A city staff report stating that facilities at Lansdowne Park are much worse than previously believed should actually make the city’s decision on the park easier, according to the area councillor.
Capital Ward Coun. Clive Doucet, who has been pushing to restart an international design competition for Lansdowne Park, insists the report should make a stadium optional for any planned redevelopment on the site.
“It’s really taken the stadium out of the equation,” he said. “Now we can actually get back to doing business the way we should be.”
The report, to be released Monday, is expected to show that the north side stands and the Ottawa Civic Centre are in need of massive renovations in order to be brought up to acceptable standards.
A group of developers with deep pockets and roots in Ottawa have proposed to reshape Lansdowne with a hotel, aquarium, stadium, and commercial area. They are competing with a proposal from Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, who wants to build a stadium for a Major League Soccer team in Kanata.
Mayor Larry O’Brien said it is premature to suggest the stadium should be torn down.
