Lansdowne Park Redevelopment Phase 1 | Completed

[Capital Shaun]

Originally Posted by defishel

Oh, God, no! Lansdowne is such a unique and important name to Ottawa, they can't possibly think about changing the name... I'd be more comfortable with naming the sports arena TD Place, but the entire park should remain Lansdowne.

Completely agree.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by Glenlivet Ave

Lansdowne Park will be re-named TD Place according to this article:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Ottawa+landmark+Lansdowne+Park+renamed/9356287/story.html

When they first talked about selling the naming rights I thought they said the shops and arena/stadium would be renamed and the Aberdeen Pavilion, Horticulture Building and park would remain Lansdowne Park.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by defishel

Oh, God, no! Lansdowne is such a unique and important name to Ottawa, they can't possibly think about changing the name... I'd be more comfortable with naming the sports arena TD Place, but the entire park should remain Lansdowne.

Agreed. Stadium names I rarely care about, but come on.

[alecz_dad]

If you don't want the whole thing called TD-Whole Foods-JackAstors Super-Wonderland, let @OttawaCity @JimWatsonOttawa @REDBLACKS @OSEG_Corporate @theMintoGroup @67sTix #ItsLansdownenottdplace know.

Originally Posted by defishel

Oh, God, no! Lansdowne is such a unique and important name to Ottawa, they can't possibly think about changing the name... I'd be more comfortable with naming the sports arena TD Place, but the entire park should remain Lansdowne.

[alecz_dad]

Hate to say, "I told you so," but it does seem as though the corporatization of LANSDOWNE PARK knows no bounds!

Next we'll hear that OSMUG will be charging admission to walk around on the grass.

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

When they first talked about selling the naming rights I thought they said the shops and arena/stadium would be renamed and the Aberdeen Pavilion, Horticulture Building and park would remain Lansdowne Park.

[S-Man]

I assumed they were naming just the stadium as well. At least when Scotiabank Place became the drearily-named Canadian Tire Centre it didn't erase a historical moniker.

[alecz_dad]

Fatty McButterpants, I agree with your comment: "The best time to sell someone something sub-standard is when they're desperate for anything."

It seems pretty clear now to most who take a good hard look at what Lansdowne (sorry TD Place) is becoming -- a second-rate shopping centre, with tarted-up/falling down stadium attached, and a bit of greenspace -- that most of the early promises of OSMUG's "vision" have been cast aside.

Larry O, gave Roger G and the boys the keys to the kingdom (with Mayor Jim in his now familiar role as the smiling doorman). And now they really don't have to pay any mind to what anybody else thinks.

Much has been made of criticizing neighbouring residents for not coming up with a plan for Lansdowne, and that since they didn't (even though they lacked the resources of several billion-dollar corporations) that nothing they had to say had any relevance.

Yes, Friends of Lansdowne had their own narrow interests. But they also really were concerned about the lack of any real vision, meaningful consultation, procedural transparency or fiscal prudence, as pertained to OSMUG's scheme.

I think that more and more we are seeing the results of the lack of accountability on this file coming to roost:
* as the promised urban village filled with "unique retailers" becomes an everyday shopping centre dominated by chain stores;
* as evocations of the site's historic importance and names (Frank Clair, Lansdowne, etc.) give way to commercial considerations demanding the public sphere be permanently branded for a million a year (I rather suspect Roger Greenberg or Bill Shenkman could find that under their setee cushions);
* as plans to fill infrastructure gaps, such as the pedestrian bridge, are sidelined by "current financial realities," despite the massive indebtedness the City has place on City ratepayers, simply to organize Lansdowne to best benefit OSMUG's private businesses.

Originally Posted by Fatty McButterpants

Because everyone (myself included) is caught up in the buzz, excitement and anticipation. Like most people, I am happy and excited to see this place open. For the longest time, I didn't care much about the finer design details because I was just happy something was finally happening. The best time to sell someone something sub-standard is when they're desperate for anything. And that is a recipe for eventual disappointment. That's all I'm saying.

The new half of the stadium will look great. The old half will look generally as ugly and dated as it did before (I know, I know ... there have been some modifications. But nothing "groundbreaking"). The Civic Centre is a monstrosity that can never be salvaged. And so that's what we'll have: a hodgepodge of eclectic structures. A patch job. Something novel (for a bit, anyway).

[gjhall]

No one should be surprised, they said all along they were going to do this.

That being said, we don't live in a totalitarian state, so we can just call it Lansdowne Park all the same. I imagine the "great lawn" etc area that is an actual park (unlike Lansdowne Park was before this deal) will probably still be called Lansdowne Park, and actually be a park!

[alecz_dad]

RW12888, I'm sure you are right. I cannot speak for everyone on Holmwood -- though I have spoken TO many of them -- and I can tell you that most are still fuming. These are, after all, the folks who started the process of taking the Lansdowne scheme to the OMB on their own dime, which resulted in a few concessions on OSMUG's part.

People on Holmwood may embrace you. But be certain that most of them will still harbour very conflicted feelings about your new abode, and may well bore you about what a bloody debacle the whole development has been. Certainly I will, if we should ever meet.

Indeed, I think they would have been quite happy to see that side of Holmwood "completed," but will likely feel the bitterness about how it came about for the rest of their days. Unlike me, who does not live on Holmwood, and so could turn my back on the rising monoliths and try to pretend they were not there, the Holmwood folks have had to see this giant slap in the face every time they went out their front doors for the last several years. That's an anger that doesn't just disappear overnight.

And sorry, but that old "what do you think was on your land before your house was built? Probably trees as well" line is old and lame.
Surely you would agree that there is a big difference between lots being carved out of virgin wilderness more than 100 years ago, and the City conspiring with a private developer, to deny the existence of a previously-declared park (opened by the current Mayor, no less), which was much appreciated by local residents, simply because it stood in the way of it's grand plan?

Originally Posted by RW12888

I understand that the current folks on Holmwood are dealing with a lot of inconvenience and disturbances. I sympathize with them.

However, Alecz_dad, you do NOT speak for everyone on Holmwood. You seem to be just an individual who thinks he represents everyone on Holmwood and surrounding area. I can tell that you are a proud house owner, and just want to protect your neighbourhood. However, saying that neighbours will not be happy to see me based on where I live is just plain IGNORANT.

By they way, what do you think was on your land before your house was built? Probably trees as well.

Why so much hate for my "teeny" tree?

[alecz_dad]

Indeed. The earliest iteration of the stadium's name -- The Palladium -- is permanently inscribed on the landscape of Kanata.

Although I don't think any evidence of its Corel Centre or ScotiaBank Centre eras remains, does it?

Best that the streets in TD-WholeFoods-Joey'sPlace be named "Lansdowne Park Ave." and "Frank Clair St.," in recognition of the aspects of the history of the site that the City is allowing OSMUG to erase.

Originally Posted by S-Man

I assumed they were naming just the stadium as well. At least when Scotiabank Place became the drearily-named Canadian Tire Centre it didn't erase a historical moniker.

[alecz_dad]

Unfortunately, to get their mitts on the site for the retail and condo development, it had to be harnessed to a dubious proposal for City taxpayers to go hundreds of millions of dollars into debt to prop up the long-neglected Civic Centre and Frank Clair Stadium.

Surely examples such as the ottawa.baseball.stadium, or Skydome (Rogers Centre for the youngsters), demonstrate that using public money to support private sports franchises is bad economics, bad policy and bad business.

I guess I think that if billionaires want stadiums to house their private sports businesses, they should pay for them themselves!

Jeff Hunt is already getting millions in handouts from the City for the "inconvenience" of the 67s having to play at the Corel Centre, sorry, ScotiaBank Place, no, wait, Canadian Tire Centre, during the Lansdowne construction. Surely you don't get compensated for "inconvenience" if you're one of the authors of your own inconvenience (certainly nobody has been offering any of Lansdowne's neighbours any compensation for the YEARS of inconvenience they have so far experienced).

How long before OSMUG is back, cap in hand, demanding more public money to repair or upgrade the stadium (Formerly Known as Frank Clair)?

Originally Posted by Fatty McButterpants

I agree that a refurbished stadium is lame. This thing is going to be a huge disappointment once the initial novelty wears off. The park and retail aspects of the development look fine to me, but the patch job on the sports facilities is pretty embarassing.

[White Pine]

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

Surely you would agree that there is a big difference between lots being carved out of virgin wilderness more than 100 years ago, and the City conspiring with a private developer, to deny the existence of a previously-declared park (opened by the current Mayor, no less), which was much appreciated by local residents, simply because it stood in the way of it's grand plan?

You're right. There is a big difference. I am now completely opposed to this plan.

Denying the existence of previously existing forest and farmland, which was much appreciated by the locals, including the ones forced off the land, all to satisfy the city's grand plan... all of that, all of that truly pales in comparison to the unspeakable act of redeveloping a parking lot. It's a veritable atrocity, and we should charge OSEG with crimes against humanity.

They're even cutting down a couple of trees at the edge of the lot! To put houses on a residential street! What will the neighbours do? Nobody living in the central area of a city of a million people should have to see a house out their front window, which spoils the majestic view of ten trees in front of the beautiful rolling Asphalt Sea. After all, it's ridiculous to think that there will be more greenspace once this development is finished. Where will the dogs poop?

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Glenlivet Ave

Lansdowne Park will be re-named TD Place according to this article:

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Ottawa+landmark+Lansdowne+Park+renamed/9356287/story.html

Disapprove! Call the stadium whatever, but the overall site? no no no.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by gjhall

No one should be surprised, they said all along they were going to do this.

That being said, we don't live in a totalitarian state, so we can just call it Lansdowne Park all the same. I imagine the "great lawn" etc area that is an actual park (unlike Lansdowne Park was before this deal) will probably still be called Lansdowne Park, and actually be a park!

I'd like a firm answer on that, rather than an imagine.

[EdFromOttawa]

Originally Posted by White Pine

You're right. There is a big difference. I am now completely opposed to this plan.

Denying the existence of previously existing forest and farmland, which was much appreciated by the locals, including the ones forced off the land, all to satisfy the city's grand plan... all of that, all of that truly pales in comparison to the unspeakable act of redeveloping a parking lot. It's a veritable atrocity, and we should charge OSEG with crimes against humanity.

They're even cutting down a couple of trees at the edge of the lot! To put houses on a residential street! What will the neighbours do? Nobody living in the central area of a city of a million people should have to see a house out their front window, which spoils the majestic view of ten trees in front of the beautiful rolling Asphalt Sea. After all, it's ridiculous to think that there will be more greenspace once this development is finished. Where will the dogs poop?

[JFFournier]

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

Much has been made of criticizing neighbouring residents for not coming up with a plan for Lansdowne, and that since they didn't (even though they lacked the resources of several billion-dollar corporations) that nothing they had to say had any relevance.

Lol...They were critisized for blocking every plan and disappearing between each attempt to add anything to the park. Not quite the same thing.

You don't need billions to make suggestions. No one actually expected them to IMPLEMENT a plan. But when you go on about what a tragedy it is whenever someone wants to build whatever it is there, then appear content to watch it deteriorate on its own, your credibility takes a hit.

[JFFournier]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

Disapprove! Call the stadium whatever, but the overall site? no no no.

This is how the Sun describes it:

The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group will announce this week it has come to an agreement to rename its brand-spanking-new sports complex -- which will be the home of the RedBlacks, Fury FC and 67's.

Let's maybe just wait for the actual announcement.

[eemy]

I would even be okay with TD Lansdowne Park.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by White Pine

You're right. There is a big difference. I am now completely opposed to this plan.

Denying the existence of previously existing forest and farmland, which was much appreciated by the locals, including the ones forced off the land, all to satisfy the city's grand plan... all of that, all of that truly pales in comparison to the unspeakable act of redeveloping a parking lot. It's a veritable atrocity, and we should charge OSEG with crimes against humanity.

They're even cutting down a couple of trees at the edge of the lot! To put houses on a residential street! What will the neighbours do? Nobody living in the central area of a city of a million people should have to see a house out their front window, which spoils the majestic view of ten trees in front of the beautiful rolling Asphalt Sea. After all, it's ridiculous to think that there will be more greenspace once this development is finished. Where will the dogs poop?

We should go drinking and be sarcastic drunks together some time.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by alecz_dad

Best that the streets in TD-WholeFoods-Joey'sPlace be named "Lansdowne Park Ave." and "Frank Clair St.," in recognition of the aspects of the history of the site that the City is allowing OSMUG to erase.

Wait a minute! Are my eyes deceiving me, or is that a constructive suggestion that I see buried deep within your rant? See, I knew you could do it if you just set your mind to it!