Group bracing for legal fight over Lansdowne Park

Opponents of the plan to redevelop Lansdowne Park are appealing for donations for their legal fight against the deal.

Ottawa city council opted to proceed with the partnership plan on Nov. 16 in a 15-9 vote. The proposal would see the city partner with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group to redevelop the 16-hectare Glebe property.

The partnership is due for another vote in June 2010, once design and financial details have been  worked out.

But the Superior Court of Ontario recently approved an application for a judicial review by John Martin, an Ottawa businessman who opposes the plan.

Martin is now gathering evidence to prove the city broke its own rules when it accepted the unsolicited proposal.

"Nothing is legal until a court says so," Martin said. "The bottom line is, normal open competitive procurement practices must be followed."

Both the city's chief solicitor and auditor general have told councillors their decision was above board.

But the councillor who led the charge against Lansdowne Live, Clive Doucet, said a legal challenge is necessary to get answers.

"The city and the promoters are clearly in the same room, and we will not get an impartial view from those folks. And so the only alternative for us is to go to the courts, and so that's what we're doing," Doucet said.

Jacques Legendre, a councillor who voted against the proposal, said he doesn’t think the challenge will work.

"I will simply comment that I think councils — municipalities — have the absolute right to make absolutely ridiculous decisions, of which, in my view, this was one," Legendre said.

Doucet said he thinks it's important to challenge the decision, and he said he's appealing for donations to help with the $10,000 the legal fight is expected to cost.

Martin said the review likely won't take place for a year, but he said he'll seek an injunction to stop any work on Lansdowne Park until his challenge is heard.

The redevelopment would include renovating Frank Clair stadium for a possible future CFL team, as well as new shops, cinemas, restaurants, condominiums, townhomes and park space.