LeBreton’s Not Looking Good For Sens Arena

Speculation is rife that the Ottawa Senators are moving downtown but the mystery around the location continues to grow.

It all started when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman came to town pressing the flesh and checking out new arena locations.

Sens Owner Eugene Melnyk Got A Bad Rap

Most everyone locally was saying LeBreton Flats but that site is losing favour. Bettman said it was too small. That certainly was a sign the flats were likely to remain fallow. Maybe we could grow some crops there like the developers of the Tewin project said they were after mowing down a far east-end forest. A field of townhouses, perhaps.

If Bettman says LeBreton is too small, count on it, it’s too small. No one in the NHL crosses its fearless leader. If Bettman needs more ammunition to plead his case that LeBreton is the wrong place for an arena, someone should tell him the lot is a brownfield, too.

So now we have civic leaders and smart planners proposing other locations such as Bayview or the old Department of National Defence building whose expiry date approaches.

If people such as Mayor Mark Sutcliffe are thinking places right in the core, it’s likely LeBreton is toast for an arena.

So once again, development on the Flats is an apprehended success. We could still put that roller coaster there as suggested in The Bulldog. And if it needs Canadian content to appease the National Capital Commission, the coaster cars could be named after the 10 provinces and three territories. Or we could get ex-mayor Jim Watson to name the cars. He’s good at that.

The stomach-churning coaster could be placed over a map of Canada. “Hey look, someone threw up on Scarborough.”

Don’t Move The Sens To LeBreton Flats: GRAY – Part 1

Anyway, LeBreton is probably out and if the new proprietors of the local puck franchise are smart, they won’t go downtown at all. Would you want to rely on Ottawa’s wonky and small LRT to get the patrons there and back in the dead of January? Nothing like waiting at Bayview station with the west wind roaring down the Ottawa River to make your wait for a train that doesn’t show that much more enjoyable. Best you wear your Canada Goose and mukluks. That’s the kind of patriotic apparel the NCC could get behind.

No the best bet for the NHL outpost here is where it is right now. People will drive a long way to see a good hockey club in a nice warm car. They won’t walk next door to see a bad team.

Furthermore, Kanata is very lovely in February … and there’s parking.

Ken Gray

Digital illustration on front by AI generator Bing Image Creator.

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