For the first time in eight years, Sens Mile will once again brighten up Elgin Street.
On Friday afternoon, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe was on hand as the street sign on the corner of Elgin Street and Lisgar Avenue was rebranded in English and French — “Sens Mile”, “Mile des Sens” — for the duration of the Ottawa Senators’ 2025 National Hockey League playoff run.
What, exactly, is Sens Mile?
Just in case you’ve forgotten, considering that the Senators hadn’t qualified for the playoffs since 2017, it’s all about expressing civic pride for the city’s team in Ottawa’s downtown.
Every intersection along Elgin between Laurier Avenue and Gladstone Avenue will fashion four new bright red street signs. That includes corners at Gloucester Street, Nepean Street, Cooper Street, Somerset Street, McLaren Street, Gilmour Street, Lewis Street, Waverly Street and Frank Street. All of the new signs are expected to be in place by April 16.
The city is also encouraging Senators fans to wear Senators jerseys and to support businesses along Elgin Street during Senators playoff games.
The schedule of playoff games and the Senators opponent hasn’t been determined yet, but the Senators will begin their first-round series away from Ottawa, likely on either April 20 or April 21.
When did the tradition begin?
Senators fever hit the nation’s capital hard in 2007.
After the Senators defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference final — long-time captain Daniel Alfredsson scored the series-clinching goal in overtime — fans stormed out of bars and restaurants along Elgin Street to celebrate. From there, fans embarked on an impromptu march towards Parliament Hill.
While the Senators went on to lose that year’s Stanley Cup final to the Anaheim Ducks, Sens Mile has been revived again every time Ottawa makes the playoffs.
What’s the cost of the signs?
According to Jared Hebbs, the City of Ottawaa’s program manager for signs and pavement markings, the construction, installation and removal of the signs will cost approximately $6,500. When the signs are taken down, the city is exploring the possibility of donating them to the Senators Foundation to be used for charity auctions.
With there be any traffic disruptions along Elgin?
At this point, there are no plans to close the street to traffic, but stay tuned. When the Senators have advanced deeper into the playoffs in previous years, portions of Elgin were shut down to vehicles, allowing fans to walk the road in a victory stroll.
Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.
