OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group has scrapped a proposal to take over programming and operations of all public places at Lansdowne Park.
In his bulletin to Capital Ward residents, Coun. Shawn Menard says “OSEG has withdrawn its proposal to manage the programming and operations of the public spaces" of the park in the Glebe.
Last Fall, the finance and economic development committee received a report proposing OSEG take over programming of all public spaces and the urban park.
The report from City Manager Steve Kanellakos said OSEG’s proposal “would consolidate operations, programming and facility bookings, providing one point of contact for the public while maintaining the commitments to community programming outlined in the Urban Park Programming Agreement.”
The report said OSEG believed the change would help enhance the Lansdowne community and visitor experience, and boost annual attendance from 4 million to approximately 5 million.
Following public backlash, Councillors voted to delay a decision on transferring responsibility for programming to OSEG until 2020.
In November, OSEG CEO Mark Goudie said the goal for OSEG was to get more people at Lansdowne and find more ways to make it more enjoyable for more people.
Menard says OSEG has “pledged to work in collaboration with the community, city and our office to see if there’s a better approach for improving Lansdowne.”
Menard says public consultations on the vision for the 40 acre site at Lansdowne will be held in the future.”
"Lansdowne is one of those rare sites in Ottawa that really allows you to dream big when it comes to city-building.”
