While some Ottawa councillors are pushing to move the city into negotiations with a group of businessmen to redevelop Lansdowne Park, Coun. Clive Doucet is unhappy with the fact that the proposed project involved no public consultation.
Doucet hosted a panel discussion yesterday to voice his concern about the sole-source, unsolicited procurement proposal of Lansdowne Live that the City of Ottawa is looking to go ahead with.
Joined by Doucet on the panel were bureaucrat Allan Cutler, president of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance John Reid, and Ian Lee, director of the Sprott MBA program at Carleton University.
“Sole-source practices are corrupt,” said Lee. “(Canada) is ranked by the UN as one of the most ethical and transparent countries, but with this, it seems as though we’re regressing. We’re being hypocrites here, and not walking the talk.”
City, provincial and federal practices say that all contracts above $25,000 must go to public tender.
The city and taxpayers are currently paying $3.8 million a year for Lansdowne Park’s general maintenance.
The site had previously been the subject of an international design contest, but that ended when a team of local developers brought forward their proposal. Lansdowne Live would balance sports and entertainment facilities with green space, shopping/dining and a multi-purpose stadium.
