The Lansdowne Park Partnership Plan is moving full steam ahead.
After spending nearly 11 hours debating almost 50 motions intended to tweak the plan, city council approved the plan by a vote of 15-9, which was the margin for nearly all the votes leading up to the final approval yesterday.
Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder acknowledged that not all the details were available yet, but the vote yesterday was to move ahead with something that will be very special.
“It’s an opportunity for this city to grow together,” said Harder.
It’s a great project, said Rideau-Vanier Coun. Georges Bedard, but he could not vote for it because it’s bad planning.
“We are trying to shoehorn, into an area imprisoned by the canal, a large commercial and entertainment complex and that site really cannot accommodate it,” said Bedard.
Capital Ward Coun. Clive Doucet said he doubted any more debate would sway councillors.
A master site plan will still have to be presented to council in November for approval, said city manager Kent Kirkpatrick, and there is still opportunity to cancel the project over the next 14 months and only pay for the costs incurred by the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.
After that, contracts for construction will be signed and cancellation will be much more expensive.
One of the motions that did pass requires the OSEG to sign a binding contract for an expansion team with CFL within 90 days, or else the deal is off. OSEG representative Roger Greenberg said he had no problem with that.
