Councillor feels public should have more say in Lansdowne 2.0 plans
Posted May 6, 2022 10:28:00 AM.
As the City of Ottawa's finance and economic development committee (FEDCo) prepares to look over redevelopment plans for Lansdowne Park in a meeting on May 6, one Ottawa councillor feels the residents in the capital city deserve a broader consultation process.
On April 27, the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) unveiled Lansdowne 2.0, a project estimated to cost $330 million and includes a modern standalone event centre, new north-side stadium stands, additional retail space, as well as new residential units to own or rent, including affordable housing.
Capital Coun. Shawn Menard, who held a virtual meeting on May 1 regarding OSEG's plans for Lansdowne 2.0, tells CityNews Ottawa that the process is being rushed for discussion and approval for the current council term, and the residents of Ottawa deserve to have more of a say when it comes to such a large project.
“We need a larger public consultation process on this, and we need to ask ourselves, do we have residents' best interest at heart,” said Coun. Menard. “In the end, its residents' money, and they should have a say in this and decide this.”
Menard, who represents the area where Lansdowne Park currently stands, said residents were loud and clear during Monday's virtual meeting that there hasn't been much time for people to look over the plans and absorb the impact such a project could have on residents and the surrounding areas of the Glebe.
Menard said OSEG's plans don't include a real transportation plan for an area that's known for high levels of traffic congestion.
“If you have been on Bank Street, you see it's often clogged with cars,” said the councillor. “You need a solution to that problem if you want to move forward.”
Coun. Menard added there has to be honesty with the people of Ottawa regarding costs of the project.
“We need to tell the truth and the costs this project is going to incur,” he said. “There's going to be a substantial amount of debt that comes with this, and the finances are not really clear.”
Menard wonders how affordable are the plans for affordable housing the project proposes.
“It’s going to be higher than the market average and market rent than the rest of Ottawa,” he said. “That's not really affordable.”
