The more than 70-year-old Sudbury Community Arena will be torn down when a new arena/event centre opens in 2028, unless a private investor comes forward with a plan.
At least, that’s the current direction provided by city council, as affirmed during the July 15 meeting.
Asked whether there was any appetite for the city to retain the building, Mayor Paul Lefebre told Sudbury.com, “no.”
“However, that is council’s decision,” he later added, clarifying that if a member of city council were to bring a project forward which would repurpose the building, it’d go to a vote.
That said, Lefebvre also took note of last year’s building condition assessment, which found the arena en route for a slip to “poor” condition by this year and requiring millions in repairs.
Although Coun. Bill Leduc inquired during Tuesday’s meeting as to whether city council should pursue declaring the building a municipal heritage site, no steps have been taken to protect the structure.
Coun. Al Sizer also shared a fondness for the building, and jokingly said that his March 15, 1965, game-winning goal in a city championship for Elm West Playground should be enough for it to be declared a heritage site.
“I don’t want to hold onto anything that is going to cost us money, but if there’s a private sector investment I’d like to hear about that,” Sizer said.
Per current direction, city staff will issue a request for proposals in early 2026 seeking developers for the Sudbury Community Arena and city-owned land surrounding the future arena/event centre build.
“If someone from the private sector wants to invest and create jobs and a tax base in that area, it’s something that we will explore,” Lefebvre said.
Proposals will be paired against the city’s Downtown Master Plan, whose updated strategic long-term vision for the downtown core is anticipated to be adopted by city council by the end of the year.
“We know we need residential opportunities downtown, we know we want more hospitality downtown as well,” Lefebvre told journalists following Tuesday’s meeting. “We need foot traffic.”
This, he said, will complement the foot traffic which the upcoming arena/event centre is also anticipated to bring.
When it comes to a private party repurposing the Sudbury Community Arena, Lefebvre pledged that there would be “strong parameters” in place when it comes to timelines.
“We will not recreate another old hospital situation,” he said, in reference to the long-vacant Paris Street hospital building. Unlike that building, the city currently owns the Sudbury Community Arena, so is in a position to impose conditions.
Tearing down the old arena is estimated to cost approximately $5 million, and a business case will be drafted for consideration as part of 2026-27 budget deliberations to fund the demolition.
This would take place after the new event centre opens, if no private party comes forward by that time with a proposal to repurpose the building which city council approves.
If the old arena is torn down, the site would be temporarily repurposed as parking to accommodate approximately 160 additional spaces, and the land would remain available for private development.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
