October 29, 2023 

Dear Mayor and Councillors 

Re: Joint FCSC-PHC Meeting of Nov 2, 2023—Lansdowne 2.0 

 

I am writing on behalf of the Glebe Community Association (GCA) to urge you to vote 'no' to the omnibus Lansdowne recommendations before you. Specifically, we urge you to reject the redevelopment plans and to defer decisions on rezoning and official plan amendment applications until the City has undertaken a more comprehensive and transparent planning process for this important city asset. 

 

As the home community of Lansdowne Park, the GCA has followed Lansdowne's redevelopment for decades. We care deeply about its success. After careful review, we believe the current plan will not succeed in making Lansdowne better, more financially- sustainable or in meeting the City's eventual needs for updated sports facilities. 

 

There are multiple reasons to say "no" right now. 

 

  • The City can't afford to spend half a billion and add major new debt for Lansdowne, which already carries significant debt. To be clear, this plan will earmark at least $51M of taxpayer dollars upfront, followed by a minimum of 

$5M/yr. for the next 40 years to service new debt. These annual payments could at least double if Waterfall funds fail to materialise once again. And all of this is money that could be allocated to any number of other City priorities. 

 

  • Lansdowne is not a city priority. At a time when the City budget is already under pressure and we have major issues such as public transit, housing, policing and a lack of paramedics, the City should not spend time and energy on a site that was revitalized at great public expense less than a decade ago. 

 

  • The sports facilities at Lansdowne are not "end of life". According to the City's statements, the sports facilities will need updating – "eventually". They are safe to use assuming they are maintained – and OSEG remains legally responsible for maintenance. We will host the World Juniors there in 2024 – there is no sports emergency. 

 

  • There has been no accountability for the financial failure of Lansdowne to date. The City must understand why the financial forecasts were so wrong, before continuing down the same path. It must insist on having the facts about what has happened in each of the four sub-components of the partnership, not just an overall roll-up. 

 

  • There has been no exploration of alternatives that would draw more visitors to Lansdowne on non-event days and that would bring stronger public benefits. For example, potentially partnering with the YMCA to establish recreation and affordable housing onsite – to serve the urban core that is intensifying. 

 

  • There has been no consideration of options that would support city building more broadly. For example, there may be potential to build a new city arena connected to the new Senators arena, or on City land like Bayview Yards that is supported by LRT. At the same time, it is incomprehensible that there has been no analysis of the implications of a downtown Senators arena. Lansdowne needs to be planned in a wider city context. 

 

But even if Lansdowne 2.0 were financially-responsible, it would not be a good plan. 

The plan has multiple flaws: the lack of a roof on the new north side stands; the token contribution to affordable housing; the lack of transportation solutions; the significant loss of green space for public enjoyment; and an arena design that is detrimental to a successful public gathering space, according to the Urban Design Review Panel. These are not ingredients for success. 

 

We believe it is important for the City to apply the recommendations from the LRT inquiry to Lansdowne. Like the LRT, Lansdowne is a public-private partnership that requires a high level of oversight, accountability and transparency. This is Council's opportunity to avoid another failed project. 

 

We urge you to oppose Lansdowne 2.0 until there can be confidence that the redevelopment is in the public interest, is financially responsible, and will lead to a more successful Lansdowne in a better City. Demand a planning process for Lansdowne that is guided by the public good rather than private-sector interests. 

 

In the meantime, hold OSEG to its legal obligations to repair and maintain the sports facilities. Should they break their contract, the City has multiple options for this valuable public land. The choice is not whether to accept this plan or do nothing—that is clearly a false choice. Council must take the time to get it right. 

 

Yours sincerely, 

John Crump 

President, Glebe Community Association