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Aug 21, 2008, 5:01 PM
Ottawa college puts rare green space up for sale
Last Updated: Thursday, August 21, 2008 | 12:34 PM ET
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2008/08/21/ot-park-080821.jpg
Residents of Ottawa's Chinatown neighbourhood are lobbying the city to buy a plot of green space up for sale in an area of the city with few parks.
Dominican University College is asking $2.2 million for their former garden on Empress Avenue, near Booth and Somerset streets, to help cover the cost of maintaining its buildings — the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church and an early 20th century building that houses both the college itself and a convent.
The college took over the church in the 1880s.
Sean Darcy, who lives across the street from the property, said he worries about what will replace the garden, which is surrounded by an old stone wall.
"My biggest fear is a big huge apartment building … that really changes the character of this green space oasis," he said.
Darcy said neighbourhood residents want the city to purchase the garden if possible and are willing to help raise funds for that purchase.
Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes said it's likely a condo developer will be the first to buy the land, and it's unlikely the city could afford to do so.
However, she planned to bring up the possibility at a committee meeting Thursday.
She said her ward, which contains the property, has the least amount of green space in the city, and that may help provide the city with a good rationale for making the purchase.
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Last Updated: Thursday, August 21, 2008 | 12:34 PM ET
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2008/08/21/ot-park-080821.jpg
Residents of Ottawa's Chinatown neighbourhood are lobbying the city to buy a plot of green space up for sale in an area of the city with few parks.
Dominican University College is asking $2.2 million for their former garden on Empress Avenue, near Booth and Somerset streets, to help cover the cost of maintaining its buildings — the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church and an early 20th century building that houses both the college itself and a convent.
The college took over the church in the 1880s.
Sean Darcy, who lives across the street from the property, said he worries about what will replace the garden, which is surrounded by an old stone wall.
"My biggest fear is a big huge apartment building … that really changes the character of this green space oasis," he said.
Darcy said neighbourhood residents want the city to purchase the garden if possible and are willing to help raise funds for that purchase.
Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes said it's likely a condo developer will be the first to buy the land, and it's unlikely the city could afford to do so.
However, she planned to bring up the possibility at a committee meeting Thursday.
She said her ward, which contains the property, has the least amount of green space in the city, and that may help provide the city with a good rationale for making the purchase.
.