Lansdowne Park Project - 2.0 - Newsletter

The City of Ottawa has received a proposal from the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) to strengthen the partnership and redevelop the site to make it financially stable for the long term and address rehabilitation of the infrastructure.

Proposal

The proposal is to demolish the existing North Stadium Stands and arena complex, and build a new, world-class Event Centre and North Stadium Stands. This new public infrastructure will make the venues accessible, sustainable, and better position

Lansdowne as an iconic, landmark site. New retail podium and additional residential units are also included within the proposal.

Project update

The Lansdowne 2.0 Project team has been preparing to bring forward a report to Finance and Corporate Services Committee on a revised Funding Strategy and Business Case for the Revitalization of Lansdowne 2.0. Three streams of work are being undertaken as part of this report to Committee and Council; Financial Due Diligence, City Initiated Planning Application, Request for Expression of Interest.

Financial Due Diligence

Staff are underway on the Financial Due Diligence review as part of the Lansdowne 2.0 project with the aid of Ernst and Young (3rd party consultant) retained by the City. The City and their consultant are exploring a variety of inputs on the Financial Model including but not limited to;

• Cost to Construct
• Retail Strategy
• Podium Financing
• Affordable Housing
• Unit Typology
• Financial Risk Analysis
• Accessible Roof / Green Roof
• Alternate Financing Options
• North Side Stands Roof / Canopy
• Proforma Projections
• REOI Findings

Planning Process update

The City has hired its consulting team for the City initiated planning process to support the Lansdowne 2.0 project. The consulting team is currently underway with exploring the Lansdowne 2.0 proposal (new event centre, new north side stands, new retail podium, up to 1200 units of residential within high-rise towers of up to 40 storeys), and will deliver the following reports and studies as part of the City initiated planning application launching in June 2023:

• Planning Rationale and Design Brief
• Conceptual Site Plan and Massing Analysis & Alternatives
• Shadow Study
• Wind Study
• Transportation Impact Assessment
• Heritage Impact Assessment
• Functional Servicing Report
• Geotechnical and Hydrogeological Report

Request for Expression of Interest update

The City launched its Request for Expression of Interest process by posting the Lansdowne Park Revitalization Air Rights Development Opportunity on MERX April 14th, 2023 (MERX is Canada’s leading electronic tendering service, with the most complete source of public and private sector contract opportunities available in Canada). The REOI document is used to gather useful information from potential respondents and will test and refine the Lansdowne 2.0 project vision prior to the more formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process. The deadline for the solicitation of the REOI closes on June 9th, 2023, and City Staff will summarize the findings within the revised Funding Strategy and Business Case report to Finance and Corporate Services Committee.

Public Engagement update

The City launched the first phase of public consultation beginning with a city-wide survey on the overall Concept Plan. This survey has received nearly 2000 responses and has helped city staff understand the general publics knowledge and understanding of the overall Proposal.

The City has held two separate public information sessions, focusing on the overall Concept Plan on April 27th and the Urban Park/Public Realm plan on May 17th. Both sessions had over 150 residents attend. Presentation materials, FAQ’s, and As We Heard It Reports can also be found on Engage Ottawa. The May 17th Public Information Session As We Heard It Report will be released in the coming weeks.

Ongoing public consultation, education, and awareness will feature on-site engagement, public information sessions and workshops.

In the coming weeks, we will be launching the Lansdowne 2.0 Coffee Chat series, a weekly gathering where staff or the public can ask questions, learn about the project, and share your thoughts directly with the Director of the Lansdowne 2.0 Project from the comfort of your home or office.

The coffee chats will be held every Wednesday starting on June 14 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on Zoom. You can register for a coffee chat with the Director here.

Urban Park and Public Realm Update

As part of the Lansdowne Partnership Sustainability Plan and Implementation Report July 2022 report, Council approved the next steps in the redevelopment of the Urban

Park/Public Realm to create a strategic public investment plan of capital improvements to enhance site animation, programming, and public access.

On Wednesday May 17, 2023, the City hosted a public engagement session on the Lansdowne Public Realm/Urban Park and engaged with residents to prioritize the 25 ideas that have been captured from various consultation efforts and were included in the July 2022 report as Document 2 - Strategic Investment Plan for the Urban Park and Public Realm. Staff also received many new ideas that will be reviewed for consideration.

The survey is live on Engage Ottawa, and you can access it here.

For engagement opportunities, project material and updates, visit Engage Ottawa.

Any questions, comments, or concerns can be sent to LansdowneRenewal@Ottawa.ca.

We thank you for your continued input and engagement and we look forward to shaping the future of Lansdowne Park together!