New Ottawa Civic Hospital [930 Carling Ave + 520 Preston St] | U/C

[acottawa]

My idea:

Leave the arboretum and ornamental gardens where they are, but maybe also introduce other plants and landscaping to have a broader "national botanical garden."

Set aside a portion of the site for an "urban agricultural research facility" that would include the experiments that have an advantage being at the current location (urban heat island, pollution, longitudinal studies, etc). Relocate other research fields elsewhere (possibly the large facility on the greenbelt already run by ag can).

Of what's left:
Use maybe 1/3 for a demonstration farm and to continue to meet the historic site designation of "A rare example of a farm within a city" and so tourists can see a farm in the middle in the city and to complement the agriculture museum. But rather than mostly focus on cereal crops (like the current CEF) take a broader approach to what a farm is (orchards, vegetable gardens, meadows, some more landscaping).

Use another 1/3 for a large park. Ottawa has lots of NCC grass, but no large urban parks close to the city centre. This park could have a range of landscapes (forest, meadow, lawn, sports fields, gardens, etc).

Use another 1/3 for other public uses. This could include a hospital, but would also include land to be set aside for future ideas.