OSEG's Lansdowne Park plans under the microscope at city hall today

Some Glebe residents and other community groups say they anticipate emotions will be high today as they get set to voice their concerns to city councillors about the future of Lansdowne Park.

A rally is planned outside of city hall this morning before a meeting of the finance and economic development committee (FEDCO) at 9:30 a.m., which has more than 30 people or groups signed up to speak.

Some people are concerned about what will happen if the Ottawa Sport and Entertainment Group (OSEG), which already runs TD Place stadium and arena and manages commercial leases, is also given control of the urban park and other buildings.

As it stands, city park staff are in charge of booking events for the Aberdeen Pavilion, the Horticulture Building, the Great Lawn and outdoor plaza. 

Sense of 'surprise'

"I'm afraid that people's and councillor's minds are already made up," said June Creelman, vice-president of the Glebe Community Association.

"Ideally we would like them to just put a pause on this whole proposal … until there is a compelling public reason that this transfer should go ahead."

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She said there is a sentiment of "surprise" in the community right now over the proposal and the city manager's recommendation to go ahead with it.

"I think a lot of people are going to be very loud and very concerned," said Andrew Cardozo, who lives near the park and like Creelman, is signed up to speak at Tuesday's meeting.

Cardozo is also the president of The Pearson Centre, a progressive policy think tank at Carleton University.

"This to me is just a real classic example of where … the municipal government is not listening to the people, and what this does is it gives rise to populism and polarized politics," said Cardozo.

He said he's worried city politicians are going to "completely disregard" what people in the community want, in favour of granting a request from a "big developer."

More than 2,400 signatures have also been added to a petition from local city councillor Shawn Menard, which calls for public consultations before the city negotiates with OSEG.

OSEG reaches out to farmers market

Since OSEG's proposal was released, some farmers' market vendors have expressed fears over their future at Lansdowne.

OSEG has already approached the Ottawa Farmers' Market Association and is interested in working with vendors if its proposal goes ahead, according to association president Jocelyne Garland.

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Garland said she's feeling "concerned" about what the future holds for the market, but also felt some relief after she heard from OSEG.

"If we decide that we would like to grow our operation ... they would be willing to look into that as well," she said.