AN AIRLINE TICKET VERSUS A NEW CAR

With both proposals for spending on sports stadiums what makes them attractive is highlighted and the problems are in the details.

There are also a number of options before council. Both proposals could be rejected. Both could be accepted. We could accept one. Or we could look at changes to one or both proposals that would be less costly for taxpayers.

On Monday, April 20, a joint meeting of the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee and Planning and Environment Committee will be hearing what residents think should be done. To arrange to present to the joint committee meeting or to provide comments for councillors you can contact Diane Blais at diane.blais@ottawa.ca or 613-580-2424, x 28091.

Going through details of the Lansdowne Live proposal for redeveloping the Frank Clair Stadium feels like buying an airline ticket. When you include all the extra fees, the price is a lot higher than what is being advertised.

With the Senators Group proposal for a new stadium in Kanata West, it is more like buying a car. You worry that the limits on the warrantee will mean you will be stuck with extra costs.

The $98 million cost to the City quoted by the proponents of Lansdowne Live only includes the cost of fixing up Frank Clair Stadium for football and the Civic Centre for the Ottawa 67s. It does not include the cost of the 80% of parking spaces that the City would have to provide. It also does not include the aquarium, fountain, sports fields and parkland that appear in the materials produced by Lansdowne Live but would be built and maintained by the City.

It also appears likely that the plans for retail and commercial development will create problems that will require costly solutions. The retail and commercial in the Lansdowne Live proposal represents a 57% increase in retail space in the area. Traffic is already a problem during shopping hours on the weekend. We know with the Kanata Centrum what happens when development occurs without the Transportation infrastructure to support it and we know how much those problems cost to fix.

The proposal for a soccer stadium on City land in Kanata West depends on federal and provincial governments each providing a third of the cost. Otherwise the City is funding the entire $100 million plus cost.

If federal and provincial funding meant that transportation infrastructure the City needs does not get funding then Ottawa taxpayers will be paying the entire cost indirectly. This is particularly important as none of us want to see a 20,000-seat stadium built in Kanata West without rapid transit being extended to serve the site.

A second concern is what happens if the Senators Sports and Entertainment does not manage to land a Major Soccer League franchise. We already have an empty baseball stadium on our hands. No one wants to add an empty soccer or football stadium.

There are ways some of the potential problems with the proposals could be reduced. Before council makes a decision it is important you provide feedback on whether it is worth exploring these possibilities.

COFFEE WITH PEGGY THURSDAY APRIL 23

This month’s Coffee with Peggy will be on Thursday April 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Food Court at Hazeldean Mall. Please don’t hesitate to stop by with any concerns or questions you have. No appointment is needed.

OTTAWA ECO-STEWARDSHIP FAIR THIS SATURDAY

The 2009 Ottawa Eco-Stewardship Fair will take place on Saturday, April 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive. Admission is free.

The fair includes displays from small and large businesses, government and non-profit organizations on what we can do to help the environment, save money and improve our health. More information can be found at the Fair’s website at www.ottawaecofair.ca.

WORKING FULL-TIME FOR KANATA SOUTH

I appreciate the chance to hear from you about issues affecting our community. You can reach me at 580-2752 (office), 580-2762 (fax), www.feltmateforkanata.com or peggy.feltmate@ottawa.ca