Glebe community group appeals Lansdowne 2.0 decisions

The Glebe Community Association has appealed city council's approved zoning and official plan amendments for the $419-million redevelopment of Lansdowne Park with its private partner, the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group.

Sean Moore, the city director leading the project, sent a memo to councillors Wednesday explaining the appeal was received and the Ontario Land Tribunal will need to weigh in before the plan can come into full force.

The appeal focuses on matters in the spotlight throughout the debate over Lansdowne 2.0: the construction of a new event centre taking away green space and what adding two high-rise residential towers to the urban park would do.

Under the approved plan, the event centre for sports and concerts will remove green space from the Great Lawn, including a large hill overlooking the stadium.

Initial plans included a grassy dome for a roof, which councillors voted against during November's marathon debate.

"We're going to lose all of that while adding in a lot of residents to the site, which is just taking us in the wrong direction," said Carolyn Mackenzie, the association's planning chair.

The appeal argues that relocating the arena to the lawn "is not based on good planning" and violates foundational development policies.

According to Ontario's 2020 Provincial Policy Statement, planning authorities should "promote green infrastructure to complement infrastructure" among other environmental considerations.

The appeal claims there has been no discussion to replace the green spaces planned for removal.

Towers too high for area, appeal claims

The appeal is also arguing the towers are "excessive" compared to the height of other buildings in the Glebe.

The original vision for Lansdowne 2.0 included three residential towers. After the third tower was dropped by city staff, councillors voted to add more housing units into the remaining buildings.

The city has not yet made a deal with a developer to build on the public land, but staff said the vote opened up the possibility of having both towers rise to 40 storeys.

That's taller than any currently standing building in the capital except for the 45-storey Claridge Icon in Little Italy. Governments are working to build more homes to balance out supply with demand, make a home more affordable and help people who can't afford one.

The appeal claims the proposed towers disrupt the skyline of the existing stadium and heritage buildings. The park's current residential towers are 12 and 20 storeys tall.

"There is no existing or foreseeable growth plan that would see additional towers of a similar height in proximity to the proposed towers," the appeal reads.

Mackenzie said "the feel of the space" will be transformed with the towers but "not in a positive way." She referenced the potential for the towers to cast large shadows over patios and other public spaces at Lansdowne.

Another issue is added traffic. Mackenzie noted the lack of any plan to improve transportation options along Bank Street, one of the two road access points to the park.

"We just don't feel [the proposal] is appropriately scaled for the site," she added.

The group also argues Lansdowne 2.0 violates the Official Plan, the overarching document that guides future development in the city, by disregarding the recommendations of the city's urban design review panel. 

Those independent experts recommended staggering the tower heights to improve sightlines and reduce the risk of wind tunnels. 

About 2 years of construction on event space

The association hopes there's room to rethink the proposal, Mackenzie said. She's expecting to hear about next steps in a few weeks, but it's unclear when the Ontario Land Tribunal will decide on the issue.

Moore wrote to councillors that city solicitors are "advocating for a date at the tribunal at the earliest availability."

City staff had anticipated the possibility of an appeal, noting it in the updated project timeline last year. 

The city and its partner hope to begin construction on the new event centre this fall so it can be ready for the Ottawa 67's 2026-27 season.

Staff had noted that a trip to the Ontario Land Tribunal could put the timelines at risk.