Embracing Winter and Hockey in Ontario

When Canadians lovingly refer to “hockey barns,” they aren’t talking about NHL arenas.  They’re referring to smaller, older and a lot more intimate hockey rinks. They’re talking about a place like Jack Gatecliff Arena in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Many locals loathe it. Because the arena and hockey complex 

The entrance to Jack Gatecliff Arena leads to a small lobby where fans gather an hour before game time to be let upstairs.

it’s part of are tucked into a city block near the center of town, the parking is sparse. Hockey moms fill the complex lot early, and they often stay put for Niagara Ice Dogs games. That leaves just a small lot across the street for everyone else. Street parking is like a Wild West gun battle. Only those with sharp eyesight and cat-like reflexes make it.

But the award for snagging a spot is a hockey experiences unrivaled by anything in the U.S. Jack Gatecliff is a band box of an arena, complete with creaky folding wooden seats (rumored to be salvaged from Toronto’s grand dame, Maple Leaf Gardens), tight aisles and unbelievable sight lines. No where in the arena feels far from the ice.

Pity heavy-set fans who must squeeze down Jake Gatecliff's tight aisles.

The fans are fantastic, too. It’s a real mix. Fathers and daughters quietly focusing on the puck. Packs of old men clutching beers in their standing-room spots atop the aisle. Young mothers distracting their toddlers just enough to see how the game is coming along. They all have one thing in common. They’re into the game. They all cheer in unison when they’re supposed to, and groan together in disappointment after a missed shot. Honestly, a regular-season weekend game in December feels like the Stanley Cup playoffs. It’s fantastic.

I was told the unique bench-style folding seats came from Maple Leaf Gardens.

Get tickets at www.niagaraicedogs.net.

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