Senators reach agreement to build new rink downtown

It came down to the final hour, but the Ottawa Senators are on their way to seeing a new arena being built at LeBreton Flats in the downtown core.

The new facility won’t see shovels hit the ground for quite a while as several hurdles need to be dealt with before construction, including a comprehensive building design.

Friday was the deadline for an agreement between the hockey club and the National Capital Commission.

“It’s a great first step, but we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us here,” Senators president Cyril Leeder said Friday afternoon at a news conference to confirm the deal being completed.

“It allows the heavy lifting to go forward now . . . I know it’s years, not months, before a shovel goes in the ground,” he added.

The 10-acre purchase and eventual development is expected to include the arena, parking and a number of ancillary businesses.

“We haven’t done a detail design on the arena. This now allows us to get to that work,” Leeder said.

The actual purchase price for the highly valued land was not revealed.

There has been plenty of discussion, though, from the parties involved and the public as to how this new multi-purpose facility is going to be paid for.

Senators’ owner Michael Andlauer suggested earlier that all three levels of government chip in. As expected, this has created quite a backlash from taxpayers who want nothing to do with paying the likely expensive tab.

Leeder suggested Friday that an already tax-challenged public won’t be on the hook.

“I don’t think so. You look at the history in Canada, public venues whether they’re arenas or stadiums, haven’t been funded by the taxpayer. That’s the history, it’s not the same in the United States, but that’s what we’ve done in this country and that will be the expectation going forward.”

thegrossgame@yahoo.com

PHOTO: Courtesy TSN.ca