Lansdowne Live

Well the first hurdle for this project is past.  I have a few random thoughts on the process I thought I would share with you.

The first is that, if someone with the verbal bombastic penchant of Alex Cullen ever became mayor of Ottawa the Dark Ages would be upon us.

The second is that I am please that for once Councilor Doucette was put in his place when the mayor cut off his remarks when his time was up.  The crocodile tears, the wavering voice and the mild tantrum that he exhibited was a telling thing.  Doucette is a spoiled child in a man's body.  He is the kid who took his ball and ran home when he wasn't the centre of attention on the playground.

There appeared to be many councilors that were absent even while they were in the room.  I am thinking specifically of Councilor Desroche.  Unless he snuck in a question while was out of the room, he did not even take part in the final debate.  Oh, he made a fine speech in the closing but where was his questioning otherwise?

I mentioned at the outset that the project was past the first hurdle.  The next hurdle is the design panel headed by George Dark.  Who, you may ask, is George Dark?

He has a resume overflowing with projects and kudos.  During the final stages of he first hurdle process he was handed a series of documents on the project and wrote a report, of which I have a copy, that made all sorts of statements and assertions on how to improve the space at Lansdowne.   In general the document is good, however, in his General comments, on page 19, he makes a somewhat strange observation that makes me wonder.  He notes: "The schematic design drawings are too site plan like for public use.  The problem is they look very precise and final … like a site plan application and do not convey the conceptual ideas well.."

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the whole idea of a "schematic drawing" to look as precise as possible?


All in all the project is moving forward.  That is a good thing.  Let's just hope that it doesn't get bogged down in deciding on the colour of the drapes and making sure that they complement the sham.

That would be a sham(e).

Council gets it done... MAYBE

After a marathon meeting of City Council, the group of geniuses finally approved a slam dunk deal that stared them in the face for months.  Lansdowne Live has taken a step forward.

Let's make sure that we understand the reason I call it a slam dunk deal.  Lansdowne is the multi-acre site at Bank Street and the Canal.  The site is important in the history of Ottawa.  The troops marched there before they went off to the horrors of WWI. It was the site of one of Canada's first major agricultural fairs.  It has hosted everything from car races to Little League baseball (including a game where a terrific catcher hit a home run - ME).  It was the home of the Ottawa Rough Riders for some many years and is still the home of the Ottawa 67s.

But aside from the activities that continue in the Park, the buildings and especially Frank Clair Stadium are crumbling to rubble.  It is costing the city over $3 million per year to maintain the rate of crumble.  Along comes a group of developers and sports people who offer, unsolicited, to revitalize the whole park and bring the CFL back to Ottawa,  if the city will repair the stadium.

The deal is good for the taxpayers and the city. So should we be concerned?  Yes we should!

Council, in agreeing to negotiate with the Lansdowne Live folks have put so many caveats on the deal that there are hundreds of way that this council, and history has proved this, can overturn its own decision.

Members of Council - you have started down the right path.  Don't blow it now!