It’s not every day that a person gets a tree lot named after them. While most people barely take notice of the tree lot surrounding the water tower behind the Rona store on Innes Road, it was very much a bone of contention between the city and local residents back in the 1970s and again in the ’90s.
In the mid-70s, the aggregate company Francon Inc. wanted to build a quarry there. The man who fought tooth and nail against it was Victor Cyr.
Cyr lived across from the site on Frank Bender Road where the A&W strip mall is now located. Back then, Innes was a two-lane road and the houses on the north side of the street were all on well water. Cyr was convinced that a quarry would have a tremendously adverse effect on the well water not to mention what the blasting might do to their homes.
In raising the concerns, Cyr was able to get the former municipality of the Gloucester to reject Francon’s plans.
Then in the mid-1990s, a housing developer wanted to build a sub-division on the site and Cyr once again came to the rescue of the woods and found an ally in former city councillor Rainer Bloess, who orchestrated a land swap between the city and the developer to preserve the lot in its natural state.
Cyr passed away in July 2017, but his efforts to save the tree lot were never forgotten.
Victor Cyr’s son Michael submitted an application to the City of Ottawa’s commemorative naming committee in 2022. The application was approved last year and a plaque that bears Victor’s name was recently installed at the far end of Frank Bender Road near the side entrance to RONA.
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| The late Victor Cyr’s wife Gilberte, his son Michael and his grandson Philippe were joined by city councillor Catherine Kitts for the unveiling of the Victor Cyr Woods plaque on Innes Road on September 12. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO |
The unveiling ceremony, hosted by local city councillor Catherine Kitts, was held last Thursday with Michael, Victor’s wife Gilberte and his grandson Philippe in attendance.
When asked what his father would have though about the whole thing, Michael joked that his father would have likely tried to kill him just for thinking about it.
But the wood lot means a lot to Michael as well. He used to explore and play amongst the trees as a boy. It was also important to preserve his father’s legacy. The old family home may be gone, but the wood lot and the plaque bearing his father’s name will stay there forever..
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CUMBERLAND FARMERS MARKET from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the R.J. Kennedy Arena in Cumberland Village with 85 local farmers and vendors ready to showcase their freshest produce, handmade goods, and unique finds! FREE ADMISSION
