Few issues in Ottawa have been so chewed over as Lansdowne Park redevelopment, but groups for and against the redevelopment plan are taking a final bite before next week's vote.
Heritage groups are worried over plans to move the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired Horticultural Building.
"The ground is not crumbling underneath it," says Brian Barrett of the heritage advisory group. "There're no safety issues around it. There's no rational reason for moving it apart from commercial and that's not good enough for heritage proponents."
Counters Gordon Bunke, from the CFL Alumni of Ottawa: "When you look at the state Lansdowne Park is in, it just breaks your heart."
Value in listening to the old arguments again
A new stadium, redevelopment and a return of the CFL promise others a glorious future as well as a past.
"It's an amazing place," Bunke adds. "Right next to the Rideau Canal, and it can be so great. And we're being afforded an opportunity to make it great again."
And even if it's all been said before, councillors on both sides say it's worthwhile to hear it again.
"There's lots of opportunity to make changes here, so hearing from the public in my mind is very important in getting the best deal we can get if it's actually going to go forward," says Coun. Diane Deans.
Adds Coun. Rick Chiarelli, "It's good to get these things on the record, too, because at some point years from now, people are going to wonder how we arrived at this decision because they'll want to find that formula and bottle it and do it again."
The final vote is set for Monday, but due to the central role the park has in Ottawa's future, it's possible it could be pushed to Tuesday.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Norman Fetterley
