CAA Arena is a 4,365-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...

Belleville, Ontario Belleville is a city in Ontario, Canada, situated on the eastern end of Lake Ontario, located at the mouth of the Moira River and on the Bay of Quinte. Its population as of the 2021 Canadian census was 55,071 (Census Metropolitan Area population 1 ...

, Canada. It is the home of the

Belleville Senators The Belleville Senators (colloquially known as the B-Sens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Belleville, Ontario. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Ottawa Senators. The Senators pl ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

(AHL). Built in 1978, it was first known as the Quinte Sports Centre and eventually Yardmen Arena. It is part of a larger recreational complex with several ice rinks, a pool and other facilities, known as the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre.

Description

The arena was built with an international-size ice surface of length by width. It was the largest ice surface in the Ontario Hockey League. This has since been converted to a standard NHL-sized rink. The arena is one of four ice rinks in the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre complex. The arena has two balconies, on opposite sides of the ice. It was the only arena in the Ontario Hockey League to have a second level of seating until

Budweiser Gardens Canada Life Place is a sports-entertainment centre, in London, Ontario, Canada – the largest such centre in Southwestern Ontario. Its previous names include John Labatt Centre and Budweiser Gardens. Opened as the John Labatt Centre in 2002, ...

was built in

London, Ontario London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River (Ontario), Thames River and N ...

in 2002.

History

The arena was opened in 1978. The Yardmen Arena name was in honour of a small group of railroaders known as "The Belleville Yardmen" who raised more than to contribute to its construction. The

Belleville Bulls The Belleville Bulls were a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 and based in Belleville, Ontario. The team played in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, ...

started as a Junior Tier II team in the OHA. On February 2, 1981, the OHL granted an expansion franchise to the city of Belleville and the ownership group of Dr. Robert L. Vaughan & Bob Dolan, and the Bulls joined the OHL. The team played in the arena until 2015, when it was sold and moved to Hamilton. The Yardmen Arena has hosted the OHL All-Star Game twice, in

1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...

and

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

. Yardmen Arena hosted an

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

pre-season game between the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...

and

Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...

on September 14, 2013 as part of the Kraft Hockeyville festivities. Nearby Stirling-Rawdon won the Kraft Hockeyville contest in 2012, but the original game scheduled between the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

and

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...

was cancelled due to the

2012-13 NHL lockout 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...

. During the 2015–16 hockey season, Yardmen Arena hosted three

Federal Hockey League The Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league with teams in the Midwestern, Southern, and Northeastern United States. The FPHL began operations in November 2010 as the Federal Hockey League. ...

games, with the intent of the league exploring the location for a team. If Belleville had been given a franchise, their nearest opponent would have been the Watertown Wolves across the US/Canada border, about 100 miles away in

Watertown, New York Watertown is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, New York, United States. It is approximately south of the Thousand Islands, along the Black River, about east of where it flows into Lake Ontario. The city is bordered by the t ...

. The games all had the

Berlin River Drivers The Berlin River Drivers were a minor professional ice hockey team in the Federal Hockey League that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Berlin, New Hampshire, the River Drivers played their home games at the Notre Dame Arena. History O ...

as the home team against and the

Port Huron Prowlers The Port Huron Prowlers are a minor professional ice hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League that began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Port Huron, Michigan, the Prowlers play their home games at the McMorran Arena. History ...

on December 12, the

Danbury Titans The Danbury Titans were a professional ice hockey team based in Danbury, Connecticut. Replacing the Danbury Whalers, the team was founded as an expansion team in the Federal Hockey League. They played their home games at the Danbury Ice Arena. ...

on January 2, and the

Dayton Demolition The Dayton Demolition was a minor league professional ice hockey team in the Federal Hockey League based in Dayton, Ohio and played their home games at Hara Arena. The team was known as the Berkshire Battalion in North Adams, Massachusetts bef ...

on February 13. In summer 2016, it was reported that the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...

were considering moving their

affiliate, then known as the

Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2002 to 2017. Nicknamed the B-Sens, they played in Binghamton, New York, at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens w ...

, to Yardmen Arena for the

2017–18 AHL season The 2017–18 AHL season was the 82nd season of the American Hockey League. The regular season ran from October 6, 2017, to April 15, 2018. The 2018 Calder Cup playoffs followed the conclusion of the regular season. The Toronto Marlies won thei ...

. Upgrades would have to be made to accommodate an AHL franchise including repairing the boards, the floor refrigeration system, and increasing the arena's capacity. The transfer was confirmed in September 2016, after Belleville City Council approved a $20.5 million upgrade to the arena. The upgrades included an increase in capacity, a new NHL-sized rink, new home team dressing room, new refrigeration system, new score clock, new washrooms and a new public entrance and in effect lead to a rebuilding of the arena. The

agreed to a lease for eight years. The team played their first month of the 2017–18 AHL season on the road and opened their inaugural season at the Yardmen Arena on November 1, 2017, to a sold out crowd. On September 19, 2018, the Senators sold the naming rights to the arena and it became officially known as CAA Arena for the 2018–19 season. The naming rights contract is for seven years. Image:Yardmen Arena inside.JPG, Interior of Yardmen Arena prior to the 2017 renovations. Image:OHL_ALL_STAR_GAME_2006.jpg, OHL All-Star Game 2006 Opening Face Off.
February 1, 2006.

Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre

As well as the CAA Arena, the City of Belleville operates three other, smaller arenas for ice hockey teams and rentals. * Family Dental Centre Arena * Mackay Insurance Arena * Wally Dever Arena The complex also includes the Templeman Aquatic Centre, which includes three pools: * Main Pool * Therapy Pool * Pre-school Pool A seasonal outdoor pool and splash pad is also part of the complex. Source: City of Belleville

References

External links

CAA Arena

Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre
{{coord, 44, 11, 19, N, 77, 22, 58, W, type:landmark, display=title Indoor arenas in Ontario Ice hockey venues in Ontario Ontario Hockey League arenas Sport in Belleville, Ontario Buildings and structures in Hastings County Rebuilt buildings and structures in Canada Belleville Senators