Monday, September 19, 2011

new discoveries in Ottawa!


Canada Lands Company purchases CFB Rockcliffe, Ottawa

Cannot wait to see what they come up with here!

Update December 2011: There is now a project coordinator listed and this description on the CLC website:

"The 310 acres (125 hectares) of the former Canadian Forces Base Rockcliffe, so close to Ottawa’s downtown core, present a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to discuss and address issues of urban reintegration, quality of life and factors important in designing the place where you live, work, learn and play.

The mission is to develop an exemplary diverse contemporary neighbourhood offering a choice in housing, employment, commercial, institutional and leisure activities which will be defined by the site’s unique setting, along with a commitment to environmental sustainability and long term economic viability.

The company will now activate a development process of the site, beginning with assembling a team of professionals. CLC looks forward to renewed consultations with the community and the City to create a vibrant mixed-used sustainable neighbourhood. More will be said about this as CLC’s development team and the consultation process takes shape over the coming months."



I'm also thrilled to have found out about the Montfort Woods!

From 90 wpm @ F22: "The Montfort Woods is a 9-acre wooded area located between the Montfort Hospital and the former Rockcliffe air base in east-end Ottawa. Originally owned by the Sisters of Wisdom, it was acquired in the 1990's to DRC Phoenix, a real estate developer. An application for re-zoning of the land was filed and granted by the City of Ottawa in 2002, allowing DRC Phoenix to build 258 townhouses on the land.

Local citizens and community organizations mobilized; the fate of the woods remained uncertain for the next two years. The National Capital Commission got involved by proposing a land swap with DRC Phoenix, whereby Phoenix would get Moffat Farm along the Rideau River in exchange for the Montfort Woods. The Moffat Farm project was ultimately rejected by the City, but the Montfort Woods remains the property of the National Capital Commission. The land was declared an environmentally sensitive area in September 2004, which rules out any future applications for re-zoning."

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Native Plants Crossroad

created by Nature.ca (Canadian Museum of Nature)

Great Canadian online resource referencing Fletcher Wildlife Gardens, Old Field Habitat Garden, Montreal Botanical Garden, Toronto Botanical Gardens and organizations like Naturescape (BC), CMHC, Environment Canada, Evergreen, etc.

Resources (online brochures, websites) for:

- Balcony Gardening
- Rooftop Gardening
- Butterfly Gardening
- School-Ground Greening
- Ecological Restoration
- Shoreline Rehabilitation
- Guerrilla Gardening
- Stewardship
- Native Plant Gardening
- Wildlife Gardening
- Naturalized Gardening
- Xeriscaping
- Organic Gardening

Don't overlook their list of provincial, national and international organizations that are concerned with native plants!