Greenberg: Critics turn to an all-too acquainted playbook on Ottawa’s Lansdowne 2.0

The following is provided in line with Ken Rubin’s Could well honest 16 column, Why Ottawa Council would per chance well also honest composed bellow no to Lansdowne 2.0:

Regretfully, it seems as even supposing some other persons are extra attracted to rehashing primitive arguments as against working collectively to scheme Lansdowne the appropriate regional vacation space and gathering repute that it would per chance well also honest moreover be and one which our metropolis deserves.

As a neighborhood, we have some distinguished selections to scheme in terms of revitalizing the publicly owned arena and north-aspect stadium stands — enabling Lansdowne to set its fullest seemingly.  Hindsight is 20/20 and these metropolis resources would per chance well also honest composed likely own been modified in 2012 through the initial redevelopment of the repute.  Nonetheless cost concerns prohibited it then, and now we’re residing with the ramifications of two functionally ancient municipal resources that can most attention-grabbing continue to deteriorate. The time has scheme to repair that.

The job for Lansdowne 2.0 became initiated in 2020, whereby metropolis workers own been asked by council to take into fable three alternatives for the metropolis-owned, centennial, aging arena and north stadium stands: a) “attain nothing”; b) renovate; and c) change. In July 2021, metropolis council reviewed these alternatives and unanimously current workers’s advice that the present two services required replace, and asked metropolis workers to work with the Ottawa Sports actions and Entertainment Neighborhood (OSEG) to elevate help a proposal with detailed plans and worth estimates for these two metropolis resources. The proposal wished to fulfill two key criteria: be tax-neutral and respect the Guiding Tips for Lansdowne that own been area forth by the metropolis after intensive consultation.

In April, OSEG submitted a proposal to the metropolis of Ottawa that delivered upon these expectations. The proposal will motivate to conform and maintain Lansdowne because the bedrock of Ottawa’s civic, cultural and sports identity. From here, the metropolis intends to leverage OSEG’s proposal to rob the neighborhood and witness public consultation, that would per chance well also honest motivate to suppose the closing opinion that shall be brought forward for approval to the unique metropolis council in early 2023.

In his column, Ken Rubin erroneously said that OSEG will receive “a prolonged-term, $1-a twelve months strange hire to scheme and income from the residential objects.” That’s factual no longer the case. The metropolis checklist clearly specifies tha