Private property pre-dates the NCC, the Federal District Commission, and Gatineau Park. Chelsea residents and members of both associations can trace their roots back to the turn of the last century. Indeed, some of the members of these two associations represent family land holdings that pre-date the National Capital Commission, the NCC's predecessor, the Federal District Commission, as well as the formation of the park.
Our residents understand what a wonderful asset the park represents to the national capital region and to Canadians in general. We love the park, our two lakes, and the lands around them. Over the past half-century we have embraced a mixed private and public use and ownership philosophy. Moreover, we have contributed much to the social and economic well-being of Chelsea and west Quebec.
We believe strongly in the preservation of the environment, natural beauty, and heritage of Gatineau Park. Over the past 100 years our residents have demonstrated their dedicated stewardship of the park and community in which they live. Many of the hiking and cross-country ski trails that criss-cross the park were built by us. Area cleanup days, H2O Chelsea water sampling and surveys, water and trail medical rescues and evacuations, fire monitoring, and other similar beneficial public activities are routinely undertaken by us, and happily so.
Chelsea is a green municipality, perhaps the greenest community in our province and across the country. Municipal building codes and septic system control and monitoring in Chelsea are among the most stringent in Canada. This type of municipal government leadership is essential to any community and lends support to our goals of respect and preservation of the natural world around us.