Achi news desk-
The head of the National Capital Commission remains optimistic the Ottawa Senators will eventually build an arena at Leverton Flats, but he says there is a plan B if the hockey club decides to go elsewhere.
Executive director Toby Nussbaum said he had no significant updates Thursday when he spoke to reporters, but said talks between the NCC and the senators’ organization were ongoing.
“Obviously, from their side, a lot of work to do in determining their needs and their financial model,” he said.
Last September, the NCC gave a one-year extension to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with Capital Sports Development after Michael Andelauer took ownership of the club. Nussbaum said Thursday that there is “no ultimatum” to the talks, but he still hopes to reach an agreement by the fall.
“There’s definitely going to be a point where we’re going to have to get a lease or not,” Nussbaum said. “I can’t say with 100 percent certainty when that is. Is it September? I certainly hope so. It’s our hope that we can get all the work done by then.”
The debate surrounding the Senators’ future arena resumed this week as the federal budget signaled a move to dispose of unused federal property, some of which is in downtown Ottawa. This led Mayor Mark Sutcliffe to once again raise the idea that an arena could be built somewhere other than Leverton Apartments, a suggestion he has floated several times in the past.
“Maybe we can have a new park downtown, maybe we can have other attractions downtown and maybe, we can have a conversation about an arena downtown,” Sutcliffe said Wednesday. “If the senators are interested in looking at a downtown option, I think that would be great for the downtown core.”
Nussbaum told reporters he still believes Burton will have the final decision.
“From the NCC’s perspective, we’ve had two processes over the last 10 years where staff have indicated very strong interest in locating an arena at LeBreton Flats,” Nussbaum said.
Nussbaum cited strong public transit accessibility and proximity to Gatineau as the main reasons he believes the Senators are interested in Leverton Apartments, but stressed that ultimately, it’s up to the team to decide where to go.
“We have a plan B”
Nussbaum also noted that if the Senators decide to build a new arena elsewhere, Leverton Flats won’t be sitting on the sidelines.
“Our first hope was to have a major attraction, a major event center there, but if that doesn’t happen, there’s a plan B for those parcels within LeBreton Flats,” he said. “There is a great need for housing and mixed-use development in the city, so if, at some point, the two sides are unable to reach an agreement or the senators make a decision that they are not going to build there, then yes, absolutely, we will have to move to our second option.”
No matter what happens, Nussbaum said Burton Flats is still going to grow.
“This is not a competition. If they change their mind, we have a plan B. We have a plan for mixed-use development along Albert Street and we will continue the pace of development of Leverton Apartments as a whole,” he said. . “Leverton Flats is growing. It’s going to become part of the downtown core. I think the distinction between Leverton Flats and downtown is really going to disappear over the next few years.”
