NCC plan for embassy lots in Mechanicsville approved at committee

The National Capital Commission'sland in Ottawa'sMechanicsvilleneighbourhood could soon be rezoned for up to five embassies, but Ottawa's planning committee agreedthe federal park proposed for the site shouldbe larger than previously planned.

The committee approved the application on Thursdayand the file now heads to city council for final endorsement on Oct. 13.

The area's councillor Jeff Leiper got his colleagues to support three motionsincluding one to grow the size of the planned federal park yet again, to0.9 hectares.The planon the table had called for a 0.66-hectare park, which the NCC had already increased from its original proposal for 0.36 hectares.

Leiper said the bigger parkmight mitigate losing open space in the neighbourhood, but by no means offsets what isthere now.

"We're not making more new land," Leipertold his colleagues, before voting against the application. Councillors Shawn Menard and Riley Brockington also voted against, while the six other councillors voted for.

• City staff endorse NCC plan for embassies west of downtown
• Mechanicsville fights 'distasteful' plan to rezone green space for embassies

Several residents told councillorsthe importance of the current green space has grown since the pandemic began. If the City of Ottawa is serious about itsclimate emergency, they added, they would not allow buildings to go up in a neighbourhoodalready losing open space tointensification.

The NCC, however,said it never intended the parcel on Burnside Avenue to remain open space.

Andrew Sacret, the commission's chief of long-term planning and transportation, pointed to the 220 hectares along the Ottawa River"thoughtfully" planned for recreational paths.

The Mechanicsville land, on the other hand, has long been intendedfor diplomatic missions, he said, and his organizationmaintains a land bank for the federal department of global affairs so it can meetdemand from countries.