The Gatineau Olympiques are set to move into a new home in the coming years, as the Gatineau City Council has signed off on an arena deal.
The Olympiques currently play at the Robert Guertin Centre, which opened in the 1957. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) franchise is in line for a new venue, however, as the Gatineau City Council and Vision Multisports Outaouais (VMSO) have come to terms on an agreement.
Under the current terms, the Olympiques will play in a new arena that is to be constructed as part of a $79 million complex that will be developed at a currently-vacant parcel north of Maloney Boulevard. On its current schedule, the arena could be ready for the 2020-2021 QMJHL season.
The funding plan finalized on Wendesday calls for a private/public partnership in the project. More from the Ottawa Citizen:
The $79-million bill is to be shared as follows: A maximum of $36.5 million paid by the city of Gatineau, plus $26 million by Quebec and $16 million paid by VMSO.
On top of that, city taxpayers will cover $25 million for a parking garage and for improvements to streets around the arena site.
“It’s an excellent project,” Mayor Maxime Pednead-Jobin said Wednesday. “We keep our Olympiques for at least 25 years” while capping the public expense and getting three rinks for community teams.
“There’s still work to be done, but I think it’s an important day on this very important file for all Gatineau — for hockey, for citizens, for taxpayers … Nothing can beat this project.”
The Olympiques will play in an arena that is slated to seat 4,000 fans.
