Friends,

The other side has been waiting for us to go away.

They better get used to waiting, because Friends of Lansdowne is NOT going away. Every time you make a donation or buy a ticket to an event or drop a twenty into a collection bucket, you're sending a signal that we're in this for the long haul and we're in this to win!

Because of your generosity, we have raised $185,000 since last September. The returns from this email and from upcoming events will put us over $200,000. That's fantastic for a citizens' group that is fighting City Hall. Not surprisingly, except for some small businesses, we have had no corporate donations. All our funding has come from grassroots support.

But the other side is trying to wear us down, deny access to key documents and drive up our costs. Our hard-working lawyers, experts and volunteers are determined to see this through. They're doing it for us. Our job is to support them. A donation means money, but it also makes them feel that we appreciate the sixteen-hour days they're putting in, and that we're supporting them every step of the way.

The legal challenge will be heard in less than a month. From June 21 to 23, our lawyer, Steven Shrybman will stand before the Ontario Superior Court to argue that City Council acted illegally when it decided to support the Lansdowne Partnership Plan. He will be bringing forward considerable new evidence to show that the City misrepresented the financial aspects of the deal to the public. The relevant documentation has been disclosed by the City only after a fight and several motions to the courts. As we write this, our lawyers are still fighting to see key agreements. This is part of a pattern of aggressive, costly behavior on the part of the City and secrecy about what should be a public deal.

Our legal team is doing a lot of pro bono work and have reduced their regular fees by 40%, but we now have to set another $100,000 target just to keep up with the hours they are putting in. So, if you can give again, that would be wonderful and, if you haven't donated before, now would be a great time to start!

You can donate

• at www.letsgetitright.ca
• at any TD bank to account 3248-5207023 (please let our Treasurer know by email at FoL.Donations@gmail.com)
• by sending a cheque to

Friends of Lansdowne
c/o Ted Lupinski CA
137 Second Ave, Suite 2
Ottawa ON K1S 2H4

We also have some great fundraising events coming up:

• Sat-Sun 4 & 5 June, Central Park in the Glebe. New Art Festival. Visit the FOL canopy where we will be having a silent auction of artworks donated by renowned artists Phillip Craig, Jaya Krishnan and Jamilie Hassan in support of the legal challenge.
• Saturday 11 June. Caribbean Night in Old Ottawa South's Windsor Park. Dance under the stars to the music of the Nepean Panharmonics Steel Band and the Caridad Cruz Trio and feast on roast pig and Jamaican patties. Tickets $40, available at Compact Music, Ottawa Folklore Centre, Havana Cafe, and the Old Firehall and online at www.oldottawasouth.ca.
• Lansdowne Follies 2. 4-6:30 pm on Sunday 12 June at the Mayfair Theatre, featuring Kellylee Evans, Terry Tufts, Maude Barlow. Tickets $30, at Compact Music, Ottawa Folklore Centre and the Mayfair Theatre.

In other Lansdowne news, from May 9 to 16th, the Ontario Municipal Board heard appeals from 3 individuals on the rezoning of Lansdowne Park. These appeals related to land use planning and are completely separate from the legal challenge. They were another way to fight this style of development for Lansdowne Park. Two of the appellants, Frank Johnson and John Rive, have raised $27,500 toward their legal bill, but need to raise an estimated $18,200 more. If you would like to help in their efforts and support citizens who stand up to fight City Hall, please send a donation to their trust fund at the address below. Any surplus will be turned over to the FOL legal challenge.

Frank Johnson - OMB Appeal in Trust
OMB Appeal in Trust
27 Monk St
Ottawa ON K1S 3Y7

Please continue to spread the word and give our side of the story about what is going on at Lansdowne Park. Let's keep telling the media and city council what we think. Although media coverage about our cause has generally been negative, there are signs that some are beginning to listen. The French media has been more favorable all along.

The letsgetitright.ca website is loaded with information and updates or feel free to ask if you have a question.

Thanks for all your support to date. We're getting there!

You can also read this email online at www.letsgetitright.ca/blog/380.