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Friends, There are important developments related to Lansdowne Park but first we want to tell you about a fundraiser for the Friends of Lansdowne. The Old Ottawa South Community Association is having another Havana Night on Saturday, January 28 at the Old Firehall on Sunnyside Avenue. Dance to the music of the Caridad Cruz Trio and enjoy food from the Havana Cafe. Tickets are $40 and are on sale at the Firehall (tel: 613-247-4946), Havana Cafe, Compact Music in the Glebe and online at www.oldottawasouth.ca. Let’s make it a sellout for the second year running. Meanwhile, Friends of Lansdowne continues to wait for a decision from the Court of Appeal for Ontario. The fact that the ruling is taking this much time shows that the Court is giving serious attention to this complex and precedent setting case. We are hopeful that the Court's decision will go our way, but even if it doesn't Friends of Lansdowne will continue to work to get Lansdowne right. For now, we are in waiting mode. However, the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) are not waiting to hear from the courts. This week we learned that they have issued tenders for construction at Lansdowne Park. 1. Trinity Developments, one of the OSEG partners, has issued a tender for the construction of the commercial buildings at Lansdowne. The tender documents reveal yet another change in architects on the project. The commercial buildings are now designed by Petroff Architects of Markham, Ontario. Whatever happened to the original architects Barry Hobin and Brisbin Brook Beynon and their designs? What is the current proposed site plan and design and who has seen and approved it? 2. A tender call is also out for an estimated $129 million of construction work to renovate Frank Clair Stadium and the Civic Centre and to build underground parking. The tender indicates that work is expected to begin in March 2012. Find out more: http://dcnonl.com/cgi-bin/top10.pl?rm=show_top10_project&id=010f13b47caea5aeccbb976ad9223e11b1f7228f®ion=national&projectid=9091636. The arrogance of the City and OSEG in going out with these tender calls at this time is disturbing. The legality of the partnership project is still before the courts; there are no provincial environmental or heritage approvals; the site plan is not approved; and Council has not approved the terms of the final agreement with OSESG. Why are the City and OSEG proceeding as if they have the green light? What makes them so confident? We all need to be concerned that the City of Ottawa is pushing this project ahead without due process. The City is about to sign a contract to spend $129 million on a project that still faces major roadblocks. Is it responsible for the City to put your tax dollars at risk this way, especially given the economic downturn? Please ask your Councillor what is going on. Also, ask your MPP what he or she is doing to ensure provincial laws are enforced. Friends of Lansdowne needs your support to challenge this project that, from the beginning, has ignored principles of good planning and good governance. Please help again if you can: You can make a donation
Friends of Lansdowne See you at Havana Night II. Let's get it right! |