I have always been a conspiracy denier. I've never thought there were spooks or reds under every bed.
But as a regular reader of the Ottawa Citizen, I am wondering about journalistic integrity at our leading, maybe-again-solvent, newspaper. I wonder if the news and editorial comment would be a bit different if I took out full-page ads every weekend to sell real estate.
I note that the blog by Maria Cook, the one and only Citizen blog that ever gives any credence to critics of the Lansdowne Live boondoggle, seems frozen in time. Strangely enough, when you take a peek, there is nothing more recent than May 4. Some say there was other material which has mysteriously disappeared.
This is not the first time that the Citizen has engaged in self-censorship. I seem to recall that there was a critical comment by the distinguished architect who designed the UofO SITE building. I'm told that his comments were not glowing praise for the Lansdowne Live proposal. It strangely disappeared, never to be seen again.
Not only is dissent being suppressed, the propaganda machine at the Citizen is in full flow, churning out praise for the latest revelations about the Lansdowne operation. As prime example, I would cite the column in today's Citizen by Ken Gray. He trots out the tired canard that the only alternative to the Lansdowne Live scheme is to do nothing and allow mould to cover the park. He claims that the tide is turning and that those who have dared to question the scheme are now coming around to buy in to the Lansdowne Live proposal.
Well, I guess I missed my chance. The Citizen and other Canwest papers were up for sale. It seems they were well and truly purchased.
Showing posts with label Ken Gray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ken Gray. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Role of the design panel
The appointment of the design panel (George Dark, Rick Haldenby and Marianne McKenna) is a positive step.
At the press briefing, the point was made that the panel would provide guidance for the design of the entire Lansdowne site. This was described as encompassing three parcels of land -- the stadium/arena, the commercial development, and the "front lawn". The "front lawn" seems to include the Aberdeen Pavilion, the Horticulture Building and all the empty land (now acres of asphalt) stretching eastward to the canal.
But we do not seem to know all the details. It would be interesting to know if there were terms of reference established for the design panel. If so, is there any reason that document has not been made public?
I would be particularly interested in knowing how the panel is to provide guidance for the stadium/arena and commercial elements. In an interview with Ken Gray of the Ottawa Citizen, Councillor Chiarelli describes the panel as "adjudicating" the design of the stadium and shopping complex. It would be interesting to learn if the panel's views are to be issued in public or if they are simply to be whispered in Roger Greenberg's ear. I hope the former.
There is also a bit of confusion about the design panel on the one hand and the competition for design of the "front lawn" on the other. I would imagine that the design panel would provide advice in writing the documentation for the competition. Perhaps they would enunciate how the "front lawn" is to relate to the canal or how the heritage of the site is to be respected.
But the design panel is not the jury for the selection of the chosen design for the "front lawn". Indeed the press release is confusing on this point. According to the press release, the City plus the NCC and Parks Canada will chose three to five design teams which will be funded to come up with their ideas. There is no indication that the design panel will be involved in that selection.
Then there will be a design workshop in March at which the three to five teams will present their ideas to a select audience. The City, with NCC and Parks Canada, will select people to be invited to the workshop. If any of the design teams wishes to have any other consultation with members of the public, that is up to them.
In May the three to five design proposals will be released to the public. The press release says this is to "foster further public comment". I find that statement peculiar because the only public comment sought to that date is the result of the public consultations held in January and February of 2008 (to which the the three to five design teams will be granted access). It is worth noting that the two public consultations held in 2008 did not result in any formal report being issued because the design consultation was shut down. In the absence of such a report, we can only speculate about what material will be provided to the design teams.
After the designs are revealed in May public reaction is to be "collected and reviewed" by the Dark design panel, by City Council, the NCC and Parks Canada. What happens to that analysis of public comment is unclear because it may have nothing to do with the outcome of the competition.
A jury is established by the City, Parks Canada and the NCC to select a winning proposal from among the three to five submitted. Having chosen one submission (with or without regard for the analysis of public comment), the recommended design is then considered by the Rideau Canal Superintendent, by a design advisory committee of the NCC, the board of NCC and Ottawa City Council. Presumably each of these four bodies of deliberation is to approve or disapprove the selected design. Whether each has an equal voice is not clear. Nor is it evident how a decision will be reached if the Canal Superintendent and the NCC Board like it, while the NCC advisory committee and City Council dislike it.
And to add to the complexity, the design panel of Dark, Haldenby and McKenna have apparently no say whatever in the selection of the winning design. Their role seems to be limited to the collection and review of comment centred on the May public disclosure of the three to five designs.
At the press briefing, the point was made that the panel would provide guidance for the design of the entire Lansdowne site. This was described as encompassing three parcels of land -- the stadium/arena, the commercial development, and the "front lawn". The "front lawn" seems to include the Aberdeen Pavilion, the Horticulture Building and all the empty land (now acres of asphalt) stretching eastward to the canal.
But we do not seem to know all the details. It would be interesting to know if there were terms of reference established for the design panel. If so, is there any reason that document has not been made public?
I would be particularly interested in knowing how the panel is to provide guidance for the stadium/arena and commercial elements. In an interview with Ken Gray of the Ottawa Citizen, Councillor Chiarelli describes the panel as "adjudicating" the design of the stadium and shopping complex. It would be interesting to learn if the panel's views are to be issued in public or if they are simply to be whispered in Roger Greenberg's ear. I hope the former.
There is also a bit of confusion about the design panel on the one hand and the competition for design of the "front lawn" on the other. I would imagine that the design panel would provide advice in writing the documentation for the competition. Perhaps they would enunciate how the "front lawn" is to relate to the canal or how the heritage of the site is to be respected.
But the design panel is not the jury for the selection of the chosen design for the "front lawn". Indeed the press release is confusing on this point. According to the press release, the City plus the NCC and Parks Canada will chose three to five design teams which will be funded to come up with their ideas. There is no indication that the design panel will be involved in that selection.
Then there will be a design workshop in March at which the three to five teams will present their ideas to a select audience. The City, with NCC and Parks Canada, will select people to be invited to the workshop. If any of the design teams wishes to have any other consultation with members of the public, that is up to them.
In May the three to five design proposals will be released to the public. The press release says this is to "foster further public comment". I find that statement peculiar because the only public comment sought to that date is the result of the public consultations held in January and February of 2008 (to which the the three to five design teams will be granted access). It is worth noting that the two public consultations held in 2008 did not result in any formal report being issued because the design consultation was shut down. In the absence of such a report, we can only speculate about what material will be provided to the design teams.
After the designs are revealed in May public reaction is to be "collected and reviewed" by the Dark design panel, by City Council, the NCC and Parks Canada. What happens to that analysis of public comment is unclear because it may have nothing to do with the outcome of the competition.
A jury is established by the City, Parks Canada and the NCC to select a winning proposal from among the three to five submitted. Having chosen one submission (with or without regard for the analysis of public comment), the recommended design is then considered by the Rideau Canal Superintendent, by a design advisory committee of the NCC, the board of NCC and Ottawa City Council. Presumably each of these four bodies of deliberation is to approve or disapprove the selected design. Whether each has an equal voice is not clear. Nor is it evident how a decision will be reached if the Canal Superintendent and the NCC Board like it, while the NCC advisory committee and City Council dislike it.
And to add to the complexity, the design panel of Dark, Haldenby and McKenna have apparently no say whatever in the selection of the winning design. Their role seems to be limited to the collection and review of comment centred on the May public disclosure of the three to five designs.
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