Bangladeshi embassy needs a better location
November 17, 2022--Big Trees of Kitchissippi is among 5 signatories to an open letter sent Nov. 15 to the High Commission of Bangladesh in Canada. View the complete letter by clicking the PDF below.
Today, the chair of Mechanicsville Community Association's Trees Not Embassies working group wrote to Mary Jarvis, director of real estate for this region at Canada Lands Company to suggest CLC begin negotiations with the High Commission of Bangladesh to find a good home for its proposed embassy on other federal lands available in the Ottawa area.
In October, residents living next to Lazy Bay Commons were surprised to see large delegations of Bengali diplomats arrive in entourages of many vehicles to tour the site, on two different occasions. This would only have happened with support from the National Capital Commission, which is currently involved in a legal appeal regarding use of the 3.7 hectare site. The City of Ottawa and Mechanicsville Community Association are parties to the appeal, to be adjudicated by a provincial tribunal in May 2023.
Today's letter to Mary Jarvis is as follows:
Dear Ms. Jarvis,
As you know local Member of Parliament Yasir Naqvi (see news article) and local Member of Provincial Parliament Joel Harden (see Nov. 4 letter) have asked the National Capital Commission to move its proposed Embassy Precinct from Mechanicsville’s Lazy Bay Commons to Tunney’s Pasture. Their support is in addition to the City Council’s rejection of the NCC’s application to put their proposed precinct in the Commons; and, to widespread opposition for the local community.
Despite this opposition and an outstanding appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal, the NCC has continued to seek diplomatic tenants for the Lazy Bay Commons, including Bangladesh.
Attached is a letter to the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada. This letter is from 5 community associations and environmental NGOs. It asks Bangladesh to withdraw from its negotiation with the National Capital Commission for the construction of a Chancery in Mechanicsville’s Lazy Bay Commons for environmental and human health reasons. The letter also indicates that if they wish to build a free-standing Chancery it is not necessary to wait for a resolution of Mr. Naqvi’s proposal to move the entire Embassy Precinct to Tunney’s Pasture as they are free to contact you to explore the possibilities of building in Tunney’s Pasture.
We trust that if Bangladesh wishes to discuss the possibility of locating their Chancery in Tunney’s Pasture, that you would welcome their query and treat it due care as it may provide the first building block for a prestigious Embassy Row on the model of Sussex Drive or Washington’s Massachusetts Avenue.
We would be pleased to meet with you, virtually or in person, to elaborate our position.
Yours truly, Roy Atkinson Chair Trees Not Embassies Working Group Board Member Mechanicsville Community Association
