Former Ont. army base sold for $27.2M

[GAP]

Former Ont. army base sold for $27.2M
By Kelly Roche, QMI Agency
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2011/05/24/18187386.html

OTTAWA — The former CFB Rockcliffe site has been sold to the Canada Lands Company for $27.2 million, QMI Agency has learned.

"We're the land owner and developer," said CLC vice-president Gordon McIvor.

Redevelopment of the lucrative real estate in north Ottawa is back on the table after being tied up in a land claim with the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) since 2007.

"That was resolved," said McIvor.

The CLC and the AOO have entered into a participation agreement.

"We want them to be able to, if they want, develop a piece of the property following the guidelines that have been approved by the city and by Canada Lands," said CLC president and CEO Mark Laroche.

The deal between the land company and natives is worth $10 million.

The Department of National Defence no longer runs the site.

"This is the most significant and important property that we've purchased in the last 10 years," McIvor said.

And it took about 10 years to obtain the 310-acre land, which was transferred on March 28.

Prior to that, DND had been maintaining the former airforce base.

In the last four years, the federal government has shelled out more than $5 million -- footed by taxpayers -- for the site, which once housed almost 500 military families.

CFB Rockcliffe officially closed July 31, 2009.

Since then, security costs in the 2009-10 fiscal year totalled $92,024.66.

The amount spent on maintenance has decreased significantly from 2008-09, when $2.1 million was doled out. In 2007-08, the price tag to maintain the site was $2.7 million. The year before that it cost $3.3 million.

The redevelopment could be a great thing for the city, said Ottawa-Vanier MP Mauril Belanger.

"It can be, if done right."

End of Article

 

[jollyjacktar]

At least it sold for more money than it would have in the past.  We have had a history of selling for pennies, such as Jericho Beach in Vancouver.  If it had of gone for the fair market value it would have been a fair chunk of change.  Was this a fair price for Rockcliffe?

 

[jwtg]

At least it sold for more money than it would have in the past.  We have had a history of selling for pennies, such as Jericho Beach in Vancouver.  If it had of gone for the fair market value it would have been a fair chunk of change.  Was this a fair price for Rockcliffe?

I don't know much about land value, but CFB Rockcliffe is about a stone's throw away from the most posh area in Ottawa.  There are rumours about development plans for the site- what I'm hearing the most is (very) upscale homes.  I'd be willing to bet it won't look like it was a fair price a couple of years from now, but that's the nature of the beast...

EDIT: Google tells me there are all KINDS of rumours.  I guess they canned that self-sustaining environment-friendly development idea though?  I don't even have the faintest idea anymore what's going on down there.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Former Ont. army base sold for $27.2M
By Kelly Roche, QMI Agency
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2011/05/24/18187386.html

OTTAWA — The former CFB Rockcliffe site has been sold to the Canada Lands Company for $27.2 million, QMI Agency has learned.

"We're the land owner and developer," said CLC vice-president Gordon McIvor.

Army base?  There are probably airmen turning in their graves, including Wing Commander (ret'd) William Barker who took off on his last flight  from RCAF Station Rockcliffe before crashing into the nearby Ottawa River.  [/rant about ill-prepared journalists off]

While the site of the former CFB Ottawa (N) is no longer in DND hands or a drain on its funds, it is not that far removed from the ownership of the Canadian people government.

What CLC Does

Canada Lands Company (CLC) is an arm’s length, self-financing federal Crown corporation. CLC's parent company and sole shareholder, CLCL, reports to the Parliament of Canada through the Government Leader in the House of Commons.

CLC’s values can be summed up in three words – Innovation, Value, Legacy.

Innovation – CLC respects the past and embraces the future by promoting innovative approaches to stakeholder relations and real estate challenges.
Value – CLC is proud of the value its activities bring to Canadians by working to optimize both the financial value of government assets no longer needed for program purposes, as well as the community value of the company’s development projects. 
Legacy – CLC conducts business in the communities in which it operates so that the company honours the past, while creating developments that will be enjoyed by future generations across Canada.

CLC'S VISION

As a Crown corporation, we strive to be an important resource to the Government of Canada, and be recognized as pre-eminent in our fields, providing innovative solutions to complex real estate challenges, leadership in tourism development, and bringing value and a sense of legacy to every stakeholder.

WHAT WE DO

CLC optimizes the financial and community value from strategic properties that are no longer required by the Government of Canada. It purchases these properties at fair market value, then holds and manages them or improves and sells them. The company’s goal in all transactions is to produce the best possible benefit for both local communities and the Government of Canada, CLC’s parent corporation’s sole shareholder. Indeed, the company’s experience has been that the pursuit of community-related goals, such as good environmental stewardship and commemorating heritage, can often improve the financial returns of its projects.

HOW WE DO IT

Canada Lands Company purchases surplus strategic government property and follows the process outlined below to create strong, vibrant communities that add lasting value for future generations of Canadians. In all the work we undertake, we are always mindful of our organizational motto of Innovation, Value and Legacy.

Analyze – Let us begin with a hypothetical scenario in which a government department has identified a particular real estate property as being surplus to its needs. That department alerts CLC, which initiates an analysis of market conditions, location and a variety of other factors. The goal of this analysis is to determine how the property can best generate community and financial value.

Acquire – CLC works with the relevant government department to determine a fair market price for the property and then purchases it. At this point, the government’s real property disposal process commences. Once this process is complete, CLC receives title to the property.

Consult – What distinguishes CLC from other development companies is the undertaking of a consultation process. CLC project managers meet with municipal officials to introduce the company and discuss how community consultations will take place. Some examples of CLC’s community consultation processes include: meeting with community organizations, holding open houses and establishing local advisory committees to get public input on potential uses for the property. Depending on the project, one or a number of these consultations will take place. The public is invited to attend and participate at all community consultations.

Visualize – After completing the consultation process, CLC creates a master development plan for the property. In keeping with CLC’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, the plan will incorporate sustainable development principles and meet the needs of the local community. This plan is submitted to the local city or town council for consideration and approval.

Prepare – Once the approvals are received, CLC typically carries out site servicing. Depending on the site, this may involve the removal of debris and contaminated soil or other environmental hazards, the renovation of existing roads, the demolition of unsafe structures and the installation of new roads and other municipal services (for example: sewers, streetlights, etc.).

Develop/Sell/Retain – There are three options for the property development in this final phase. CLC, on occasion, undertakes the development itself, constructing the buildings after site servicing. More typically, CLC markets and sells the property in phases to builders. The builders then carry out construction consistent with CLC’s master development plan. Finally, certain properties that are of investment value to CLC’s sole shareholder are retained, and CLC manages those on behalf of the government. The most prominent property managed by CLC is Canada’s National Tower, the CN Tower.

 

[observor 69]

Army base?  There are probably airmen turning in their graves, including Wing Commander (ret'd) William Barker who took off on his last flight  from RCAF Station Rockcliffe before crashing into the nearby Ottawa River.  [/rant about ill-prepared journalists off]

While the site of the former CFB Ottawa (N) is no longer in DND hands or a drain on its funds, it is not that far removed from the ownership of the Canadian people government.

Army base? Harrumph !! Is nothing sacred !  :'(

RCAF Station Rockcliffe In 1922 the civilian components of the Air Board began to consolidate into the Canadian Air Force, which became part of the newly-established Department of National Defence the following year and was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1924. Thus the facility gained the second-longest association with the nation's air defence after RCAF Station Borden. After a few name changes, the facility took the name RCAF Station Ottawa in 1936. In 1940, this name would change again to RCAF Station Rockcliffe.

On March 12, 1930, Canadian World War I flying ace William George Barker crashed into the Ottawa River and died during an aerial demonstration over the field. In July 1931, Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh visited the airport during their northern surveying tour.

The airfield's runways were paved in 1939 in preparation for operations during World War II. RCAF Station Rockliffe participated in the British Commonwealth Air Training Program and — as the nearest airport to the centre of the capital — was involved in many other kinds of testing, training, and transport operations, including the transport of mail to Europe using B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators. Immediately after the war, in September 1945, RCAF Station Rockcliffe was the site of the first jet aircraft demonstration in Canada.

In 1957, the military's main flight testing and development operations moved to RCAF Station Uplands (now located at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport). In 1964 the RCAF ceased flying operations at the base however it saw continued use as an administrative and logistics base. The airfield passed back into civilian control and the Rockcliffe Flying Club began using the field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFB_Rockcliffe

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

Well it was originally a rifle range

From "A History of the Rockcliffe Airport Site: Home of the National Aviation Museum, Ottawa, Canada" Steven R. Payne, 1999

" In 1898, the peaceful setting was disturbed by the popping of gunshots after the Dominion Government established the Rockcliffe
Rifle Range to train militiamen. By the turn of the century the area was firmly associated with guns and horses. "

It was also used as a training area

"When first acquired, this low-lying area was covered with a swampy forest of cedars and silver maple. Later, it was considered
unsatisfactory as a training site, although military training continued on the site throughout the First World War. During the war, units were inspected at the Rockcliffe camp, including the 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade. After the war, the grounds were used less frequently by the Army"

So it was as much Army as it was Air Force.

 

[observor 69]

Well it was originally a rifle range

From "A History of the Rockcliffe Airport Site: Home of the National Aviation Museum, Ottawa, Canada" Steven R. Payne, 1999

" In 1898, the peaceful setting was disturbed by the popping of gunshots after the Dominion Government established the Rockcliffe
Rifle Range to train militiamen. By the turn of the century the area was firmly associated with guns and horses. "

It was also used as a training area

"When first acquired, this low-lying area was covered with a swampy forest of cedars and silver maple. Later, it was considered
unsatisfactory as a training site, although military training continued on the site throughout the First World War. During the war, units were inspected at the Rockcliffe camp, including the 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade. After the war, the grounds were used less frequently by the Army"

So it was as much Army as it was Air Force.

Prior to 1922, which is even before my time.