More than 500 opponents of the Lansdowne Live proposal to refurbish the central Ottawa park held an on-site rally Sunday afternoon.
The Friends of Lansdowne Park scheduled a walk/run around the 40-acre complex to highlight their objections to the city's decision to negotiate with private investors hoping to overhaul the park, rebuild Frank Clair Stadium, and host an expansion Canadian Football League franchise.
"Walking around the site provides an appreciation of its large space and sparks the imagination as to what could be done so close to the canal," organizer Michael Tiger said in a statement.
"Lansdowne should be much more than a shopping or cinema destination."
The group wants the City of Ottawa to institute an open process for determining the park's future use. They believe the city erred in April by choosing to deal exclusively with the group, headed by Minto's Roger Greenberg and 67s owner Jeff Hunt.
The $100-million Lansdowne Live proposal will return to city council for a July vote. Besides a stadium, the bid included a promise to create a "people place" with a refurbished Civic Centre, exhibition space, formal gardens and ponds and commercial buildings.
Instead of accepting the plan as it stands, the city is working with the group to reach an agreement on how to move forward with reshaping Lansdowne Park.
Plans for the city to provide 30-acres of land and $10 million in cash to help Eugene Melnyk in his bid to build a soccer stadium in Kanata have been put on hold until council votes on the final Lansdowne Live proposal.
