the greatest potential to impact the cultural heritage landscape of the Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site of Canada and the adjacent heritage resources including the Rideau Canal National Historic Site of Canada and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Federal Heritage Buildings of the Dominion Observatory and other adjacent Federal Heritage Buildings." (Page 17/87)

Affected Visual Presentations

• views from Prince of Wales Scenic Entry---include views toward proposed loading docks.
• view from entrance to Queen Elizabeth Drive/Dows Lake (at Preston/Prince of Wales).
• views from Dows Lake to main hospital buildings.
• views from Carling Avenue both east and west of the main hospital building.
• views identified in the Commemorative Integrity Statement for the Central Experimental Farm.
• views from adjacent CEF heritage buildings (e.g. Dominion Observatory Complex, Saunders Building, along Commissioners Drive and/or Maple Drive).
• views identified in the NCC Visual Assessment Views Analysis (2009 and 2013.)
• view from/along the Rideau Canal including from Commissioners Park, Hartwells Lockstation and Colonel By Drive (that were assessed for the Campus Master Plan and parking garage applications.) Page 18/87.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau refused to give the National Capital Commission 700 acres of the Experimental Farm. An Ottawa Citizen headline from 1974:

 Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands at the Tulip Festival, Dows Lake Ottawa, 1968. My Dad gave me this photo.                                

The people of Canada are losing an oasis, a treasure in Ottawa.

 Documents were signed that guarantee the destruction of the 1,000 acre Farm.

"A Capital City belongs to a certain extent to the whole country, and should not be placed in such a position that any one man, or company of men, can have it in their power to seriously mar its beauty, and thus throw discredit on the nation. As a Capital City, the parks and open spaces should be numerous, and ample boulevards and parkways should skirt the different waterways as well as connect the principal parks and the different public bridges." The Todd Report, 1903.

RIP:

• Parkland
• the Historic Hedge Collection
• Dominion Observatory, Photo Equatorial Building and South Azimuth
• Department of Agriculture Recreational Association Tennis Club (DARA Tennis Club)
• Laboratories and greenhouses
• Maple Drive and Birch Drive
• Hundreds of trees
• Land along Baseline Road for a City of Ottawa transportation project
• Buildings
• the $4 million dollar Dows Lake parking lot
• William Saunders Garden

The United Nations will remove the designation UNESCO World Heritage Site from the Rideau Canal if a medical centre is built on the Farm:

UNESCO State of Conservation Report May of 2018

1.  Various Federal Infrastructure Investment Program projects along the length of the Rideau Canal World Heritage property.

2.  Rideau Canal crossing pedestrian bridge (Ottawa).

3.  Chateau Laurier proposed expansion (Ottawa).

4. Highway 417 bridge rehabilitation (Ottawa).

5.  Third Bridge crossing (Kingston.) It proceeded-savecfbrockcliffe

6.  Rideau Marina (Kingston).Rejected by the city of Kingston in 2020-savecfbrockcliffe.

7.  Former Davis Tannery Brownfield Site redevelopment (Kingston). The city of Kingston rejected the proposal in 2022.

8.  New Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus (Ottawa). 

        

They are steamrolling ahead.

The photo is from Skyscraperpage.com forum. "New Ottawa Civic Hospital (930 Carling Avenue and 520 Preston Street" - Site preparation.

Comments on the Skyscraperpage forum: "Fencing has gone up around the perimeter of Queen Juliana Park blocking pedestrian and cycling paths from Carling Avenue to the Arboretum." 

"Night lighting in Queen Juliana Park is being removed."

"Trees have been removed from the lower part of the west ridge."  (2022.)

"The NCC should not have any of AAFC's land to begin with. The only reason they have any is because the feds transferred it over to them so they could give it to the Hospital for  'dirt' cheap (if not free/$1 dollar a year.") 

"I think the citizens of this city should have a say on what happens to an institution that has existed for 130 years. I think this creates a lot of distrust when the use of public land changes overnight, especially when it serves as a green oasis in the middle of the city. This is considered an important part of the heritage of Ottawa."

The trees in Queen Juliana Park near the Sir John Carling Building.As I mentioned before, QJP was a gift from the Pierre Trudeau government to the people of Canada, when the World War 11 temporary buildings were removed. The park was a memorial to the 7,600 Canadian soldiers who were killed during the World War 11 liberation of the Netherlands.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why am I being denied access to the 2,400 page lease agreement between the federal government and a medical centre--I was told that I "do not have a valid reason" to view the document.

 I believe that Commissioners Park is being converted to a venue for parking lots and high rise condos. As soon as all the tulips are removed. The 22-acre park is part of the NCC Greenbelt: House of Commons Ottawa September 16, 2009 Member of Parliament Steven Blaney: "...Other properties found in the greenbelt are Commissioners Park, where there is a display of over 100,000 tulips."

From Ottawa Greenbelt Wikipedia: "The City of Ottawa has identified more than 13,700 acres of the Greenbelt (55 km) that could be developed." Environment Ministers John Baird and Jim Prentice refused to dismantle the Greenbelt: "Environment Minister Jim Prentice opposed development in what he considered an important part of the city's heritage. He vowed to fight any such move."

 Maple Drive is being restricted to emergency vehicles and the Dominion Observatory campus will probably be flattened. The Gonzales Federal Observatory in Victoria BC was privatized.

A street sign in Ottawa that will most likely be removed in the near future.

New buildings cannot be constructed near HMCS Carleton.

 HMCS Carleton is Ordnance and Admiralty property used for the defence of Canada. The Ordnance and Admiralty Act of 1927: "Rideau and Ottawa canals - City of Ottawa Barracks, Blockhouse and Adjuncts of the Canals."

"The Department of National Defence has maintained its presence at the northeast corner of the Central Experimental Farm since the Second World War. HMCS Carleton now functions as a naval reserve unit in the building adjacent to Dow's Lake. The property is the last remaining land from the British Ordnance reserve of the mid-1800's." (From: CEF National Historic Site Management Plan,5 of 20.)

However, according to the Ottawa Hospital Master Plan, December 13, 2022: "The Ottawa Hospital's new Civic Campus development, which will be located on Carling Avenue adjacent to Dow's Lake, will be the major referral centre for Eastern Ontario, western Quebec and parts of Nunavut and the Eastern Ontario Trauma Centre."

HMCS Carleton, 79 Prince of Wales Drive.

Property Number: 08795

Custodian: National Defence

Interest: Crown Owned

Restriction: No Restriction

Primary Use: Military

Address: Ottawa

Place Name: Ottawa

Municipality: Ottawa

Federal Electoral District: Ottawa Centre

Census Classification: Rural

Land Area: 2.2937 ha.

Building Count: 1

Record Created On: May 29th, 1990

Record Last Modified On: November 9th, 2021 ( Information is from the Federal Directory of Real Property website.)

During the year 1988, 91 acres of Experimental Farm Land were sold to the city of Ottawa and eventually to Ashcroft Homes. The property included a Naval Radio Station:

A plaque that is located in the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. The Clyde/Merivale land is now owned by Walmart, Ashcroft Homes and a strip mall.

Major's Hill Park was Ordnance and Admiralty land: House of Commons Ottawa July 6, 1908. Grand Trunk Railway Hotel Site: Member of Parliament Haughton Lennox: "...You are practically giving the company the use of a large park which is the most beautiful in Ottawa...I get so angry when I talk about this. I get so indignant at this proposal that I find it hard to keep my temper. But if we are going to dispose of this property I would point out that there are special provisions that have to be met before we sell ordnance land."