Protesters greet would-be Zibi buyers as first Ottawa condos go on sale

Protesters angry with a massive residential, commercial and retail development planned fortwo Ottawa Riverislands considered sacred to First Nations people waved placards and approached would-be condo buyers Saturday morning.

Saturday marked the beginning of condo sales on the Ontario side ofZibi, a 37-acre site that includes theChaudireand Albert Islandsas well as part of downtownGatineau'sriverfront.

The development isexpected to include condo buildings, a boutiquehotel, shops, waterfront parks and a network ofpedestrian and cycling paths.

As police kept watch,about two dozenpeopleattemptedto slow cars and hand out information pamphlets about the "in dispute" development, as one protester put it.

"This is a sacred site for allAnishinaabepeople, from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains themselves," said Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal, who has filed an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board over the projectand took part in Saturday's protest.

"This was our mecca. This was our holy place where we'd come, because these islands are in the shape of a sacred pipe," Cardinal added.

The firm behind Zibi, Windmill Developments,has promised to usemany cultural and historical references in the development of the two islands,as well as hire local First Nations contractors to do much of the work.

Companyco-founderJeffWesteinde has said thatWindmillspent three yearsengaging withAlgonquin groups including some that support the project as well asall levels of government.

The protest wasn't exactly the welcome he'd hoped for, butWesteinde said Saturday that he's well awaremajor projects like Zibioften court controversy.

"We are ensuring that everybody gets a chance to put their information out. And people can make their own decision from that," he said.

• Zibi development seeks aboriginal construction workers
• First Nation files lawsuit to stop Zibidevelopment
• Ottawa committee approves rezoning on sacred aboriginal site

While the protesters have a right to make their voices heard, the Zibi development remains the best way to ensure Algonquins"take our rightful place on our own territory," saidWanda Thusky, a member of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake who also sits on a Windmill advisory board.

"We understand that they want this area to be maintained as a sacred area. But for us, sacredness also means working in partnership, restoring dignity in our people, [and] to be part of the building process," said Thuskyinside the Zibi showroomSaturday.

"This is where we feel that we can build together and be able to change history together," she added.

The land had beenbeen recently used asan industrial siteuntilthe former Domtar paper mill shut down in 2007.

Windmill partner Rodney Wilts said that despite the protests,half of the available units were sold on Saturday.