Capital Ward Coun. Clive Doucet rallied prominent supporters to oppose the one-sourced Lansdowne Park renewal project Monday. He said he thinks considering only the Lansdowne Live proposal is unfair.
“We’re not getting a choice,” said Doucet. “Maybe people have a different idea of what they’d like to see in their park. Maybe, they don’t want to give their park away. You’re never going to know that if you’re not given a choice.”
Politicians from all levels of government came together to join Doucet in their opposition to the process. They included Ed Broadbent, former leader of the federal NDP party, and councillors Diane Holmes and Jacques Legendre.
Other politicians, including Elizabeth May and Paul Dewar, sent letters of support.
In her letter, May wrote: “The commitment of public funds must be based on a fair and competitive transparent process at all levels of government, because whenever this doesn’t happen we cannot be assured the public interest has been properly served.”
The only proposal considered for the site was Lansdowne Live, and it was accepted by many councillors as the only solution for that site.
Council is now moving forward to decide whether a new stadium would best serve the community under the Lansdowne Live plan, or under a plan proposed by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk to build another sports venue in Kanata.
Councillors will discuss all the issues surrounding a new stadium, its location and its funding structure at a special city council meeting on Thursday.