Image, left: Ottawa East residents living across the canal from Lansdowne Park will hear lots of noise from the massive construction site. Photo by John Dance
City councillors, with the sole exception of Capital Ward’s David Chernushenko, have voted to allow construction at Lansdowne Park to sidestep the existing noise bylaw.
The exemption “allows for concrete-related activities only to continue into the evening up to 1 a.m. on Monday to Saturday,” the city said in a recent press release.
“This type of work will be ongoing and requires large quantities of concrete to be poured and finished in one pour. By completing the concrete pour at one time it will greatly improve the quality of the construction of the buildings.”
Neither Old Ottawa East residents nor their community association received advance warning that city council was contemplating the exemption.
“These activities are not expected to be too disruptive to residents,” the city’s press release went on to state, “and the city is working with the contractor to help ensure that the majority of the activities are done as early as possible to minimize any impacts. All other construction activities must comply with the requirements of the noise by-law.”
Over the last few months, the city moved Lansdowne’s Horticulture Building about 100 metres closer to Old Ottawa East. Work to compact the site’s soil was often loud.
“Under the bylaw exemption, the contractor is required to provide 48 hours notice prior to this work commencing,” the city’s website stated. “A notice to inform residents will be posted on the City’s website at ottawa.ca/newlansdowne.”
Although residents of Glebe’s Holmwood Avenue, east of Bank Street, were particularly affected by the noise, so were people on the other side of the canal.
“Ottawa East residents have long been aware that Lansdowne Park noise, depending on the prevailing winds, is sometimes more audible and annoying on the east side of the canal than it is in many parts of the Glebe,” said McNaughton Avenue resident Theresa Wallace, “but this reality seems to have escaped the appreciation of those responsible for Lansdowne construction.”
Work on the new stadium will be completed during summer next year but the full Lansdowne redevelopment project will go on until mid-2015.
For Lansdowne construction updates, residents may register at https://secure.campaigner.com/Campaigner/Public/Form10.aspx?fid=788930
