New Ottawa Senators Arena

[J.OT13]

LeBreton Flats major attractions​

Build more than an attraction — build a legacy.
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1. The latest on the project
2. About the project
   1. Key features of the sites
3. Process and timeline

Artists rendering for illustrative purposes - subject to change.
The NCC has signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of a major event centre at LeBreton Flats. We have entered into this agreement with Capital Sports Development Inc. (CSDI), a group led by the Ottawa Senators NHL hockey team. This initiative will bring a significant and exciting venue to one of Canada’s premier city-building projects.
CSDI is proposing to build an NHL hockey arena and events venue, surrounded by mixed-use development. The project would be located on Albert Street, between Preston Street and City Centre Avenue.
CSDI’s concept for an arena facility is still in the very early stages. The group will develop it further over the coming months.

The latest on the project​

CSDI continues to make good progress on its proposal. It is working to advance its designs for the site, including the NHL arena and events centre. The target date to enter into a lease agreement is fall 2023.

About the project​

The NCC launched a request for expressions of interest in December 2021, which attracted multiple submissions. The NCC examined all of them, with the intent of securing a feasible and successful project.
After careful review, the NCC identified CSDI as the preferred proponent. CSDI partners include:

• Sterling Project Development, a real estate management and advisory group experienced in working with professional sports teams on sports facilities and mixed-use development. SPD recently completed UBS Arena, the new home of the New York Islanders NHL franchise;
• Populous, a global design firm that has designed major sports facilities such as Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Vidéotron Centre in Quebec City, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London England;
• Tipping Point Sports, a boutique sports finance and advisory firm focusing on transformational public private partnerships for sports-anchored mixed use developments;
• And Live Nation, a world-leading entertainment company that produces concerts and festivals.

This site will become an anchor for the surrounding development, which is planned as one of the most sustainable and inclusive communities in Canada. Steps away, the community will feature iconic public spaces, including a hilltop park with spectacular views of the Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills. It will become home to approximately 7,500 residents and almost 4,000 workers.
Read the Master Concept Plan to find out more about the vision for LeBreton Flats.

Key features of the sites​

• Within a five-minute walk from two light rail stations on the O-Train Confederation Line (Pimisi and Bayview stations)
• Steps from the Canadian War Museum and Ādisōke, the future Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada joint facility, a $306-million central library opening in 2026
• On the edge of Ottawa’s downtown, only two kilometres from Parliament Hill
• Close to the Ottawa River waterfront and scenic pathways, surrounded by unique features

Process and timeline​

202120222023
CSDI will develop a detailed concept and implementation plan, and will submit them for federal and municipal approval.

The NCC and CSDI will negotiate a long-term lease, with the target to sign an agreement in fall 2023.

Documents​

• Request for Expressions of Interest - Major Attraction Sites (20.358 MB)

LeBreton Flats major attractions

The NCC is looking for attractions to amplify excitement and energy for the Building LeBreton project.

ncc-ccn.gc.ca

 

[J.OT13]

Ottawa Senators studying options for new rink as talks on lease at LeBreton Flats continue​

Author of the article:
Bruce Garrioch
Published Dec 26, 2023 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 4 minute read

This artist's conception was submitted in June 2022, when the National Capital Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Capital Sports Development Inc, a group led by the Ottawa Senators, for the development of a major event centre at LeBreton Flats. The Senators are now the focus of bidding that will result in new owners. PHOTO BY NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION/POPULOUS /HANDOUT

Ottawa Senators studying options for new rink as talks on lease at LeBreton Flats continue

Will the Ottawa Senators stay at the Canadian Tire Centre or will they make a decision in 2024 that they're headed downtown?

ottawacitizen.com

 

[BGO]

Really hope the arena move to bayview yards instead. More space, same location or almost and the best is the expansion of the lebreton project toward the west, means expansion of the new district.
The green space in that area is really important imo. But not only blank green land, we need public infrastructures. It ll probably the most used park of the city in the next decades. Hope I will be there to see it. Ottawa is a slow mo compared to other Canadian cities.

 

[originalmuffins]

Really hope the arena move to bayview yards instead. More space, same location or almost and the best is the expansion of the lebreton project toward the west, means expansion of the new district.
The green space in that area is really important imo. But not only blank green land, we need public infrastructures. It ll probably the most used park of the city in the next decades. Hope I will be there to see it. Ottawa is a slow mo compared to other Canadian cities.

To be honest, if they do go with Bayview Yards, it really only extends Lebreton even further. They're pretty much connected so it would definitely be a prime spot, the only issue is you lose the benefit of two stations going 3 directions and instead bottleneck it to one going 3 directions, granted that's not the biggest deal, but that's the negative. If we do get a shift to Bayview Yards, that can leave NCC to come up with a secondary attraction instead, and that would be perfect in itself (ex. Ottawa Aquarium with a big focus on local wildlife conservation).

There is still a benefit to keeping it in Lebreton and having the city develop something similar on the Bayview side as well. That would be that they can reduce the greenspace a little and give some more lands to the Sens so that they can create a better singular district on their own (thereby increasing Lebreton's useable area throughout all seasons).

But... I have more trust in the NCC to regroup and plan something in conjunction with the arena in Bayview than the city planning something in Bayview with the arena in Lebreton (this new council stinks, don't get me started on Lansdowne 2.0's botching). So I'd be all for a Bayview shift to be honest.

 

[J.OT13]

I prefer LeBreton, mostly for the transit access mentioned. It would also put the focus on one area instead of spreading the development thin on two large sites.

 

[hoggytime]

At this point I will be incredibly happy with either site, so long as it doesn't get built ANYWHERE ELSE or stay in Kanata. For me, Lebreton is 10/10, Bayview is 8.5/10, and nothing else is over 4/10.

 

[phil235]

I prefer LeBreton, mostly for the transit access mentioned. It would also put the focus on one area instead of spreading the development thin on two large sites.

I agree. Lebreton also has the advantage of being walkable from downtown. Bayview is far enough away that people won't do it, so you lose that huge benefit of the new site.

 

[BGO]

I agree. Lebreton also has the advantage of being walkable from downtown. Bayview is far enough away that people won't do it, so you lose that huge benefit of the new site.

I didn't tough about walkability, you are right. My point was mainly about to enlarge the final site. Would be sad that the bayview site isn't integrated at the end to further more, link the turneys pasture in the next century

 

[hoggytime]

I agree. Lebreton also has the advantage of being walkable from downtown. Bayview is far enough away that people won't do it, so you lose that huge benefit of the new site.

500 metres further from downtown (and 500 metres closer to major walkable residential nodes at Dow's Lake/Tunney's/Westboro) makes it unwalkable?!?

 

[J.OT13]

Bayview would be further from Dow's Lake and Preston. Further from Hull. A little closer to Wellington West. Westboro is still way to far to be considered walkable from Bayview. We're not all Boston Walker level athletes here .

I wouldn't call Bayview "unwalkable", but less walkable. In any case, it's a short O-Train ride to a half dozen walkable entertainment areas.

 

[phil235]

500 metres further from downtown (and 500 metres closer to major walkable residential nodes at Dow's Lake/Tunney's/Westboro) makes it unwalkable?!?

Not unwalkable, just less walkable. There are more people living and particularly more people working downtown than there are in those other nodes.

I'd also say Dow's Lake is pretty far from Bayview on foot.

 

[hoggytime]

Bayview would be further from Dow's Lake and Preston. Further from Hull. A little closer to Wellington West. Westboro is still way to far to be considered walkable from Bayview. We're not all Boston Walker level athletes here .

I wouldn't call Bayview "unwalkable", but less walkable. In any case, it's a short O-Train ride to a half dozen walkable entertainment areas.

Hmm, you're right, it is a smidge further from Dow's Lake!

I prefer 'walkthlete'

 

[OTownAndDown]

Don't forget about the contaminated backfill issue, although aren't we talking about 100m east or 100m west of Bayview Station? Or is the arena location going to be more central between Pimisi and Bayview? I thought the site started 100m east of Bayview and extended east.

I think bedrock is quite deep at the west side of Bayview Station, being the old filled in 'bay'. Where the depth to bedrock is contaminated backfill, complicating footing/raft slab construction, and limiting the height of potential towers on the site. There's still contaminated backfill on the east side as well, but can be scraped down to bedrock which is relatively shallow in comparison (see: Windswept bedrock wasteland at Pimisi)

 

[J.OT13]

Here's the concept plan with the arena location. The arena will be between City Centre Avenue and Preston Street, so roughly halfway between the two stations.

 

[rdaner]

A little progress with housing developers named.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7094985