An enormous commercial redevelopment plan is set for Lansdowne Park in Ottawa. Many are offended that the Horticulture Building is to be relocated to convenience the design plan.

Although it is great that both the Aberdeen Pavilion and Horticulture Building have been designated,and that the initiative seeks to re-energize a once vibrant historic site. But the project threatens the building's historic context by attempting to move it to make way for parking and retail. (The developer insists on moving the Horticulture Building to accommodate access to a parking garage) Instead of using millions of tax payers money to move it, would it not be possible to design an alternative configuration?

Historic value aside, the proposal infringes upon several easements by building on the view planes between the Aberdeen Pavillion and Bank Street, and by moving the Horticulture Building onto the easement lands to the east of the Aberdeen Pavillion. If the heritage conservation easement at Lansdowne is allowed to be infringed upon, this would set a terrible precedent for preserving easements all over the province.

Lansdowne Park has been historically used as a fairground, and as such it should retain the character and structure of a fairground. The proposed development has continued to grow to be much larger, higher and more dense than originally proposed just two years ago. It amounts to 350,000 square feet of commercial space, with buildings of seven to twelve stories. This would have an impact on not just the Aberdeen Pavilion, but all of the traditional vistas. Perhaps the primary problem here is that the size of the commercial development proposed is not appropriate for this site?