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Brantford Alexanders Arena Name: Brantford Civic Centre |
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| Brantford Civic Centre |
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| What was the Arena Like? |
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The Brantford Civic Centre is a great big yellow building set on parkland on the edge of Brantford's depressed downtown. It's right next to the Brantford Charity Casino. From the outside it stands out from a distance and its bulk looks massive on open land. The Civic Centre was a Centennial project and is one of the Sixtiest buildings I think I've ever seen. Everything about it screams its age. There is a small office set off to one side along with a community centre-type room but the main entrance is still some solid wooden front doors leading directly into the arena, the way it should be. Inside, the Civic Centre wears its middle age poorly. It doesn't appear to have been very well-kept and there are cracked ceiling tiles and poor lighting in the office entrance. Still, upon entering into the arena bowl all that is forgotten. The seats, magnificent in red, blue and gold, are 35-year-old originals but look fantastic, and the arena looks much, much larger than its 3000 seats. The seating area extends all around the ice and the layout is a standard "four corner" design with stairs leading to an upper concourse. The Civic Centre is strikingly similar to other 1960's rinks in Oshawa and also the old London Gardens. There are banners from various Brantford hockey teams and memoribilia all over the place. The best, though, was finding that the old Alexanders' team photos were still on the walls, showcasing the old team. The Alexanders were surprisingly good in their brief Brantford run and future NHLers like Ric Natress, Allen Bester, Dave Gagner and Mark Hunter can be found in the team photos. In spite of its deceivingly small size, the Brantford Civic Centre looks like it could host the OHL tomorrow if it came back, and the arena is much higher quality than others in today's OHL (I'm looking at you, St. Mike's!). I hope to return in the near future to see either the Brantford Blast (junior "A") or the Brantford Golden Bears (junior "B") teams play. The Civic Centre may be run-down, but it still looks like a full house could easily rock the joint. |
| Arena History |
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There is an Arena History at http://www.city.brantford.on.ca/civiccentre/history.htm |
How To Get There |
| From Hwy. 403: Exit at Paris Rd. Go south on Paris Rd. to Icomm Dr. and turn left. Take Icomm to Market St. Turn right on Market and follow it to the Brantford Civic Centre. The arena is a big yellow building on the right side of the road beside the casino. |
| Inside the Brantford Civic Centre |
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| What's It Used for Today? |
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The Brantford Alexanders were a short-lived OHL team, lasting from 1978-84. Originally located in Hamilton, the team enjoyed moderate success on the ice in Brantford, but Brantford is small and the Alexanders eventually moved back to Hamilton to become the Steelhawks, and then to Niagara Falls to become the Thunder. They are today the Erie Otters. The Civic Centre is still used in Brantford for all levels of hockey, the top ones being the Brantford Blast Senior "A" team, and the Brantford Golden Eagles, who play in the Mid-Western Junior "B" league. Civic Centre-based teams also won the Allan Cup in 1977 and 1987, and the arena has also hosted NHL training camps in the past as well. Brantford Civic Centre was also used on occasion in the mid-1970's by (of all teams) the Toronto Marlboros, who played occasional home games in Brantford due to the 1970's busyness of Maple Leaf Gardens between the Leafs and the WHA's Toronto Toros. |
Feedback |
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at  and I'll update the guide. |
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Copyright © Kevin Jordan
2002-06. |