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Post by hfxfan09 on Nov 28, 2023 21:34:32 GMT -4
Avenier Centre- Very nice rink, not a bad seat in the house to watch hockey from; prices are comparable to Halifax. Even though their arena is smaller I like that the concourse is wider they also have elevators, escalators, or stairs you can use. Lots of options for Concessions, love that their is a Tim Hortons in their rink. if you find street parking you don't pay on the Weekend!
I love how easy it is to get into the building just a quick pass with the wand, they don't look in your purse just ask if you have any food or drink. (Just say no, just be honest, but I'm sure they make exceptions for people with health concerns like diabetes).
TD Station(Harbour station)- Another nice arena, traffic moves well I think their concourse is less wide than Moncton, lots of concession options for food, also love they have a Tims as well I was there a long time ago and pre-pandemic so I'm not sure about getting in now, years ago they just scanned a ticket. (Not sure if they have wands or metal detectors in SJ yet)
Centre 200- Haven't been there in years, so can't really say much about the rink all I remember is the bathroom was cramped and the building was really old.
Scotiabank Centre- Lots of concession options, all overpriced. Much better since renovations although comfier seats less leg room. Hate how hard it is to get in their although I'm used to the process since I do it 30 times a year plus playoffs; don't like that security has to look in my purse unless you find a door that lets you just put it up with the metal detectors. Don't like seperating from my phone although I can still see it. Best to leave keys at home if it's not car keys.
Eastlink Centre, KC Irving Regional Centre are on my list to visit still.
General comment- Tried dippin dots did not like it, just wanted to try it will not be buying that again. Love that you can get soft serve Ice Cream in SJ and Moncton, not sure about CB.
In Moncton my friend had Soft Serve Ice cream dipped in Chocolate.
Why can Halifax, not get a Tim's in their rink I know the answer, Why can't we get soft serve Ice cream or something better than dippin dots. This is just me partially asking and partially venting, I feel like we are the only Maritime team without a Tim Hortons in their arena or in close Proximity.
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Post by hfxfan09 on Nov 28, 2023 22:06:28 GMT -4
We've clarified Centre 200 doesn't have a Tim's in the rink it's in the parking lot.
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Post by Mika on Nov 29, 2023 9:36:25 GMT -4
Not a Q rink, but if you get a chance check out Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario. It's a very nice rink.
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Post by Beaver Banker on Nov 29, 2023 11:23:29 GMT -4
if you find street parking you don't pay on the Weekend! Funny that this is the part of your review that got my attention (or not, given what I do for work), but on street paid parking is free on weekends in all six Maritime Q cities (I don't think Bathurst has paid on-street parking at any time, just a a two-hour limit). Not saying you're going to easily find a spot near all six arenas, but if you do, it's free on weekends. |
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Post by trueblue on Nov 29, 2023 11:23:37 GMT -4
I travel to Ottawa quite a lot for work, and the new Centre Slush Puppie is absolutely spectacular. Sherbrooke is my favourite of the "old" rinks I've been able to visit, and it goes without saying the Videotron Centre is the crown jewel in the league. Not a Q rink, but if you get a chance check out Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario. It's a very nice rink. My brother lives in London now, so I get to games there pretty often. Love going to Covent Garden Market for a pregame meal - the Latin American place Parrillada is probably my favourite but there's so many great options. The upper bowl in Bud Gardens is sweet, very steeply pitched so you feel like you're right on top of things. They do need to update their video board though - it's not up to standard anymore. And not that it affects the fan experience, but it's weird that the coaching staffs have to walk across the ice to get to their bench in such an otherwise modern building. And while we're on the OHL - seeing a game at the Aud in Kitchener is a must for any CHL fan. Character, history, and a heck of a fanbase. Eastlink Centre, KC Irving Regional Centre are on my list to visit still. Eastlink has a weird concourse and you enter the seating bowl from the bottom. Awkward to get around. Seats have a really shallow pitch which makes the sightlines from corners are not great. The new video board is awesome though. Bathurst is solid but unspectacular, love the colour of their seats though. |
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Post by catnut on Nov 29, 2023 11:43:23 GMT -4
A quick review of a couple of arenas that very few here have visited.
For those who enjoy the old-style hockey barn feeling, the Air Creebec centre in Val d'Or really brings it. It has those big steel beams that go down behind the seats, taking a couple of seats in the last row at every beam. The Iamgold arena (formerly Dave Keon arena) in Rouyn-Noranda has been greatly renovated, which added several hundred seats at one end. For that reason, it lost some of the old barn feeling but you still feel very much in the action and man is that place loud.
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Post by Jack Bauer on Nov 29, 2023 11:44:30 GMT -4
I travel to Ottawa quite a lot for work, and the new Centre Slush Puppie is absolutely spectacular. Sherbrooke is my favourite of the "old" rinks I've been able to visit, and it goes without saying the Videotron Centre is the crown jewel in the league. Not a Q rink, but if you get a chance check out Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario. It's a very nice rink. My brother lives in London now, so I get to games there pretty often. Love going to Covent Garden Market for a pregame meal - the Latin American place Parrillada is probably my favourite but there's so many great options. The upper bowl in Bud Gardens is sweet, very steeply pitched so you feel like you're right on top of things. They do need to update their video board though - it's not up to standard anymore. And not that it affects the fan experience, but it's weird that the coaching staffs have to walk across the ice to get to their bench in such an otherwise modern building. And while we're on the OHL - seeing a game at the Aud in Kitchener is a must for any CHL fan. Character, history, and a heck of a fanbase. Eastlink Centre, KC Irving Regional Centre are on my list to visit still. Eastlink has a weird concourse and you enter the seating bowl from the bottom. Awkward to get around. Seats have a really shallow pitch which makes the sightlines from corners are not great. The new video board is awesome though. Bathurst is solid but unspectacular, love the colour of their seats though. I went to a concert at Budweiser Gardens like 10 years ago. Loved the area surrounding the arena. I was in a hotel within walking distance. Lots of great pubs and I think a farmers market kind of thing all around the arena. And the arena itself had the feel of a mini NHL arena. |
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Post by trueblue on Nov 29, 2023 11:48:57 GMT -4
And stepping outside Major Junior, Edmundston's Centre Jean-Daigle and Truro's Rath Eastlink are awesome as well.
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Post by Citris on Nov 29, 2023 12:30:02 GMT -4
And stepping outside Major Junior, Edmundston's Centre Jean-Daigle and Truro's Rath Eastlink are awesome as well. Not a fan of the Rath-Eastlink. Poorly thought out ventilation that makes games unwatchable in august and sometimes October. |
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Post by jordo999 on Nov 29, 2023 13:39:22 GMT -4
for one of the lower end markets in the Q the KC Irving in Bathurst is a very nice rink.
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guffmcshay
Draft Pick
"Don't feed a guy a sponge"
Posts: 41
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Post by guffmcshay on Nov 29, 2023 16:50:26 GMT -4
And stepping outside Major Junior, Edmundston's Centre Jean-Daigle and Truro's Rath Eastlink are awesome as well. Not a fan of the Rath-Eastlink. Poorly thought out ventilation that makes games unwatchable in august and sometimes October. went to a Valley/Truro playoff game there last year. Nice rink but holy moly was the PA ever loud. Left there with ringing in my ears. |
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Ns98
Draft Pick
Posts: 44
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Post by Ns98 on Nov 29, 2023 18:18:11 GMT -4
Not a fan of the Rath-Eastlink. Poorly thought out ventilation that makes games unwatchable in august and sometimes October. went to a Valley/Truro playoff game there last year. Nice rink but holy moly was the PA ever loud. Left there with ringing in my ears. I think Truro has updated their ventilation so that it’s not as bad as it was in the past. I remember the Eagles/Moose fog game there a few years back. |
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Post by Futuremoosefan on Dec 2, 2023 20:35:26 GMT -4
Well, I'm a sucker for lists, so here's my thoughts on stuff I can remember for the rinks I've been to:
Halifax: I have a tonne to say about this place, most of it bad. Security is a gong show (you're almost guaranteed to be late getting to your seat if you show up with less than a half hour to go). Also, as someone else mentioned, the 'upgraded' seats provide less leg room. I'm not exactly tall but I'm still squished in. I rarely buy anything at the concessions, but I bought an overpriced and terrible hot dog at the Thunderbirds game on Friday. One thing I like that I hadn't noticed before was the tax is included in the advertised price (I hate how that's not the norm in Canada). Good location downtown at least (especially for me because I can walk there).
Cape Breton: I've been there a bunch of times, but not since the '90s. Presumably changed a bunch since then. I liked how you could leave at intermissions, but I think they have since did way with that.
Saint John: I was there for the first time last season. Favourite part about it was that it was connected via a pedway to my hotel.
Charlottetown: I was only there once a few years ago. Strangest thing I remember is that the front row lined up with the bottom of the glass (not the bottom of the boards).
Moncton: I made several attempts to go, but have yet to be inside (looks nice from the outside though). I do have a ticket for the Top Prospects game in January though.
Bathurst & Quebec rinks: I've never ben to any other Q rinks.
As for other CHL rinks:
OHL: I've only ever been to Ottawa's rink (TD Centre) when I went to a game last season. One thing I liked was that you could use your game ticket as a transit pass to get to/from the rink. More teams should do that.
WHL: I'm not going through all the W rinks I've been to (about a dozen?). I've been to both Edmonton rinks though (old Rexall Place and current Rogers Place), yet despite living about a 20 minute walk from Pacific Coliseum their last year playing there, I never saw the Vancouver Giants play there (but did see them at their current rink in Langley).
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