SKETCHES OF WHAT COULD BE...

ABERDEEN PAVILLION

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:55:35 -0400

A beautiful heritage building in its own right, the Cow Palace should remain a central element to Lansdowne. Possible uses should include a weekend farmers market, or craft shows, similar to Granville Island in Vancouver. This also makes a great place to host events or trade shows.

CANAL BOATING ACCESS

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:46:45 -0400

The canal is a popular boating corridor and there needs to be a dock or slip area for visitors to tie up their boats and accessing Lansdowne Park’s many new amenities.

greenspace park

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:43:37 -0400

A green space for outdoor shows or festivals such as the popular Art in the Park, or other events that usually take place in a park setting. Also a gathering place to just relax and unwind.

concert hall for the performing arts

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:40:33 -0400

Get rid of the sports arena/stadium idea. Let’s face it Ottawa, we are not in the Rust Belt tailgating sausages with light beer every Sunday. The only tackling happening in Ottawa on any given Sunday is at IKEA on busy afternoon. We don’t have a football team, and I don’t think we care to have one. Soccer has been mentioned but that can be played out in Lebreton Flats with the same results I’m sure. The core of a city really does not need another empty arena that will be dynamited in 20 years. Lose it. What I think we do need is some sort of cultural place like a Performing Arts Centre to host the myriad of festivals this city hosts each year. Bluesfest, Jazz Fest, Folk Fest and a pile of other Fests that are constantly getting jammed into inappropriate places. These events are extremely popular and need a proper home. Lets put up a nice concert hall with an outdoor amphitheatre to accommodate the visiting talent and spectators so they’ll want to come back. Summertime open air concerts are fantastic and with proper seating and stage area it could be a popular attraction. Then in the winter season, use the interior concert hall for plays, festival events or concerts. I’m sure we can fill it with an audience that is just the right size between the NAC and ScotiaBank place. Something in between the two would be ideal for acts that usually get ousted to Centrepointe Theatre. Lets put something downtown and bring back the core’s vital signs. Bank Street is a dead zone after 9pm and I’m sure all would benefit from such a venue.

CENTRAL PLAZA PUBLIC SKATING RINK/REFLECTING POOL WITH SCULPTURE

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:30:44 -0400

Ok, maybe we don’t need another hotel but what else could offer a remarkable building as the flagship to a cool gathering place for visitors? Whether it’s an office tower or hotel, we need a flagship building that stretches dramatically into the sky, lit up at night for all to see and be in awe of. Put an ice rink in front of it for visitors to enjoy as they skate under a huge chrome globe of the world for all to enjoy. In the summer it could be a reflecting pool and fountain.