Lansdowne Park Design Competition

Lansdowne Park dates back to the founding of the city. The land was purchased by the Ottawa Agriculture society in 1868 and ever since has played a central role in the history of the city. Over the years, it has hosted the city's world-class events, most recently the FIFA Under 20 World Cup, the Games of La Francophonie and upcoming is the Women's World Football Cup. It's also been used as a depot for troops before they headed overseas; a farmers fair which had provincial and national recognition and has been the home of Ottawa's premier sporting teams, the Ottawa Senators and the Ottawa Rough Riders.

Recent years have seen the park underutilized. Lack of adequate funding has been a challenge for staff to maintain what should be the crown jewel of Ottawa's public park system. Lansdowne Park is now home to tired, but significant structures, undignified streetscapes; acres of sterile asphalt and little green space. This park is presently designated and taxed as green space yet it is mostly grey.

The recent infrastructure issues with the south side stands highlight these problems but also present the city with a unique opportunity to review Lansdowne Park's current role and revitalize the Park as the kind of public space that it deserves to be. To simply repair the stadium without an overall plan for the revitalization of the site is to continue the inadequate patch and carry on process that has been in place for more than a decade.

Councillor Clive Doucet and I believe Ottawa deserves better.

In November 2007 we received Council's support on our proposal to hold a Design Competition for the revitalization of Lansdowne Park. We need to put the park back into Lansdowne with increased landscaping. Our design competition is the perfect opportunity to inspire adopt bold and creative changes for the site and set a new standard for development in the City of Ottawa.

For more information, please visit the city's official Design Lansdowne website: http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/lansdowne/index_en.html

Lansdowne Park Design Competition

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