Ottawa buying waterfront property for $2 million, with plans to sell 2 parcels of the land

A photo showing a farm at 5689 Ferry Rd. to be acquired by the City of Ottawa. (City of Ottawa/ handout)

The City of Ottawa is buying a 223-acres waterfront property near Fitzroy Harbour for $2 million, with plans to cut up the property and sell two small parcels of land along the Ottawa River in the future.

A report for a city committee in January recommended the city acquire the land at 5689 Ferry Road for the purpose of environmental conservation and stewardship. However, some councillors raised concerns about buying the property, with Coun. David Brown calling it “a lemon.”

Council approved on a motion from Coun. Clarke Kelly to buy the land for $1.95 million. Councillors voted 19-5 to direct staff to proceed with “land severance applications to establish two separate lots” on the land for sale.

• City of Ottawa wants to spend $2 million to buy farmland: Councillor says ‘it’s a lemon’

Under the plan, Ottawa would retain the primary parcel of land that “contains the most ecologically sensitive features intended for conservation and reforestation opportunities.” The two small parcels of land to be sold would be approximately two acres each, according to staff.

“By severing off these two smaller lots, the least ecologically important parts of this large lots, we can recoup costs that can go back into supporting this program,” Kelly said, noting Ottawa’s Official Plan calls for protecting areas identified as highly important to conserve.

“If we can provide two more homes in an area that does have a shortage to live for people in my community….two extra homes are two extra homes.”

The 223-acres of property is located northwest of the intersection of Old Birch Road and Ferry Road, along the northern edge of the Ottawa River and near the Quyon Ferry. The site contains wetlands and “mature, significant woodlands,” and has several older structures, including a farmhouse built in 1910, a log home built in 1845 and two cottages.

According to staff, the land is approximately 60 per cent forested and 40 per cent pasture lands, “which present opportunities for restoration and tree planning.”

The $2 million to fund the purchase of the land will come from the National Area Acquisition (Rural Account), which is for conservation and stewardship of rural environmental lands.

In explaining the reasoning for buying the property, staff said opportunities for “tree planting and wetland restoration on existing city-owned land is limited,” adding the property has historical and cultural value.

“A review of this parcel revealed that these lands occupy a significant section of the Natural Heritage System Core Areas and Linkage Areas, as per the Official Plan, that have been identified as being highly important to conserve over the long-term,” staff said. “Staff intend to use available funds in the Natural Area Acquisition (Rural) Account to acquire these lands, in accordance with city policies.”

The property has been on the market for two years, with an original asking price of $3.5 million.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Toula Mazloum