Gatineau rejects Sensplex-style home for QMJHL's Olympiques

The City of Gatineau has opted againsta proposal by the Ottawa Senators to build a four-rink facility that would replace the aging arena currently housing itsmajor junior hockey team.

Last year, the Senators and one other group, Vision Multi-Sports Outaouais (VMSO),put competing proposals before Gatineau council to build a much-needed new home for the Gatineau Olympiques, who play in theQuebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The Robert Guertin Centre, the Olympiques' current home, is 60 years old and is set tobe demolished in 2018.

Council decided Thursday to enter into negotiations with VMSO, who have proposed a 4,000-seat arena with extra community ice surfaces, instead.

The Senators had wanted tobuild a facility with four rinks: one with 4,000 seats forthe Olympiques andthree other ice surfaces for the community to use, much like its twoSensplexbuildings in Ottawa's Kanataand Gloucester neighbourhoods.

The Gatineaucentrewould have been owned andrun by a not-for-profit organization just as the Sensplex is in order to keep costs as low as possible, Senators president Cyril Leeder said last fall.