Although the Ottawa Senators and NHL hockey has just recently returned to the capital, Elgin St. is already seeing red.
City council approved a motion to declare Elgin St. as Sens Mile for the 2013 season on Wednesday, hoping to increase hockey fans and revenue to the bars and restaurants in the area following the lockout this fall.
Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes said that this was a request from the Ottawa Senators team.
Holmes noted that bars on Elgin St. had suffered from the NHL lockout.
“Local businesses in the tourism and service industries are hopeful to prosper during the shortened season, offsetting the impacts caused by the league’s labour dispute,” said Holmes.
Typically, Elgin St. is not revamped to Sens Mile until the team makes the playoffs later in the season. However, the decision to Sens Mile early this year was unanimously approved by council.
Red street signs will be installed throughout Elgin St. immediately.