City of Ottawa suing over Canada Day fuel spill

The city of Ottawa is suing the organizers of a 2009 Canada Day party over a fuel spill on municipal property.

The statement of claim names the Italian-Canadian Community Centre of the National Capital Region and its director, Angelo Filoso.

The spill capped a problem-plagued July 1st celebration at Andrew Haydon Park two years ago.

The city's Auditor General had flagged the event in one of a series of reports outlining city spending.

Alain Lalonde'sreportsaid there was a diesel spill in 2009 that cost the city $57,000 to clean up and in a 2010 event there were unauthorized helicopter rides and potentially dangerous electrical hookups.

Lalonderecommended stricter rules around these park rental contracts.

The suit names both the Italian-Canadian Community Centre on Gladstone Avenue and its director, Angelo Filoso, who organized the Canada Day events.

According to thestatement of claim, city workers removing carnival rides the following day noticed a puddle of diesel fuel about three metres in diametre near a pond. The city called in the Ministry of the Environment, and hired an environmental company to clean up the mess.

The city solicitor Rick O'Connor said the two parties have been unable to reach an agreement so the city is taking legal action.

Filoso, who's also the publisher of Ottawas Il Postino Italian-language newspaper and owns other businesses in town, hasn't returned calls or e-mails.