The Greenspace Site

The Greenspace (called the “Lester site” in the EA) is located between Hunt Club and Lester roads, along the Airport Parkway, surrounded by the existing National Capital Commission GreenBelt.

The City of Ottawa’s assessment of this greenspace has many flaws. It did not take into consideration the many recreational, aesthetic, psychological and educational benefits of this greenspace area or how the presence of greenspace contributes to the maintenance of a healthy urban environment.

On the same parkway, just north of the Greenspace Site, the City is currently spending 13 million dollars for a constructed wetland and stormwater management system to deal with existing runoff and erosion problems. An important factor in the construction of the wetland and stormwater management system was the aesthetic aspect of the streams and ponds, given their prominent location along the Airport Parkway. It is difficult to understand why similar concerns are not being considered for the Greenspace, an equally visible location along the scenic route. The construction of a maintenance yard and storage facility would seriously undermine previous attempts (and expenses) made by the City to maintain the beauty of the Airport Parkway.