Cédric Pelletier
Conseiller en communications stratégiques
The Coopérative de solidarité de la ferme Moore will assume tenancy of the Moore Farm Estate and will create the Centre d’écologie et d’agriculture urbaine de Gatineau (website in French only).
Today, Dr. Mark Kristmanson, Chief Executive Officer of the National Capital Commission (NCC), and Sylvain Bertrand, Chair of the Coopérative de solidarité de la ferme Moore, signed a five-year lease for the Estate.
The Moore Farm Estate is a unique property with great potential for reconnecting our urban communities with the land,” said Dr. Kristmanson. “The Coopérative de solidarité de la ferme Moore’s project lives up to that potential by making the property accessible to the public, in particular young aspiring agriculturalists, while preserving the heritage character of this National Capital jewel.
The future Centre d’écologie et d’agriculture urbaine de Gatineau will be open to the public year-round. It will promote ecological, agrifood and nature conservation activities as well as provide expertise in biodiversity, urban agriculture and the food sector.
The expertise of the partners that we have brought together on this project will enable the Centre d’écologie et d’agriculture urbaine de Gatineau (website in French only) to become a centre of excellence for urban agriculture and sustainable development in the city of Gatineau,
Mr. Bertrand explained.
It will also serve as a stage to showcase the best farm producers and products in the Outaouais.
In addition to ensuring diversity in vegetable and ornamental production, the Centre d’écologie et d’agriculture urbaine de Gatineau (website in French only) will work to protect the agricultural lands and scenic landscape of the Moore Farm Estate.
The Centre also plans to organize educational activities and youth training programs. Its ecological education and research program will be devoted to the discovery of modern, sustainable, urban agricultural practices. A tourism program that is compatible with the tranquility of the Estate’s rural setting will also be developed.
The Moore Farm Estate buildings, at 670 Alexandre-Taché Boulevard, date back to the 1910s. The elegant estate is representative of many early 20th century farms built on the outskirts of Canadian cities. The Moore Farm Estate was bequeathed to the Government of Canada by Virginia Parker Moore in 1973. The vision for the management and use of the site is based on her wishes, which were to have the site accessible to the public.