Charlottetown Civic Centre
Encyclopedia
The Charlottetown Civic Centre is a combined hockey
arena
, trade and convention facility located in Charlottetown
, Prince Edward Island
.
The facility's location was the subject of significant controversy during its planning stages as various sites were being considered within the City of Charlottetown and surrounding communities; Charlottetown having argued that as host city for the games, the facility should be located on land within its boundaries. It was eventually decided by the games organizing committee and the federal and provincial governments to build the arena as part of a larger redevelopment of the Provincial Exhibition grounds in the neighbouring Town of Parkdale
(which amalgamated into Charlottetown in 1996).
The 3,200 seat capacity arena was to be built on the southern side of the Charlottetown Driving Park
, (a harness racing
track) and adjoining Kennedy Coliseum (an agricultural show facility), which would be renovated into a multi-use exhibition hall. Following construction there were many complaints from patrons and tenants of the arena, citing wasted space and the lack of seating down to the boards.
Following the 1991 Canada Winter Games, the civic centre and its arena became the responsibility of the City of Charlottetown (despite being located outside city limits until municipal amalgamation in 1996). In 2003, following extended complaints from patrons and tenants, the arena's seating was redesigned and expanded with additional seating placed down to the glass in several locations, as well as "luxury boxes" or sky boxes. The current capacity of the arena is 3,718 (3,690 seated).
of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
since the team relocated from Montreal
in 2003.
From 1993 to 1996, the Civic Centre was the home of the American Hockey League
's P.E.I. Senators.
From 1990 to 2003, the Civic Centre was also home to the Charlottetown Abbies
of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League, as well as the University of Prince Edward Island
"Panthers" men's hockey team of the Atlantic Universities Athletic Association (now Atlantic University Sport
). Both of these teams were former tenants of the Charlottetown Forum, a facility which was closed following the civic centre's opening in 1990. Both teams moved in the fall of 2003 to the newly built MacLauchlan Arena on the University of Prince Edward Island
campus.
The Civic Centre, up until the recent opening of the Consolidated Credit Union Place
located in PEI's only other city, Summerside is Prince Edward Island
's largest indoor public sports facility. It has also hosted a number of concerts, trade shows, wrestling shows and tournaments such as the 1999 Scott Tournament of Hearts
, 2003 Royal Bank Cup
and 2006 Telus Cup. The CCC also hosted the 2006 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
draft.
In 2011, the Civic Center hosted the 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts
from February 19 to 27
, Bryan Adams
, The Guess Who
, Willie Nelson
, The White Stripes
, George Jones
, & Girlicious
on their first tour
. On November 3, 2009, magician
David Copperfield
performed there.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, trade and convention facility located in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
.
History
The "civic centre", as it is commonly called, was built in 1989-1990 and opened in the fall of 1990, as the principal venue for the 1991 Canada Winter Games which Prince Edward Island hosted in February 1991.The facility's location was the subject of significant controversy during its planning stages as various sites were being considered within the City of Charlottetown and surrounding communities; Charlottetown having argued that as host city for the games, the facility should be located on land within its boundaries. It was eventually decided by the games organizing committee and the federal and provincial governments to build the arena as part of a larger redevelopment of the Provincial Exhibition grounds in the neighbouring Town of Parkdale
Parkdale, Prince Edward Island
Parkdale is a neighbourhood of the city of Charlottetown in central Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.Parkdale's location immediately northeast of Charlottetown and southeast of Sherwood saw it grow from being a rural farming community in the Queens Royalty to become a village on November...
(which amalgamated into Charlottetown in 1996).
The 3,200 seat capacity arena was to be built on the southern side of the Charlottetown Driving Park
Charlottetown Driving Park
The Charlottetown Driving Park , located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada is a harness racing track for racing standardbred horses.-History:...
, (a harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
track) and adjoining Kennedy Coliseum (an agricultural show facility), which would be renovated into a multi-use exhibition hall. Following construction there were many complaints from patrons and tenants of the arena, citing wasted space and the lack of seating down to the boards.
Following the 1991 Canada Winter Games, the civic centre and its arena became the responsibility of the City of Charlottetown (despite being located outside city limits until municipal amalgamation in 1996). In 2003, following extended complaints from patrons and tenants, the arena's seating was redesigned and expanded with additional seating placed down to the glass in several locations, as well as "luxury boxes" or sky boxes. The current capacity of the arena is 3,718 (3,690 seated).
Tenants
The Civic Centre has been the home rink of the P.E.I. RocketP.E.I. Rocket
The P.E.I. Rocket are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The franchise was granted in 1999, however the Rocket were originally located in Montreal, Quebec and called the Montreal Rocket. In 2003 they were relocated to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island...
of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
since the team relocated from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 2003.
From 1993 to 1996, the Civic Centre was the home of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's P.E.I. Senators.
From 1990 to 2003, the Civic Centre was also home to the Charlottetown Abbies
Charlottetown Abbies
The Charlottetown Abbies were a Junior "A" team based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They played in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. Their home rink was the MacLauchlan Arena on the campus of UPEI.-History:...
of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League, as well as the University of Prince Edward Island
University of Prince Edward Island
The University of Prince Edward Island is a public liberal arts university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the sole university in the province. Founded in 1969, it traces its roots back to its two earlier predecessor organizations, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales...
"Panthers" men's hockey team of the Atlantic Universities Athletic Association (now Atlantic University Sport
Atlantic University Sport
Atlantic University Sport is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and events to the public and...
). Both of these teams were former tenants of the Charlottetown Forum, a facility which was closed following the civic centre's opening in 1990. Both teams moved in the fall of 2003 to the newly built MacLauchlan Arena on the University of Prince Edward Island
University of Prince Edward Island
The University of Prince Edward Island is a public liberal arts university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the sole university in the province. Founded in 1969, it traces its roots back to its two earlier predecessor organizations, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales...
campus.
The Civic Centre, up until the recent opening of the Consolidated Credit Union Place
Consolidated Credit Union Place
Consolidated Credit Union Place is a multi purpose facility that opened in two stages in April 2006 in the City of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It contains an aquatics centre, meeting and convention rooms and fitness centre and in 2 NHL size ice surface arenas, bowling lanes and...
located in PEI's only other city, Summerside is Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
's largest indoor public sports facility. It has also hosted a number of concerts, trade shows, wrestling shows and tournaments such as the 1999 Scott Tournament of Hearts
1999 Scott Tournament of Hearts
The 1999 Scott Tournament of Hearts Canadian women's national curling championship, was played at the Charlottetown Civic Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. In the final, Colleen Jones and her Nova Scotia team would win their first of five championships together...
, 2003 Royal Bank Cup
Royal Bank Cup
The Royal Bank Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held to determine the Canadian Junior A champion. The winner of the tournament wins the Royal Bank Cup...
and 2006 Telus Cup. The CCC also hosted the 2006 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League...
draft.
In 2011, the Civic Center hosted the 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts
2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts
The 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women's national curling championship, was held from February 19 to February 27 at the Charlottetown Civic Centre in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island...
from February 19 to 27
Concerts
The Civic Centre has hosted numerous concerts over the years, including The Tragically HipThe Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as The Hip, is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of Gordon Downie , Paul Langlois , Rob Baker , Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay . Since their formation in 1983 they have released 12 studio albums, two live albums, and 46 singles...
, Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, The Guess Who
The Guess Who
The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, they also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with numerous hit singles, including "American Woman", "These Eyes" and "Share the Land"...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
, George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
, & Girlicious
Girlicious
Girlicious is an American girl group originally formed by Robin Antin, creator of the Pussycat Dolls, from the CW reality TV show Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. The group was originally signed to Geffen Records and composed of members Natalie Mejia, Chrystina Sayers, Nichole Corvoda and...
on their first tour
The Girlicious Tour
Girlicious took part in a tour of North America as the opening act of the Unbreakable Tour with the Backstreet Boys that started on July 30, 2008 and ended September 6, 2008....
. On November 3, 2009, magician
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
David Copperfield
David Copperfield (illusionist)
David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...
performed there.