Nick Gamache spent yesterday at Gatineau city hall, where he experienced a sense of deja vu...

The proposal was unsolicited.
The owner of the local major junior hockey is among the businessmen behind the deal.
And the city didn't put out a call for tender...
No, I'm not talking about Lansdowne Park.
What I'm talking about is another sports venue: the Robert-Guertin arena in Gatineau.
Just over a month ago, Gatineau mayor Marc Bureau called a special meeting of councillor on a Friday afternoon.
He told councillors the city's general manager had negotiated a deal with the Gatineau Olympiques to fix and upgrade the aging rink.
Councillors had two hours to review the deal before they had to vote on it.
The motion passed, but ever since, a group of councillors have been crying foul.
Yesterday, during comité plénier - the meeting before full council meetings - the issue came up again.
Councillors are asking questions about the 28 million dollar deal (some say the deal will actually cost the city 50 million). They are wondering what the cost/revenue breakdown for the city will be, and asking if they even gave the city manager the authority to negotiate with the Olympiques...
All that more than a month after the deal was signed!
Councillors who support the project say something should have been done with Robert-Guertin a long time ago, and they should be glad that serious local businessmen are ready to help.
Now that does sound familiar.