The Ottawa Senators won't be hosting an outdoor game on Parliament Hill as part of Canada's 150th birthday celebrations.

On Friday, a spokesperson for Canadian Minister of Heritage Melanie Joly released a statement confirming there were too many logistical and security issues to stage an NHL game on the grounds of Canada's Parliament buildings.

“In the highly complex environment regarding events on Parliament Hill, including the need for the uninterrupted operations of parliamentary business, public access and security, a full-stadium NHL game was deemed not feasible and is no longer one of the options being considered,” the statement from Joly's office read.

Various groups had worked for the past 18 months to try and secure an outdoor game at Parliament Hill, including federal and municipal governments, the Senators and the National Hockey League. Over the past several months, several high-ranking Senators officials publicly stated that hosting a game on Parliament Hill would be groundbreaking and their ideal choice for an outdoor game.

The Senators did not hide their disappointment with Friday's decision, releasing a statement of their own.

“Despite the hard work of the NHL and the Government of Canada over the past 18 months, the Ottawa Senators are disappointed for all Canadian hockey fans that we will not have the opportunity to witness an NHL Outdoor Game on Parliament Hill,” the release read. “To host a game on Parliament Hill would have been iconic and historic and, in our view, the best way to cap off the year-long celebrations in 2017 to honour both the League's Centennial and Canada's 150.”

Senators defenceman and Ottawa native Marc Methot expressed his own dismay with Friday's decision when he was informed of the news while being interviewed on TSN 1200.

“That's pretty disappointing,” said Methot. “I was looking forward to being a part of that. It would have been pretty cool. I know the front office were working tirelessly to make it happen.”

The NHL — which is also celebrating their centennial season next year — has already confirmed there would be a signature NHL event held in Ottawa in December of 2017. There have been no details leaked about what that event might entail, as the league was obviously hesitant to commit to an outdoor game in Ottawa.

When contacted by TSN's Pierre LeBrun, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly admitted the idea of staging a hockey game on Parliament Hill was a longshot at best.

“At the end of the day, we all would have loved if things had worked out. But everyone recognized from the start the very significant challenges involved. The fact that ultimately those challenges could not be overcome doesn't come as a major surprise,” Daly wrote.

The Senators could still host an outdoor game at TD Place, which is the home of the CFL's Redblacks. And with that stadium hosting the Grey Cup at the end of November 2017, it would already have some of the necessary infrastructure - such as temporary seating - in place for an outdoor NHL game a few weeks later.

The City of Ottawa is trying to push forward with an outdoor game despite Friday's news, with mayor Jim Watson planning on meeting with Senators front office officials next week to start moving toward an alternate plan.

“I know the residents of Ottawa would appreciate cheering on the Ottawa Senators at this blockbuster event as much as I would,” Watson said in a statement. “I look forward to working on their behalf over the next few months in an attempt to secure an agreement between the City and the Senators that would see this happen in Ottawa in 2017.”