Abbotsford Centre

Abbotsford Centre

Abbotsford Centre in 2013
Address	33800 King Road
Location	Abbotsford, British Columbia
Coordinates	49.030665°N 122.287145°W / 49.030665; -122.287145
Owner	City of Abbotsford
Operator	Abbotsford Canucks Limited Partnership[1]
Capacity	Hockey: 7,000 Basketball: 7,046 Concerts: 8,500
Construction
Broke ground	September 24, 2007
Opened	May 10, 2009
Construction cost	C$66.2 million ($90.9 million in 2023 dollars[2])
Architect	PBK Architects
Project manager	MHPM Project Managers Inc.[3]
Structural engineer	Cochrane Engineering[3]
General contractor	PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc.[4]
Tenants
Abbotsford Heat (AHL) (2009–2014) BC Angels (LFL Canada) (2012) Fraser Valley Thunderbirds (BCMML) (2018–present) Fraser Valley Bandits (CEBL) (2019–2021) Abbotsford Canucks (AHL) (2021–present)

Abbotsford Centre, formerly Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre, is a 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The arena was expected to cost $64.7 million.^[5] Construction began on September 24, 2007.^[6] As of 2023, it is the home of the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League (AHL) after previously hosting AHL's Abbotsford Heat from 2009 to 2014.^[7]

History

On September 25, 2006, Abbotsford council voted unanimously to hold a referendum asking voters to borrow $85 million to fund three community projects, including a new entertainment and sports centre.^[8] The arena was approved by Abbotsford voters on November 25, 2006, with a 54.8% majority.^[9]

With the loss of the Heat, Abbotsford Centre announced it would start a recreational ice hockey league to help fill open dates left at the arena. Each team in the Abbotsford Centre Hockey League is to play 20 games per team during the 2014-15 hockey season.^[10]

On May 2, 2018, the Canadian Elite Basketball League announced that the Fraser Valley Bandits would be coming to the Abbotsford Centre in 2019, with the basketball season to be from May to August.^[11] The team moved to the Langley Events Centre for the 2022 season.^[12]

On May 6, 2021, the Vancouver Canucks were approved to relocate their AHL affiliate to the Abbotsford Centre for the 2021–22 season,^[13] where the team became the Abbotsford Canucks.

During 2023, the Abbotsford Centre had arena renovations, including a redesigned videoboard and new fascia ribbon board display, which in comparison to the previous equipment in place since the Abbotsford Centre opened in 2009, are slightly larger. Amenities and new arena seats were also installed within the arena's seating. The brand new videoboard debuted in the AHL for the first time when the Abbotsford Canucks played the Calgary Wranglers at the very same building in Abbotsford, on the 20th of October, losing 3-2. ^{[14] [15]}

Arena amenities

The arena has a capacity of 7,000 seats for hockey with room for expansion to 8,500. There are 300 club seats, 15 boxes, 20 private suites, and 2 party suites.^[16]

Inside the Ford Concourse in Abbotsford Centre, there are plenty of concession stands for fans and people to buy food and drinks, one being a Panago pizza slice stand and other various stands. There is also a Canucks Team Store, located at Gate 1 of the building where fans of the Abbotsford Canucks can buy Canucks gear, jerseys, and shirts to support the team. For every home game the Abbotsford Canucks will play, families who have autistic children are able to take a sensory kit for their child so that they can ensure the game will not cause sensory issues within the arena. They are provided by Canucks Autism Network. ^[17]

During some games when the Abbotsford Canucks play their home games, there will be intermission timeouts to keep fans entertained on the videoboard.

References

1. "Arena Info - Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford Centre".
2. 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
3. City of Abbotsford, B.C. bundles projects to get them done Archived April 30, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
4. PCL: Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre
5. City of Abbotsford (March 29, 2007). Plan A Financial Summary. Retrieved on April 11, 2007.
6. "Abbotsford Gets Lowdown on Entertainment and Sports Centre". Abbotsford Times. February 15, 2008.
7. "The HEAT is on for 2009-10 AHL season" (PDF). Fraser Valley Sports & Entertainment Ltd. May 14, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 11, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2009.
8. City of Abbotsford (February 12, 2007). Regular Update - Plan A: Week of February 12, 2007. Retrieved on April 7, 2007.
9. "Plan A". City of Abbotsford. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2007.
10. "Abbotsford Centre | New Hockey League at the Abbotsford Centre! | Pointstreak Sites". Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
11. CEBL to bring a Pro Basketball Team to the Abbotsford Centre
12. Fraser Valley Bandits
13. "Board of Governors Approves Franchise Relocations". AHL. May 6, 2021.
14. "Contract awarded for new scoreboard at Abbotsford Centre at cost of $1.38M". April 26, 2023.
15. "Abbotsford Centre receiving new scoreboard, several other upgrades". March 3, 2023.
16. City of Abbotsford (March 29, 2007). Award Construction Contract for Plan "A" Projects. Retrieved on April 11, 2007.
17. Abbotsford Canucks (October 20, 2023). "Thanks to @canucksautism , Sensory Kits will be available at ANY #AbbyCanucks home game 😆 Please visit Guest Services at Section 104 💚💙". Twitter.

External links

• Abbotsford Centre