Belleville’s historic Memorial Arena up for sale

The city of Belleville has put the Memorial Arena up for sale. It’s one of the oldest hockey arenas in North America and the one-time home to the world champion Belleville McFarlands.

The arena was first used in 1929 and has sat idle since 2010. Now the city wants it off its books.

“I don’t think the intention is to wash that away or forget [the history of the bulding], we’ll continue celebrating that but the bricks and mortar itself,  I think it’s important to make it productive again,” Belleville’s city clerk, Matt MacDonald, said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I don't think the intention is to wash that away or forget [the history of the bulding], we'll continue celebrating that but the bricks and mortar itself,  I think it's important to make it productive again," Belleville's city clerk, Matt MacDonald, said.

The property was put on the market on April 27. Joe Shunock of Ekort Realty says there’s been plenty of interest. The asking price is $499,000. As for the city, MacDonald says it’s forgone any revenue on the property for more than 10 years.

“The moment we sell that and a new owner, a taxable owner begins occupying that property, it becomes a tax-generating property for the city of Belleville.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The moment we sell that and a new owner, a taxable owner begins occupying that property, it becomes a tax-generating property for the city of Belleville."

The city has used the building for storage over the past several years. The Memorial Arena, which is located just off Belleville’s Market Square, is designated as a municipal heritage property. The McFarlands, a senior hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association’s Senior division from 1956 to 1961, won the Allan Cup in 1958 and the world championship in 1959.