Ottawa communism memorial location criticized by architect group
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada supports move down Wellington Street
A national organization representing thousands of Canadian architects is adding its voice to those criticizing the planned location of a national communism victims memorial.
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada said Thursday they want the site of the National Memorial to Victims of Communism moved from its planned spot next to the Supreme Court of Canada to the Garden of the Provinces and Territories, a little further west down Wellington Street.
- Read the RAIC's full statement
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RAIC vice-president Allan Teramura told CBC Ottawa All in a Day host Alan Neal on Thursday the current site had been designated for a major federal building to fit in with the nearby Supreme Court and Justice Building.
“To put a commemoration on this empty spot, one-third of what's intended to be a '(judiciary) triad' means that forever, we won't be able to complete this composition, which is supposed to a complementary, companion piece to the parliamentary triad — the Centre Block, East Block and West Block," he said.
"It's a matter of forming this composition which is intended as part of the overall parliamentary precinct… it's part of the story that unfolds as you go down Wellington Street."
Teramura said there also aren't a lot of spots where buildings can go up in the parliamentary precinct and this would mean the loss of a potential expansion location, while having it at the garden would mean a visible, prominent alternative.
Toronto’s Shirley Blumberg, who was a member of the jury that picked the design, said in December that she didn’t like the design or location.
Ottawa architect Barry Padolsky also said last year that the location should be used for something different.
The federal government has donated the land between the Supreme Court and Library and Archives Canada for the monument.
Listen to Teramura’s full interview in the audio player and vote in our poll question about the monument.