The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

For something I thought was already a done deal about six months ago, it amazes me the plan to revitalize Lansdowne Park is still being dragged on but (what I think will be) a final vote will finally happen tonight as they decide the future of Ottawa sports & entertainment.

I should point out that fixing Lansdowne Park is much more than football & concerts though. A prime piece of real estate in the city I live in is being wasted because of incompetence and lack of vision. Did you know there was actually a design contest for Lansdowne 12 years ago? Got us far, didn't it? Now that four of Ottawa's most prominent real estate developers have come forward with a plan, people are running for the hills, shocked that a stadium that needs to be upgraded...might actually get upgraded.

My understanding is currently the city forks over $4 million a year for maintenance and to make sure the stadium doesn't collapse on itself. The plan proposed asks the city to maintain that yearly payment to pay for the loan to redevelop Lansdowne. No extra costs involved. Makes sense to me. Put $4 million into an investment instead of an eye sore that may need to be torn down if it's left the way it is. And what would you have to show for the $4 million a year you've been paying for so many years if this proposal is killed? Nothing.

Some say the retail development will kill Glebe businesses. I disagree. It's already been promised that no "big box" stores will be allowed to set up shop, so we won't have a big Wal-Mart to worry about. And wouldn't adding more retail selection increase business traffic to the Glebe overall? I don't know. Just talking out of my a** maybe.

Glebe residents complain that there will be increased traffic and such during events. Well, yeah! That will happen...for about an hour on Sunday. I don't recall anyone complaining about traffic when the Renegades were here and they still averaged 16-17,000 or so fans even though the team blew chunks. YOU LIVE BESIDE A FOOTBALL STADIUM! Remember when we hosted the u-20 FIFA World Cup a couple of years ago? Sold out, every night soccer was on. Crowds and traffic happened. So there is noise and some inconvenience for a little while. Do you want a hushed silence and no attendance when your city decides to host a few events? I live in a downtown apartment. Guess what? I understand the chances of hearing a police siren at three in the morning is slightly higher for me than someone who lives in suburbia. I expect bumper to bumper traffic every weekday while all the feds make their way to and from work. Yes it might make me delay my visit to Best Buy while I wait for the cars to clear out BUT I LIVE DOWNTOWN SO IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN! Can you imagine me writing a letter asking what the city will do about all those buses and vehicles I have to deal with at 4 in the evening because I want it to be quiet for my walk to get a Subway sandwich? I don't see ANY difference for those residents who live beside a football stadium complaining as much as they do.

Some say the CFL is dead in this city. Even if that's the case, there's plans to have a soccer team ready to play. Don't think that will fly? How about when the Rolling Stones showed up here to perform? About 42,000 attended. How about the FIFA tournament I just talked about? Sold out. How about the 67s getting a better arena? Maybe the NHL would consider having their annual outdoor game in a revamped Lansdowne Park. My point is, to have these things, you need a stadium, something most major cities in the industrial world have. The whole idea behind this plan, from what I can gather, is for Lansdowne to become a year round attraction, not just for the CFL and nothing else.

It's more than the Glebeites who are affected by this decision; it affects the entire city. I understand that the councillor for the area, Mr. Doucet, hasn't even met with the development group to discuss his concerns which makes me think he's not interested in getting the true facts and doing what's right, but simply to appease those who continue to ruin the reputation of Ottawa stirring up lies, half-truths, and complaining about what I consider the realities of living downtown.

This should be an EXCITING time for Ottawa. A chance to re-energize the downtown core and turn it into something special.

I hope common sense will win this debate.