[nova]

Anyone heard about this news? It's a shame that the project is jeopardized. Why our own people always fight each other inside. Why the local Chinese community leader or organization don't help to solve the problem?

So sad.

http://ottawa.cbc.ca/regional/servle...garden20040920


Dispute jeopardizes proposed Chinese garden

OTTAWA - Plans for a Chinese garden in Ottawa's Chinatown could die because of acrimony between the designer and the Somerset Heights Business Improvement Area.

The city will cancel the project at the end of this month if the two parties can't work out their differences, said Mayor Bob Chiarelli.

The idea came from Edwin Li, who wanted to rejuvenate a parking lot at the corner of Somerset Street West and Cambridge Street. He pitched the idea to former city councillor Elizabeth Arnold, who directed him the the local BIA.

"This project can help the Somerset region to promote their business," said Li of his vision for the 14-year-old parking lot.

Working with the Somerset Heights Business Improvement Area, a plan was agreed upon and approved by city council. It was partly based on Li's design and drawings.

In 2000, the old city of Ottawa agreed to donate land for the so-called Millennium Garden in Chinatown.

But more than three years since the plan's approval, the BIA is refusing to finish the project. It has accused Li of doing unauthorized work and changing the budget for the project.

In turn, Li has accused the BIA of neglecting the garden, and of trying to hire a replacement designer behind his back.

But Kenneth Kwan of the BIA said, legally, the BIA is in charge, regardless of whose idea the garden was.

"It's already been proven a bit too difficult to work with Mr. Li. So, we would rather start from scratch," said Kwan.

The BIA hopes to build something on the site, said Kwan, but a garden could be a challenge. He said that Li has threatened to sue the city and the BIA if they throw out his work and build a different one.

Li recently asked the city to take the lead on the garden, as a neutral party.

If the city cancels the deal, it will have to return tens of thousands of dollars it's been holding in trust.

[Kent以东首帅哥]

How big would that garden be? I didn't see lot's of space left in that spot.

[nova]

Big or small, it's better than nothing. The problem is if the project cancelled, they have to return all the donations and the materials that Beijing donated to the project.