Windsor Arena
| The Barn Madhouse on McDougall |
|
 |
|
| Former names | Border Cities Arena |
|---|---|
| Location | 334 Wyandotte Street East, Windsor, Ontario |
| Coordinates | 42°18′58″N 83°1′56″W / 42.31611°N 83.03222°WCoordinates: 42°18′58″N 83°1′56″W / 42.31611°N 83.03222°W |
| Owner | City of Windsor |
| Capacity |
Ice hockey: 4,400 Concerts: 6,264 |
| Opened | 1924 |
| Closed | 2013 |
| Tenants | |
|
Windsor Lancers (OUA) (2008-2013) Windsor minor hockey (1924-2013) Windsor Bulldogs (OHA Senior A/IHL) (1953-1965) Windsor Spitfires (OHL) (1975-2008) Detroit Cougars (NHL) (1926–1927) |
|
Windsor Arena (nicknamed The Barn, because of its age, wooden construction, and its appearance of a giant barn) is an indoor arena located in Windsor, Ontario. Its capacity is approximately 4,400 with standing room. The arena's ice is an asymmetrical 80 feet (24 m) by 195 feet (59 m) or 15,600 square feet (1,450 m2). The arena was the home of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League from 1975–2008, at which time the team's home was moved to the WFCU Centre.
Originally named the Border Cities Arena, it hosted the Detroit Cougars (later renamed the Detroit Red Wings) for the 1926-1927 NHL season, while the Olympia Stadium was under construction. The Border Cities Arena, built in 1925 for the local junior hockey team, was expanded from 6,000 to 9,000 for the Cougars. The arena was later renamed the Windsor Arena.
Having been constructed in 1924, the arena is among the oldest of its type in North America. Inside the arena's halls are pictures of teams gone by, of old matches and players, and of the construction of "The Barn", along with historic newspaper clippings related to the hockey teams that played under its roof over the years.
In 2006, a new arena, located in the city's east side off Lauzon Road, was approved by the Windsor city council. The decision to replace the arena is attributed to complaints about Windsor Arena's seating and tiny concourses.
The Spitfires' final game at the Windsor Arena was played on December 4, 2008. Windsor beat the Guelph Storm 2-1, giving the Spitfires a perfect 12-0 record at The Barn for the 2008-09 season.
From 2009 until 2013, the University of Windsor Lancers hockey teams took over as the major tenants of the arena. Also the Windsor Minor Hockey Association used this arena for games until 2013.
In February 2014, the arena was used as a site for salt storage. As of April 2014, Catholic Central High School is proposed to be constructed on the site, with the full demolition of Windsor Arena being part of the plan without any emphasis. The City of Windsor approved the plan to build the new Catholic Central High School on this site. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/new-catholic-central-funding-1.3829052
...
Wikipedia