As the host community where the proposed Lansdowne development is scheduled to take place, the Glebe Community Association has a lot to say about the plans.

Glebe Community Association - Motions passed on June 22, 2010

Be it resolved that the Glebe Community Association communicate to City Councillors and staff, to elected officials at the provincial and federal levels, and to the community at large the Glebe community’s consensus position on the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park.

1. Lansdowne Park should be revitalized through a fair, open and transparent process that involves meaningful engagement of the public and of neighbouring communities.

2. The financial proposal for Lansdowne should be rejected since it is not in the public interest and will increase the burden on taxpayers by:

* providing public land for commercial purposes at a nominal rent of $1 rather than leasing the land at market rates;

* debt financing an expensive $130 million dollar stadium renovation which the City’s own reports indicated could be done a much lower cost;

* failing to follow a competitive process to ensure value for taxpayers dollars.

3. In terms of the proposed mixed-use development, the GCA calls for:

* a limit on the height of buildings as per current zoning on Holmwood Avenue and Bank Street,

* a significant reduction in the amount of retail and the size of individual stores, and reduced incursion into Lansdowne Park in order to maintain compatibility with neighbouring businesses and respect the traditional main street zoning and character;

*adherence to the City’s Housing First Policy with respect to affordable housing;

4. The community park variously known as Sylvia Holden Community Park and Lansdowne Community Park should be retained as a distinct community park, with physical barriers separating it from Lansdowne Park and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway. This park should remain under city ownership and be managed by the City’s parks and recreation department.

5. The traffic and parking generated by the proposed development will have severe adverse impacts on the quality of life, health and well being, and safety of residents of the Glebe. The Association opposes the proposed scale of development and number of events, without adequate rapid transit. The proposed development provides no major improvements to public transportation or cycling infrastructure to reduce car traffic to the site.

6. The heritage values and attributes of the site should be respected: specifically

• The viewsheds and easements of the Aberdeen Pavilion should be maintained
• The Horticulture Building should not be dismantled or moved.
• Open public space should be preserved for large public gatherings in keeping with Lansdowne Park’s traditional uses and sense of place

7. Lansdowne Park should be retained as a public space—planned, managed and operated by the City of Ottawa for the benefit of the citizens. No land should be declared surplus and the management of the site should not be delegated to a municipal services corporation.

8. The city should carry out comprehensive public consultations on the numerous reports and studies related to Lansdowne that were released in May and June 2010. The public participation and consultation process was grossly inadequate and did not conform with the city’s own normally accepted consultation practices

9. Council should not vote on the Lansdowne Partnership Plan until an integrated design is produced and presented to the public, since there are significant differences between the designs of the mixed-use portion and the urban park. This integrated design should respect the preferred indoor and outdoor locations of the Ottawa Farmers Market. The greenspace in the urban park should have no ‘hard surface marshalling areas’ or overflow parking.

10. The commercial development should be contingent on the Urban Park and this should be reflecting in an implementation plan that begins with the Urban Park.