Two more options for the future of Lansdowne Park were presented Thursday as city council prepares for a major vote on a plan to redevelop the park into a sports and entertainment centre.
"People want a park, not a parking lot," said architect Lester Johnson.
He said he plans to turn Lansdowne's current parking lots into green playing fields. Although Johnson plans to keep hockey at Lansdowne, he said he would get rid of football.
Other aspects include erecting large ceremonial gates, restoring the horticulture building and bringing an outlet of the Rideau Canal into the Farmer's Market.
It's a plan that's attracted the attention of at least one Ottawa councillor, who's criticized council for not holding a design competition for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Park.
"This is not to say this is the one we think you should accept. We just want to say this is the kind of thing that we should be seeing before we make any final choice about what we want the park to be," said Coun. Clive Doucet.
Earlier in the day, an Ottawa businessman spoke about his own plans for a sports stadium in the capital. Those plans would see a stadium built at Bayview Yards, near the Parkdale Exit on the Western Parkway.
"There're no restrictions to go ahead. It's approved for commercial, retail, residential and civic development," said John Martin.
As for the future of Lansdowne Park, he said Frank Clair Stadium should be torn down and redeveloped into an actual park.
The two new visions come as city council prepares to vote on the Lansdowne Live plan, backed by Minto.
The proposal promises to redevelop the area into a "people place," including a world class sports and entertainment stadium, a refurbished arena, aquarium, exhibition space, an amphitheatre, formal gardens and ponds, shopping, a home for the Farmer's Market and a new hotel.
Representatives from the group have been meeting with city officials throughout the summer to negotiate details of the Lansdowne Live proposal. The results of those negotiations will be presented to Ottawa city council next week.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Norman Fetterley