Belleville planning committee votes to rezone Memorial Arena

By David Tuan Bui

BELLEVILLE – The city is planning to sell the historic Memorial Arena.

A for-sale sign has been posted on the east side of the downtown building at 15 Market Square. The building is listed at $499,900.

City council’s planning advisory committee met Monday to discuss rezoning the property from a community facility to general commercial zone.

Memorial Arena was built in 1929, and was first called Hume Arena. In 1946, it was bought by the city and renamed Belleville Memorial Arena to honour war veterans.

In 1958, the Belleville McFarlands – best known for defeating the Soviet Union for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship – used the arena as their home ice.

City council is expected to vote on the zoning change at its meeting this coming Monday.