Progress, preservation and plenty of questions at Lansdowne

The $419-million redevelopment remains on track while heritage restoration, tree health, signage and the loss of the Ottawa Charge generate fresh debate

 

JOHN DANCE

Lansdowne 2.0 is well underway: on schedule and within budget with conspicuous progress on the new event centre just to the east of the stadium. But work on the almost decade-long project has just begun and there are many related issues including the restoration of the Aberdeen Pavilion and the Ottawa Charge’s abandonment of Lansdowne Park.

“Significant progress has been made in the first half of 2026, with construction advancing as planned,” Carina Duclos, the City of Ottawa’s director of infrastructure services, recently wrote to City Councillors. “Lansdowne remains open, active, and accessible for residents, and the project continues to move forward on schedule and within the approved budget framework.“ To date, about $60 million – 14 percent – of the total $419 million budget has been spent

Two large construction cranes tower over the entertainment centre site and the equivalent of “enough soil to blanket the TD Place field in soil nearly two storeys tall” has been excavated to build the centre.

About a quarter of the soil, now covered in a massive black tarp, remains stockpiled on site for reuse including for the replacement – and much smaller – toboggan hill. The rest of the soil was hauled away and decontaminated.

“Reusing soil that has been confirmed suitable for on-site use complies with the approved Soil Management Plan, the site’s Certificate of Property Use and provincial requirements,” Justin Kurosky, the City’s manager of Lansdowne 2.0 design and construction, told The Mainstreeter. “A full-time third-party environmental monitor oversees excavation and soil handling to ensure compliance with these requirements.”

Key milestones achieved in the first six months include: near completion of the excavation; new underground utilities to support the new event centre and northside stands, including sanitary services and emergency power; and much of the foundation for the event centre.

The above-ground construction will begin soon. Completion is expected in 2028 with “substantial completion of the northside stands to be by the end of 2030.” Timing for the proposed two large residential towers to the north of the northside stands has not yet been established.

 

Aberdeen Pavilion Restoration

Although not part of the Lansdowne 2.0 project, the rehabilitation of the Aberdeen Pavilion, a major Canadian heritage site, is expected to begin this month and will continue until near the end of 2028.

The Glebe Community Association supports the much-needed repairs to the Aberdeen Pavilion and had hoped they would be completed before Lansdowne 2.0 began, as had been originally planned. “We see the rehabilitation work as an important and necessary thing,” notes Johanna Persohn, chair of GCA’s heritage committee.

The initial budget was estimated to be about $6 million, however, there have been unconfirmed reports of the cost being much higher. “To protect the integrity of the competitive process, the City is not in a position to disclose the project budget at this time,” says Kurosky.

The project’s scope is enormous: A full roof replacement, including the addition of a waterproofing membrane, replacement of structural wood decking and replication of the building’s Spanish tile roof with heritage appropriate materials; lead paint abatement; structural strengthening; metalwork repairs; rehabilitation of wood heritage windows and doors; and a new vehicle-rated concrete floor slab.

Heritage Ottawa, which has for a long time been a strong advocate for the sound preservation of Aberdeen, notes that the structure was built for $75,000 (about $3 million in current dollars) over just two months in 1898 for the Central Canada Exhibition Association. It was built “in keeping with other grand exhibition halls of the era that were inspired by London’s famous Crystal Palace” of 1851.

“Between its opening and the onset of World War I, the Aberdeen Pavilion was used temporarily as a riding school for Lord Strathcona’s Horse before leaving for Pretoria and the Boer War; a skating arena (where the original Ottawa Senators won the Stanley Cup in 1904); and a recruiting centre for Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry enroute to Valcartier during World War I.” [Heritage Ottawa quote]

Subsequently, the pavilion served many purposes, but over the years the building deteriorated to the point that, in 1991, City Council approved its demolition and that of the Horticulture Building. A municipal election intervened and the new council approved $5.3 million restoration and a $1 million life-cycle renewal in 2018.

The pavilion’s current users, including the Ottawa Farmers’ Market and 613Flea will be relocated to the Horticultural Building but, according to Dan Chenier, Ottawa’s general manager of recreational, cultural and facility services (RCFS), the City is “exploring options for the use of outdoor spaces at the site to complement this approach” because of Horticulture’s “smaller footprint.”

 

Departure of Ottawa Charge

Councillor Shawn Menard has asked City staff to detail the impact of the PWHL Ottawa Charge’s forced departure from Lansdowne on the Lansdowne 2.0 financial projections, however, no specific answer has been received at this writing.

The Charge had been a successful addition to Lansdowne events and Charge home games brought in many attendees but they will now be going instead to the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata. The Charge left because Lansdowne’s new entertainment centre will be substantially smaller than the existing TD Place arena meaning the Charge would be unable to draw as many spectators to their home games.

In a memorandum to councillors, Carina Duclos wrote, “…the City is working with OSEG to review options to optimize team-dedicated spaces within the new Event Centre that were originally intended for the Ottawa Charge to support tenant and guest experiences.”

So, the Lansdowne saga continues lots of change, construction, rehabilitation, and, with the departure of the Charge, more ongoing controversy.

 

Trees and Signs

One other ongoing issue at Lansdowne Park has been the viability of trees, specifically above the large underground parking lot. Many trees were replaced in Aberdeen Square, just to the north of the pavilion but some are still not thriving, quite unlike the trees planted on the eastern side of the park.

“While most trees are healthy, a small number are currently showing signs of stress and require monitoring. Recent soil-moisture testing showed satisfactory results,” Kurosky reports. “Trees along Marché Way, Exhibition Way and Aberdeen Square continue to be monitored and cared for by qualified tree-care professionals.” 

In terms of the Lansdowne 2.0 area, 122 total trees have been removed however, there will be 126 new replacement trees. The National Capital Commission-owned trees that have been removed will be replaced at 2:1 ratio.

The recent Rideau Canal Cultural Landscape Study, conducted by the City, the National Capital Commission and Parks Canada, focuses on protecting and enhancing the visual quality of the landscape by minimizing signage and other visual clutter that may negatively affect views and valued components of the Ottawa Reach. Where signage and wayfinding elements are required, the Study recommends that they be thoughtfully designed, appropriately sized, and located in ways that do not detract from the cultural heritage value of the canal.

 In light of this study, Parks Canada was asked for its position on any additional signage at Lansdowne Park that would be visible from the Canal and its parkways. It responded, “Signage visible from the Rideau Canal and its parkways should be carefully considered to ensure it respects the cultural landscape, scenic values, and heritage character of the World Heritage Site.”

Previously, Parks Canada did not object to the very large TD sign on the south face of the south stands that are very visible from the Canal. However, Parks Canada has recommended “that the City consult with Parks Canada on signage proposals within Lansdowne Park that have the potential to visually impact the Rideau Canal.”