See full report from the City of Ottawa here: http://www.ottawa.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/pec/2009/02-24/8-CSS0013-Document 1 Main Report.pdf There is a story in the Citizen about it as well: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Business/Sports+facility+list+leaves+rivals/1308072/story.html Lansdowne and Kanata 6th and 7th, respectively. I have not yet read the report, so I will not comment.
Landsdowne and Kanata may be 6th and 7th, but if there is no potential anchor tenant at any of the other sites, these are the only two worth pursuing.
I could see a savvy development group getting behind the Mechanicsville proposal: Tunney's Pasture is due for redevelopment, as the buildings are typical 60's garbage and are falling down The LRT will be passing through This neighbourhood is ripe for massive gentrification (but then people have been saying that for 20 years so....) Tell Minot that they can seel condos along Baysview road and the Parkway and they would be salivating. Turn the Stadium into an Emirates like deal (except, of course, for the Arsenal part of the equation)(and the fact that the Emirates stadium condos have all crashed in value)(and, again, I hate Arsenal) From the cities point of view, this proposal makes the most sense - a stadium is something that can be done to revitalise a depressed neighbourhood. From that POV, the Glebe does not need revitalisation, but it would be perfect for Hintonburg/Mechanicsville. Now we will have to see what Hunt and Melnyk have to say. In my mind, the stadium frames the river and Gatineau park but that wouldn't really be pratcical with the cold north wind howling out of the Arctic. I am for once, excited about something the city is dong. I think these sites are really positive!
Double post - David Reevely has an entry on this in his Greater Ottawa blog (part of the Ottawa Citizen): http://communities.canada.com/ottaw.../archive/2009/02/19/a-stadium-at-bayview.aspx
Essentially, unless city council can offer a nice development incentive to one of the parties for building at another site. But they have very little time to do that.
I like the Bayview idea. You get the Transitway and O-Train stations right there. Close enough to Preston Street. And close to the War Museum which would tie in nicely for Bluesfest. Likely not enough time for this round of expansion though.
Reaction from Peter Hume, who is chair of the Planning Committee, as well as the Hunt group and the Melnyk group: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sports/1313161/story.html Hume says aout what one expects. Jan Harder is a typical Ottawa ward heeler, saying she thinks it should go in Barr Haven. Cyril Leeder is a bit disappointing, saying they won't even consider the report.
It's no surprise that Leeder won't consider the report. No location other than around Scotiabank place makes any sense to Melnyk and his plans around the MLS team, just like no location other than Landsdowne makes any sense to the Hunt group. The Planning Committee are wasting their time considering any locations other than these two, without a major tenant.