City councillor encouraging Sens owner to table Kanata redevelopment proposal

By Mike Vlasveld

Kanata South City Councillor Allan Hubley wants to help Eugene Melnyk in his quest to build a new arena for the Ottawa Senators, but he says the city needs to see a proposal for redevelopment first.

On a podcast released Wednesday, May 19, the Sens owner floated the idea of building in Gatineau, partly because he's “not had the easiest time” dealing with the City of Ottawa. Melnyk also referenced news about a Porche dealership getting financial assistance from the city to build a new location in Vanier, which he found unfair.

But Hubley tells CityNews' The Rob Snow Show, Thursday, Melnyk could very well end up getting assistance with his project too. He, Stittsville City Councillor Glen Gower and other city staff members just need to see some details first.

“And when he goes to redevelop, you know, who knows, it depends on what he wants to do there, what programs are there to help him. But we certainly want to help him,” adds Hubley.

The Kanata South councillor thinks the Sens owner should stay on the 70 acres of land he already owns in the west end of the city, as the area continues to attract more people and should see a light rail connection if Phase 3 of the city's LRT plan comes to fruition.

“I would like him to focus on what he wants to do around there because he's got a great opportunity to make some things happen in there now,” says Hubley. “He doesn't need to make threats [to build elsewhere]. What he needs to do is put together a proposal on the table that the city can work with him on.”

Melnyk says he needs to build a new arena for the Senators sometime in the next five-to-10 years, and that he's 85 per cent sure he's staying in Kanata.

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