March 2, 2012
Clearcutting is complete on the site north of Brown Lake Road. See "Bearing Witness" for pictures. Detainees are released.
Sierra Club Press Release | 
February 1, 2012
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March 1, 2012
| 2 mars 2012
La coupe à blanc est terminée sur le site au nord de Brown Lake Road. Voir "Témoigner" pour les photos. Les détenus sont libérés.
Sierra Club Communiqué de presse |
March 1, 2012
Early in the morning, 5 tree-sitters and 4 supporters are arrested and clearcutting proceeds.
| 1 mars 2012
Tôt dans la matinée, 5 arbre-sitters et 4 sympathisants sont arrêtés et la coupe à blanc produit.
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February 29, 2012
Tree cutting begins north of Brown Lake Road, where there are tree-sitters in the area and people on the site, so it's an unsafe work area. Police begin making arrests.
| 29 février 2012
La coupe des arbres commence au nord de Brown Lake Road, où il ya des arbres-sitters dans la région et les gens sur le site, c'est donc une zone de travail dangereuse. La police commence procéder à des arrestations.
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February 27, 2012
| 27 février 2012
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February 24, 2012
| 24 février 2012
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Feburary 21, 2012 / 21 février 2012
Clearcutting begins / Coupe à blanc commence
La machinerie d’abattage est arrivée aujourd’hui dans le parc de la Gatineau pour y effectuer une coupe à blanc dans le cadre des travaux de prolongement de l’autoroute 5 près de Wakefield.
Heavy logging equipment rolled into Gatineau Park today to begin clearcutting for the La Pêche phase of the controversial A5 highway near Wakefield Quebec.
Communique here
Heavy logging equipment rolled into Gatineau Park today to begin clearcutting for the La Pêche phase of the controversial A5 highway near Wakefield Quebec.
Communique here
February 20, 2012
Occupy Gatineau Park and A5X Groups to Demonstrate In Front of Stephanie Vallée's Office
Occupy Gatineau Park members will be holding a demonstration today at 10:30 am in front of the office of their provincial representative, Stéphanie Vallée.
Protesters will hand Ms. Vallée or her staff a copy of a letter to Premier Jean Charest asking the Quebec government to place an immediate moratorium on all preparatory work and clearcutting of Gatineau Park forests to extend Highway 5 from Chelsea to Wakefield.
Ms. Vallée's office is located at 124, avenue Gatineau, Gatineau (Quebec).
See a copy ot the letter (PDF).
Les indignés du parc de la Gatineau plus A5X manifesteront devant les bureaux de Stépanie Vallée
Des membres du groupe « Occupons le parc de la Gatineau » manifesteront devant le bureau de la députée provinciale Stéphanie Vallée aujourd'hui à 10 h 30.
Les manifestants donneront à madame Vallée copie d'une lettre au premier ministre Jean Charest exigeant que le gouvernement du Québec impose immédiatement un moratoire sur tous les travaux préparatoires, y compris le déboisement de forêts du parc de la Gatineau, en vue de la construction de l'autoroute 5 entre Chelsea et Wakefield.
Le bureau de madame Vallée est situé au 124, avenue Gatineau à Gatineau.
Voir une copie de la lettre (PDF).
Protesters will hand Ms. Vallée or her staff a copy of a letter to Premier Jean Charest asking the Quebec government to place an immediate moratorium on all preparatory work and clearcutting of Gatineau Park forests to extend Highway 5 from Chelsea to Wakefield.
Ms. Vallée's office is located at 124, avenue Gatineau, Gatineau (Quebec).
See a copy ot the letter (PDF).
Les indignés du parc de la Gatineau plus A5X manifesteront devant les bureaux de Stépanie Vallée
Des membres du groupe « Occupons le parc de la Gatineau » manifesteront devant le bureau de la députée provinciale Stéphanie Vallée aujourd'hui à 10 h 30.
Les manifestants donneront à madame Vallée copie d'une lettre au premier ministre Jean Charest exigeant que le gouvernement du Québec impose immédiatement un moratoire sur tous les travaux préparatoires, y compris le déboisement de forêts du parc de la Gatineau, en vue de la construction de l'autoroute 5 entre Chelsea et Wakefield.
Le bureau de madame Vallée est situé au 124, avenue Gatineau à Gatineau.
Voir une copie de la lettre (PDF).
HIGHWAY 5 EXTENSION WORK APPROVED - WORK TO START ANY DAY.
February 9, 2012: A $61 million contract for construction of Phase 2 of the project was awarded to Couillard Construction ($61 million) on February 2nd. The last approval needed was given by the Quebec Ministry of the Environment (MDDEP). Read more here.
What will happen
As the site preparation continues at the Brown Lake Road site, we will continue to resist this move and will be recording the destruction.
The pictures to the right are views of the site before and after. | 
This is the Wakefield Mountain as seen from the lookout above the Pearson Grave Site.
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This is the effect that the current design of the A5 Extension will have on the Mountain.
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If the highway were scaled back, the mountain could be saved.
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Media Coverage of Protest Actions
Les « indignés du parc de la Gatineau » sur le qui-vive Le Droit 2/20/12
Prolongement de l'autoroute 5: les indignés du parc de la Gatineau s'organisent Radio Canada 2/20/12
Autoroute 5 Protesters Defiant Metro Ottawa 2/17/12
Showdown looms over Highway 5 Extension Ottawa Citizen 2/16/12
Video: Occupy Gatineau Park Ottawa Citizen 2/16/12
Quebec Government to tear down Occupy Gatineau Park Camp Ottawa Start.com 2/16/12
Prolongement de l'autoroute 5: les indignés du parc de la Gatineau s'organisent Radio Canada 2/20/12
Autoroute 5 Protesters Defiant Metro Ottawa 2/17/12
Showdown looms over Highway 5 Extension Ottawa Citizen 2/16/12
Video: Occupy Gatineau Park Ottawa Citizen 2/16/12
Quebec Government to tear down Occupy Gatineau Park Camp Ottawa Start.com 2/16/12
Human chain demonstration
A peaceful demonstration was held on February 18 to protest the destruction.
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| Manifestation pacifiqueUn manifestation pacifique a eu lieu le samedi fevrier 18.
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Wakefield Man Sits 100- Ft. up Old-Growth Pine to Protest A5 Through Gatineau Park
Press event : 11:00 AM Thursday January 5, 2012
Brown Lake Road, Gatineau Park, Wakefield Quebec
Yesterday critics of highway A5 - a four-lane divided highway linking Gatineau to Wakefield- erected an "Incident Command Post" in Gatineau Park to protest the clear-cutting and rock blasting by Quebec’s Transport Ministry (MTQ). Two ancient Pine trees cresting Brown Lake Mountain have been roped to accommodate tree-sitters and observation cameras. A Wakefield man is currently sitting a hundred feet up a massive pine tree in the proposed route of the A5 off Brown lake Road in Gatineau Park.
Wakefield residents and local environmental groups failed to negotiate a compromise with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and MTQ to reduce the 150 m wide highway, which runs through sections of Gatineau Park near Brown Lake in LaPeche outside of Wakefield village.
Critics argue they are not opposed to improved transportation in the region but believe the highway’s design and configuration needlessly destroy the eastern boundary of Gatineau Park by clearing mature forest, draining wetlands and blasting rock-cuts overlooking Valley Drive .
A formal request was issued last week to NCC CEO Marie LeMay (613) 239-5271, Quebec Environment Ministry ( MDDEP) biologist Louis-Philippe Caron (418) 521-3933 , Jacques Henry MTQ Director de l’ Outaouais, (819) 772-3107, and their political allies to complete the Chelsea phase of the A5 project before needlessly clearing - several months in advance- the spectacular landscape surrounding Wakefield and Gatineau Park .
Opponents warn that they will not stand idle and watch Gatineau Park " The jewel of the National Capital Region"; sacrificed for yet another highway. The A5 is the third major transportation corridor to slice through the park in the past decade. Political pressure exists to also widen the Eardly-Masham Road, straighten Notch Road, and build Blvd. Deschenes -all infrastructure projects proposed inside Gatineau Park.
A media event scheduled for Thursday January 5, 2012 at 11:00 AM will demonstrate tactics of direct action to prevent construction workers cutting and blasting Gatineau Park.
Where: Brown Lake Road - turn left (west) off Hwy 105 onto a hidden side road opposite Rockhurst Road. The turning is 200m south of the Gauvin Real-Estate Office just before(south) of the lights at Valley Drive leading to Wakefield village.
More info: Spokesperson Anne Winship (819) 459-4452,
Media liason : Ian Huggett (819) 827-3266 Cell: (819) 665-2937
Brown Lake Road, Gatineau Park, Wakefield Quebec
Yesterday critics of highway A5 - a four-lane divided highway linking Gatineau to Wakefield- erected an "Incident Command Post" in Gatineau Park to protest the clear-cutting and rock blasting by Quebec’s Transport Ministry (MTQ). Two ancient Pine trees cresting Brown Lake Mountain have been roped to accommodate tree-sitters and observation cameras. A Wakefield man is currently sitting a hundred feet up a massive pine tree in the proposed route of the A5 off Brown lake Road in Gatineau Park.
Wakefield residents and local environmental groups failed to negotiate a compromise with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and MTQ to reduce the 150 m wide highway, which runs through sections of Gatineau Park near Brown Lake in LaPeche outside of Wakefield village.
Critics argue they are not opposed to improved transportation in the region but believe the highway’s design and configuration needlessly destroy the eastern boundary of Gatineau Park by clearing mature forest, draining wetlands and blasting rock-cuts overlooking Valley Drive .
A formal request was issued last week to NCC CEO Marie LeMay (613) 239-5271, Quebec Environment Ministry ( MDDEP) biologist Louis-Philippe Caron (418) 521-3933 , Jacques Henry MTQ Director de l’ Outaouais, (819) 772-3107, and their political allies to complete the Chelsea phase of the A5 project before needlessly clearing - several months in advance- the spectacular landscape surrounding Wakefield and Gatineau Park .
Opponents warn that they will not stand idle and watch Gatineau Park " The jewel of the National Capital Region"; sacrificed for yet another highway. The A5 is the third major transportation corridor to slice through the park in the past decade. Political pressure exists to also widen the Eardly-Masham Road, straighten Notch Road, and build Blvd. Deschenes -all infrastructure projects proposed inside Gatineau Park.
A media event scheduled for Thursday January 5, 2012 at 11:00 AM will demonstrate tactics of direct action to prevent construction workers cutting and blasting Gatineau Park.
Where: Brown Lake Road - turn left (west) off Hwy 105 onto a hidden side road opposite Rockhurst Road. The turning is 200m south of the Gauvin Real-Estate Office just before(south) of the lights at Valley Drive leading to Wakefield village.
More info: Spokesperson Anne Winship (819) 459-4452,
Media liason : Ian Huggett (819) 827-3266 Cell: (819) 665-2937
1/5/12
| Media Coverage of Save the Ancient Trees Events
Ottawa Citizen: Highway 5 extension is a bad idea
Ottawa Sun: Group protests Highway Extension
Ottawa Citizen: Group claims Highway 5 Extension to damage Gatineau Park
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1/3/12
| Jacques Gréber would not approve Highway 5 extension, newly found letter reveals
by Tom Spears from the Ottawa Citizen, January 3, 2012
Nearly half a century after Jacques Gréber’s death in 1962, a newly found letter from the French architect and planner suggests that Gatineau Park needs stronger protection. Both the letter and Gréber’s descendants also suggest that the man who designed Ottawa and Gatineau wouldn’t think highly of the extended Highway 5. From Paris, Xavier Reynaud says his great-grandfather loved Gatineau Park, and would be shocked to see highway construction cutting through the forest near the park’s eastern edge. Read more. |
