Sudbury plans for arena site after new event centre opens

Greater Sudbury is exploring options for its 74-year-old community arena, including private redevelopment or demolition after a new event centre opens.

The City of Greater Sudbury is making plans for the property where the current community arena sits – and it wants to be open to all options.

During a meeting Tuesday, city council asked staff to create a report on the best use for the existing Sudbury Community Arena and its land. It sits in what is called Downtown Sudbury’s South District.

Most councillors want to see the structure remain intact and a private developer use the 74-year-old building, however if that doesn’t happen council is prepared to see the building demolished – but only after the new arena is built in 2028.

If that demo happens, the land would be made into temporary parking until it’s purchased by a developer for something else.

Mayor Paul Lefebvre calls the vote “a needed step forward.”

“If there is somebody out there that obviously has a good, strong business plan to reutilize the arena we could explore that,” he said.

“Certainly, that’s an opportunity that council will decide and if not, once the new arena is built, we will obviously demolish the old arena and look at other opportunities as well,” Lefebvre added.

“The idea is to certainly look at commercial opportunities, looking at potential hospitality opportunities as well,” Lefebvre said, adding that they’ve already fielded calls from interested parties seeking details.

The report from staff will plan how to bring developments forward.

There will be parameters with developers expressing an interest in the old arena so that it won’t sit vacant and dilapidated like the Old St Joe’s hospital site.

“There’s been so many events and so many championships and so many memorable things that have occurred in that building that it is heritage site in my opinion,” said councillor Al Sizer, who joked that the arena held history for him since he scored the winning goal for a city championship in 1965.

“I’m anxious to see how the development of that South section takes place, and I know that there are a lot of opportunities that may occur,” Sizer added.

“We’re just trying to explore all the opportunities, which I think is exciting,” Mayor Lefebvre said.

An engineer’s report from two years ago found the cost would be substantial for the city to try to keep the community arena or attempt to renovate it to current standards.