The Plattsville Arenas

A history of the arenas in Plattsville, Ontario.

By Liz Dommasch, Archivist

As it’s that time of year, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at winter sports in the Village of Plattsville and specifically the evolution of the community hockey and curling rinks.

Although the Plattsville Curling Club has been in existence since 1867, it wasn’t until 1888 that the Plattsville Rink Company was formed for the purposes of building and operating a skating and curling rink in the village. Formed by James L. Brown, Physician; George Sauer, Bookkeeper; William M. Veitch, Merchant; Robert J. Neal, Merchant; James Baird, Cabinet Maker; George H. Milne, Painter; John Quandt, Turner; and Ralph Marshall, Miller; the Plattsville Rink Company oversaw the first rink that was built by George Young for the price of $1,709.00.

A photo of the Plattsville Hockey Club, circa 1907.

Situated on Douro Street, south of the lawn bowling green, this rink consisted of four sheets of curling ice which could be boarded in to make a hockey rink in the centre when needed. This arena was operational for 59 years until it was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1947. An open-air rink was then maintained in the park for the balance of the winter until a new arena could be completed the following year.

Plattsville Skating Rink Co. declaration, 5 March 1888.

The skating rink in Plattsville, Ontario

In 1948 a new arena was built on the northeast corner of Mill and Platt Streets that consisted of a fir frame, covered with galvanized iron, and seating on two sides with a standing room at the back end. The hockey dressing rooms were located in the basement while the skaters’ change rooms were on both sides of the main entrance. A large club room was located on the second floor and had a large glass-enclosed spectator’s room where the public could view the ice surface. The curling section of the new arena consisted of two artificial ice curling sheets with a large club room and adjoining kitchen.

In 1966 artificial ice was installed on the skating surface and a year later a concrete trap rock floor was added. This allowed for ice skating and hockey during the fall until early spring and then roller skating for the rest of the year. By the 1970s, the arena was ordered closed for not meeting government structural standards and construction began on a new arena with an expanded ice surface. Located on the same site as the former arena, the contract was awarded to XDG Construction from Kitchener. Interestingly, the former arena was demolished, at no cost, by a group of Mennonites from Elmira, in return for the materials from the old structure.

In recent years, an 11,485 square foot, design-built project was completed which overhauled the existing arena and curling club. Completed by Ball Construction, this project saw a new addition being built which involved a reconfiguration and renovation of the Plattsville Curling Club and includes a new refrigeration plant.

Fun Fact: hockey has been a popular sport in the Village of Plattsville since the late 1800s. In 1904 and 1907, the Plattsville Hockey Club were O.W.H.A. champions.