The announcement that OSEG has won a professional soccer franchise is leading to speculation that if Friends of Lansdowne wins its legal case, soccer could not come to Ottawa. This is not true. The City could simply renovate the stadium and rent it out to the owners of the football and soccer teams. Remember the City is paying 100% of the stadium renovations, with or without the Lansdowne Partnership Plan. If the City dropped the complex public-private partnership scheme, stadium renovations could begin more quickly. So if you want soccer for Ottawa...say yes to soccer, no to the Lansdowne Partnership Plan.

Both the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group have filed their responses to the factum presented by Friends of Lansdowne. See the documents here:

• Factum of the City of Ottawa served-dated June 15, 2011
• Factum and Book of Authorities of OSEG dated June 15, 2011

The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) decision of June 15, 2011 allowing the rezoning of Lansdowne Park has nothing to do with the Friends of Lansdowne Legal Challenge. The Friends of Lansdowne was not involved in the OMB appeal process and there is no link between what happens at the OMB and the Ontario Superior Court.

The OMB decision relates to issues of land use planning and zoning. The Friends of Lansdowne Legal Challenge is about accountability, transparency and democratic governance. It also about complying with public procurement rules, and about violating the rule against providing assistance to private developers by granting them bonuses.

For the record, the OMB confirmed the mediated settlement made earlier this spring by the Glebe and Old Ottawa South Community Associations, together with the residents on Holmwood Avenue and the Glebe BIA. This settlement protects the park area at Lansdowne, lowers the heights of some buildings, and removes several residential towers from the Lansdowne Partnership Project. However, the OMB dismissed three other appeals by individuals and supported the City's rezoning of the park as a whole.

So far this spring, the Conservation Review Board has ruled against the City; and the Ontario Municipal Board has ruled for the City. In addition to the Lansdowne Legal Challenge, to be heard on June 21-23, 2011, the City must still obtain heritage, environmental, urban design and site plan approvals before it can go ahead with redevelopment. It must also finalize the legal agreements and governance structures for the project.

Read the OMB decision here.

Friends of Lansdowne has filed a 117-page factum with the Ontario Superior Court presenting our evidence that the City of Ottawa acted illegally when it approved the Lansdowne Partnership Plan. City Councils all over Ontario and Canada will be watching this landmark case, which is unprecedented in its scope and arguments. If Friends of Lansdowne wins, we will make new law for Ontario and set new standards for accountability and good governance at the municipal level. Read the FOL factum here. Then come out and hear the case argued at the Elgin Street Courthouse, starting Tuesday, June 21 and running several days.