OMB Hearing on Thursday
This Thursday, February 10th, 2011, marks a new step in the fight for a better development at Lansdowne Park. The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) will hold a pre-hearing on the rezoning of the Park.
The OMB appeal is a completely separate initiative from the Lansdowne Legal Challenge. It is another important battle to fight. If the zoning is overturned, then the retail and commercial aspects of the Lansdowne Partnership Plan cannot go ahead.
Friends of Lansdowne did file an appeal with the OMB but we are withdrawing our appeal as we are still in the middle of litigation with the City. We do not want to prejudice our case.
Fortunately, there are 13 other appellants, including the Glebe Business Improvement Area, the Glebe Community Association, the Old Ottawa South Community Association, the Glebe Centre, groups of neighbours and individuals. With so much citizen engagement and leadership from the community and business associations, the Friends of Lansdowne can step out of the OMB appeal, knowing that others are stepping in. We wish them every success.
The OMB pre-hearing will be open to the public, so go and listen in. It starts at 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 10th at City Hall in the Keefer Room, Heritage Building, 110 Laurier Avenue, West. It may last much of the day.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: New Visualizations Available
While we've heard a lot about Lansdowne's redevelopment, we haven't seen many images of the proposed development within the context of its surroundings. In the absence of detailed visuals from the City of Ottawa or from the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, architect Allan Teramura took the initiative to create computer models showing a plausible scenario of what the development might look like under the Lansdowne Partnership Plan. These images use the building footprints approved in the site plan and combine them with the allowable heights for each building under the recently-changed zoning laws. Take a look here at the visuals.
Ian Tamblyn donates his song, "Village", to Friends of Lansdowne
Friends of Lansdowne has received the gift of a song - and what a remarkable, memorable song it is! Acclaimed singer-songwriter Ian Tamblyn wrote the song "Village" for the Lansdowne Follies, where a packed house greeted it with thunderous applause. It is a powerful anthem about what will be lost if the Lansdowne Partnership Plan goes ahead. Listen in to the song here.
Lansdowne Follies: A Sell-out Success
Music and laughter were the order of the day at the Lansdowne Follies! The event not only raised $15,000 for the Lansdowne Legal Challenge but also raised the spirits of everyone involved. Thanks to Ian Tamblyn, Elizabeth Hay and Lynn Miles for their inspiring songs and words; to Steven Shrybman for his legal update (and his jokes); to over 30 volunteer performers who sang, danced, and acted up a storm; and to a terrific audience and the many Lansdowne supporters who continue to contribute financially to the cause. Those who were lucky enough to get seats at the Follies are still smiling and chuckling at an amazingly entertaining and inspiring show.
Friends of Lansdowne Inc. Secures Standing in Court; Sealey and Ward able to withdraw
On January 31, 2011, the City of Ottawa agreed to not challenge the standing of Friends of Lansdowne Inc. in court. This marks a major step forward for our court challenge, and also means that Gary Sealey and Doug Ward -- who signed on as co-applicants to ensure that the standing of the court case could not be challenged -- can retire as individual applicants. While the chance of having court costs awarded against Sealey and Ward was exceedingly remote, the scale of these potential costs could have been very punishing. Now that the issue re: standing is settled, all legal activity to quash the Lansdowne Partnership Plan will be channelled through the Friends of Lansdowne application that is before the Ontario Superior Court.
No ruling on other January 31 Motions
There has not yet been a decision on the Friends of Lansdowne motion to compel the city to produce documents, nor on the City's motion to exclude financial affidavits from our two experts. A ruling is not expected for at least another week.
Become a Friend on Facebook
Do you have photos of the Follies or other Lansdowne-related matters? Post them on our Facebook site. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119840308050424&v=wall