24Apr/101
Carleton Prof Explores Chelsea & Wakefield
Not strictly Gatineau Park news, but informative to Ottawans who pop in and out of the Park without knowing it's surroundings, is an article at Rurban Fringe.
Update: Part II and III of this series are now posted here and here.
April 25th, 2010 - 23:24
That was an interesting article. I look forward to the next one.
Although not strictly about the park, as Charles said, it is relevant to the park, since it points to a deep rift in Chelsea, one which affects Gatineau Park (i,e., those people who want to protect their private squatters rights in the park tend to support the development of the arena, against the wishes of the rank and file in general).
On a similar note, below is an article from the Ottawa Citzen that also has a link to Gatineau Park.
For some reason Charles didn’t post it… Maybe it’s because it quotes me. Seems Chuckles thinks I shouldn’t get too much attention. Funny thing is, that’s what the Meech/Kingsmere clan says…
Could Charles be one of them? Well, he has never commented on the glaring injustice of having private lands in a “public” park.
That takes backbone…
You claim to be a reporter Charles, and you should know that “News is what somebody somewhere wants to suppress; all the rest is advertising.” Or so thought Lord Northcliffe.
So you might think of changing your label to “Gatineau Park Advertising,” or a little more alliterative “Gatineau Park Propaganda.”
“Moore Farm bids sought: NCC seeking business partner to run historic Gatineau property,” by Dave Rogers, The Ottawa Citizen, April 22, 2010
The National Capital Commission is looking for a business partner willing to run historic Moore Farm on Alexandre-Taché Boulevard.
The 96-acre Moore Farm extends from Gatineau Park to Alexandre-Taché Boulevard in Gatineau.
The farm’s stable, built in 1910, and an equestrian arena, constructed in 1953, are designated as federal heritage buildings. Other buildings on the estate include the manager’s house built in 1957 and an ice house constructed between 1925 and 1928.
The farm dates from at least 1824 and was one of five in the area owned by Philemon Wright, who brought his family from Massachusetts during the winter of 1800 and founded the first settlement in the region. It was called Wrightville and later became Hull.
Horse lover Virginia Parker-Moore and her second husband, Thomas Moore, purchased the farm in 1951 and bequeathed it to the people of Canada in 1973.
Yoland Charette, a National Capital Commission landscape architect, said the NCC would seek proposals from potential operators of the farm starting in May.
This year the NCC plans to winterize the stable, so it can be used year-round and to repair the ice house to prevent further deterioration. The NCC will also build a bicycle path linking the farm to Gatineau Park and an access road to the farm from Avenue des Jonquilles.
Charette said Gatineau zoning regulations would permit an equine-themed museum, a health and wellness centre, an outdoor recreation centre and a working farm with programs for people with disabilities.
Other potential uses include a regional history interpretation centre, a summer theatre, a combined horticultural centre, ornamental garden and farmers’ market, a sports and soccer training centre, a herbal and medicinal plants business, a hotel management and cooking school, an arts and crafts centre and a winery and microbrewery.
A tenant currently lives on the farm, but the site is expected to be open to the public after March 2011, when NCC hopes to complete renovations to the estate and to find a suitable business operator.
“It all depends on the type of projects that possible operators submit,” Charette said. “The proposals should be going out by late spring or early summer this year.
“The buildings are in good condition because we did major work in 2005 and 2006 to make sure that they don’t fall down. We are seeking an outside operator who would pay rent.”
Gatineau Park activist Jean-Paul Murray said the farm should be open to the public because Virginia Parker-Moore, who gave the property to the federal government, wanted it to be accessible to the people of Canada.
“The woman who gave Canada the farm wanted it annexed to Gatineau Park, but that never happened,” Murray said. “It is public land, and I don’t know whether it should be put out to tender for business interests because it was donated for public use.
“The user fees should be as low as possible, if there are user fees.”