The CEO of the National Capital Commission says the NCC and the Ottawa Senators continue to move forward with plans for an arena and entertainment centre at LeBreton Flats.
Speaking to the media after the NCC’s board of directors meeting Thursday, Tobi Nussbaum said work is progressing on getting shovels in the ground.
“After the agreement of purchase and sale was signed last summer, talks have continued to help the (Ottawa) Senators get to a place where they can move towards shovels in the ground,” Nussbaum said. “There aren’t any obstacles that are stopping us or delaying us from moving forward at the pace that we anticipate.”
He added that talks on the design of the proposed arena are ongoing.
“We want to see something beautiful. We want to see something that demonstrates the major events centre as a real landmark for the nation’s capital … The process is going very, very well and we’re getting to a point where – and I don’t have the exact moment in time – both parties are feeling good.”
ByWard Market a priority for city, mayor says
In his municipal update to the NCC board, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said next year could be a “turning point” for the ByWard Market, with more development and increased security, adding that the Market will be a priority for the city in the lead-up to the historic area’s 200th anniversary in 2027.
“We are working hard to improve the ByWard Market. We have a couple of properties in the ByWard Market that we are excited about and could be candidates for redevelopment in the future,” Sutcliffe said.
In 2021, the city approved a $129-million plan to revitalize the ByWard Market by adding pedestrian plazas and a new “destination building” at 70 Clarence St., currently a parking garage. The city also approved plans to rehabilitate the historic ByWard Market Heritage Hall at 55 ByWard Market Sq.
In 2024, the province announced $20 million in tourism and downtown revitalization funding, of which $11.8 million was earmarked to turn William Street into a permanent pedestrian street. Construction is set to start this year.
