Rally to protect trees is latest action against future Civic hospital site

Demonstrators gathered in a shaded field at the Central Experimental Farm Sunday to rally against the planned construction of The Ottawa Hospital's new Civic campus.

Thecrowdsang in unison as theyprotested the potential removal of more than 500 trees that would be felled if hospital construction goes ahead as planned on the northeast corner of the farm, near Dow's Lake.

The rally wasthe latest example of community opposition to the$2.8-billion developmentthat critics say will lead to the loss of a valued parcel of green space.

Speakers at the "Lament for the Trees"rally called for the campus to be builtonthewestside of Tunney's Pasture insteadthe preferred location of aNational Capital Commission study completed in 2016.

"We think the decision-making process was a bit peculiar and without explanation,so we have called for an inquiry by the integrity commissioner of the City of Ottawa. We filed a formal complaint,"event organizer Valerie Swinton told CBC.

Dogged by controversy

The Ottawa Hospital's search for a site to build anew hospital to replace its nearly 100-year-old Civic campus on Carling Avenue has been controversial.

The first proposed site was the farmlandright across the street from the existing hospital,which was slammed by activists and researchers.

That location was scrapped when the Liberal government restarted the process and the NCC chosethe Tunney's Pasture government complex,which was rejected by the hospital.The board cited concerns about the cost of demolishing the existing buildings atTunney's, road access for people driving sick relatives to the siteand the timeline for completing the project.

Finally, a third site was chosen:approximately 20 hectares at the northeastern edge of the farmthat aren't used for research.

Reimagine Ottawa, one of a loose collection of community groups that organized Sunday's rally,is calling for a formalinquiry into the site's selection process.

"If we don't nitpick the plan to death for the planning committee and for city council, shovels will be in the ground and it'll be all over," said Swinton.

Capital ward Coun. Shawn Menardwas among the crowd of more than 100 people who attended the rally.

'Something really special'

Jake Morrison, a landscape and event photographer, said members of Reimagine Ottawaapproachedhim to document the trees in the area. Morrison has sincetaken dozens ofwhat he calls "portraits" of the trees.

"I think there's something really special about this site, and every tree on it," he said. "The people have cared for it for over 100 years."

The city's planning committee is targeting early October 2021 to meet, but has not yet confirmed an exact date.

The City of Ottawa did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

Swinton said Reimagine Ottawa has more rallies planned before the vote but didn't say where or when they would be held.

"In the end, we want a hospital that will last for generations and is built on the right site," she said.