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The National Capital Commission surprised many people and overjoyed others Thursday by recommending Tunney’s Pasture become the site of the new Civic hospital.

The recommendation of the NCC’s board — which passed despite some key voices of dissent — now goes to Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly for approval. If approved by Joly, it’s up to the hospital to decide whether to proceed.

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ALSO: Hospital board says no to Tunney’s Pasture as site for new Civic

In the end, it was access to public transit — the site is adjacent to the LRT line — and the fact that it would not require destroying a heritage site or agricultural land, that helped to sway the NCC’s decision. The 50 acre site, on the western edge of the massive Tunney’s Pasture government complex, an NCC official noted, is already a sea of parking.

It moves Ottawa a step closer to having a $2 billion super hospital to replace the aging Civic. There are still many questions to be answered and hurdles to overcome before the new hospital is a reality — 15 or 20 years from now, at the earliest.