Policies & Threats Related to Greenspaces
(posted to the GA List, 20 May 2015) As usual, the NCC has worked in its mysterious ways. Just over a year ago [in April 2014], on a tight deadline following a public meeting, one was asked to send in comments on a draft Capital Urban Lands Master Plan, its numerous Appendices and a draft NCC Policy for Parkways. Silence followed. Then, at its meeting of April 22, 2015, the
On March 19, 2014 a meeting of the PAC was finally held. A large number of groups had been invited but only five people attended, representing the Poets’ Pathway, the Greenspace Alliance and Heritage Ottawa. Not much was learned, but repeated assurances were given that there were no plans to sell any land. The following week the NCC held public consultations about the NCC’s Urban Lands Master Plan, combined with
The Ottawa Citizen, Jun 19, 2007. pg. C.1 NCC tags $175,000 for land survey; Study intended to identify property, not targets: director by Mohammed Adam (Copyright The Ottawa Citizen 2007) The National Capital Commission is launching a major $175,000 study of federal land holdings in the nation’s capital, including such landmarks as the Central Experimental Farm and Leamy Lake Park, to determine how they fit into the continuing development and
23 June 2007 (updated 17 July 2007) The Citizen reported on June 19, 2007 that the NCC has advertised for a consulting firm to study federal land holdings in the National Capital Region outside Gatineau Park and the Greenbelt. The study is expected to start in a month and be completed in a year. (Read the article here.) NCC Director of Planning François Lapointe puts this study in the context
NCC initiates its Urban Lands study, again (2007-2013) Public consultations (2014) NCC Urban Lands Plan approved (2015)
On October 12, 2007, Minister Cannon, the Minister responsible for the NCC, announced new appointments at the Commission. Ms. Marie Lemay was appointed Chief Executive Officer (replacing Micheline Dubé, who remains Executive Vice-President); and former Ottawa Mayor Jacquelin Holzman and financial advisor Kory Bobrow were appointed to a 2-year and 4-year term on the Commission respectively. Like Ms. Holzman, Mr. Bobrow hails from the National Capital Region. Ms. Lemay has
On September 12, 2007, Chair Russell Mills and Acting CEO Micheline Dubé announced a number of initiatives that promise to foster more openness and transparency by the NCC: – all ‘regular’ (quarterly) Board meetings will be open to the public, starting November 7. Agendas will be made available in advance and Minutes will be posted on the NCC web site; – Public Standing Committees will be instituted. These committees will
On May 3, 2007, Min. Cannon announced the appointment of the new Chair of the National Capital Commission, Mr. Russell A. Mills. See the NCC’s press release here. The welcoming words were spoken by Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Micheline Dubé. Wikipedia says about Mr. Mills in a “stub” (not quite a full article): Russell Mills (born July 14, 1944, in St. Thomas, Ontario) is a former Canadian newspaper publisher. He
The March 19, 2007 Federal Budget Plan had this paragraph on the National Capital (p. 73): Preserving the National Capital The National Capital Commission (NCC) safeguards and preserves the Capital’s most treasured cultural and natural heritage assets for future generations. As noted by the NCC Mandate Review Panel, funding in recent years has not been sufficient for the NCC to maintain these assets. Budget 2007 proposes to address these needs
The Mandate Review Panel released its report on December 21, 2006. Download the Report (5.6 MB). Download the Press Release and Prof. Gilles Paquet’s remarks. Media coverage: CBC.ca news item, December 21 [no longer online] Articles in The Citizen, December 22, 2006: “Bolster NCC, don’t scrap it” https://www.pressreader.com/canada/ottawa-citizen/20061222/282239481141330 “Incredible opportunity’ to improve capital” [no longer online] “Some Juicy Bits; Some No-Brainers” – column by Kelly Egan https://www.pressreader.com/canada/ottawa-citizen/20061222/282252366043218 Erwin Dreessen commented
