Is preserving this 90-hectare property a good use of $1.95M in city funds?

Rural Ottawa city councillors are trying to block a city plan to purchase a 90-hectare property in the west end for $1.95 million, arguing there is other land more deserving of being preserved with its limited money set aside.

With more than 800 metres of untouched shoreline, mature forest and pastures suitable for tree planting, city staff argued at Thursday's meeting of the rural and agricultural affairs committee that the Fitzroy Harbour property is ideal — even critical to meeting the city's preservation goals. 

West Carleton-March Coun. Clarke Kelly vehemently disagrees. 

"It's been on the market for well over a year, so clearly it doesn't offer an exciting development opportunity for anyone," he told CBC after the meeting.

"I'm not convinced [this purchase] actually achieves what we want to achieve, which is preserving really important rural land."

So far Kelly has had a tough time convincing his colleagues, who sided with staff to OK the purchase at a meeting of the finance and corporate services committee last month.

'Frivolous, unnecessary' purchase

The same family has owned the Ferry Road land west of the Quyon Ferry dock for more than 180 years and used it primarily to farm. It counts a log home built around 1845 and a farmhouse built around 1910 among its structures.

At Thursday's meeting, people from across Ottawa came to weigh in on the land, variously lauding the area for its beauty and wildlife or labelling it a waste of money. 

A YouTube video advertising its sale showcased its expansive green space with aerial footage interspersed with descriptions from a realtor on the property's pebbly beach. 

It argued it's the type of "unbelievable" property that comes up "once in a lifetime." 

By contrast, farmer Jack McLaren told councillors it's a property that's beautiful but "nothing special," since it shares features with land he and his neighbours own. 

McLaren called it a "frivolous, unnecessary" use of taxpayer funds. Kelly likened it to a homeowner spending millions on landscaping when their roof was caving in.

Wide committee supported

The rural councillors are facing an uphill battle. 

When Kelly first argued his case before the finance committee, he failed to stop councillors from voting to go ahead.

Nick Stow, program manager of the city's natural systems branch, explained how this land would connect natural systems and open up the possible of archaeological finds.

Stow has brushed aside suggestions that the property isn't special enough.

"The enhancement and improvement of our natural heritage system needs to occur one small decision at a time," he said when the proposal was first debated last month. "Those small decisions are critical."

He also suggested that simply being available for purchase now — and at a price far below the initial asking price of $3.5 million — makes it appealing. 

The city keeps a Natural Area Acquisition Account to buy and care for "important natural lands," according to the staff report. It currently has a balance of about $5 million.

That report says there are limited opportunities to plant trees and restore wetlands on existing city property and this purchase would help meet official city goals around wetlands and rural forests.

If council opts to finalize the purchase next week, Stow told CBC that staff will get to work on a conservation management plan.

The city might also explore "low-impact recreational activities," noting similarities to the Morris Island Conservation Area upstream.

That land is co-owned by the city and Ontario Power Generation and operated by the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority. 

While Kelly and other rural councillors can see its merits, they just don't feel this property — far from the urban boundary, closer to Renfrew's core than Ottawa's — is in any danger of being developed. 

"I question, sure, [this land] ticks all the boxes, but does it help us achieve our goals? I don't think so," Kelly said.

The city's site alteration bylaw does provide certain protections for land within a kilometre of the urban boundary.

Council will weigh the sale against a motion from Kelly this coming Wednesday which proposes that staff create a list of other properties in need of protection and clarify and update the criteria for choosing them.