Global News reports that Vernon Civic Arena in Vernon, British Columbia will hold an 80th anniversary celebration on Saturday, January 6, with a final scheduled BCHL (junior hockey) game between the Vernon Vipers and Prince George Spruce Kings. The Vernon Civic Arena is considered the first indoor ice arena in the Okanagan.
The game is sold out, but tickets may be available at the gate “if some season ticket holders {who received tickets as part of their ticket distribution} don’t show up.”
Kal Tire Place, a nearby 3,003 seat arena, which is the current home of the Vernon Vipers is adding a second ice surface. When this new surface is completed later in 2018, it will allow the City of Vernon to close Vernon Civic Arena and continue to offer the same amount of ice time to community hockey and skating programs.
Vernon Civic Arena Time Line
- Later in 2018: Second ice surface at Kal Tire Place to be completed. Vernon Civic Arena officially closed.
- January 6, 2018: Scheduled game between Vernon Vipers and Prince George Spruce Kings. This is expected to be the last BCHL game at Vernon Civic Arena. The game is sold out, but Global News says standby tickets may be available.
- April 24, 2017: Ground broken on second ice surface at Kal Tire Place.
- November 28, 2015: Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) residents vote to replace Vernon Civic Arena with a second ice surface at nearby Kal Tire Place. This referendum authorized borrowing of C$ 13.25 million ($10.6 million) to pay for the expansion of Kal Tire Place.
- June 18, 2014: The Corporation of the City of Vernon and MQN Architects publish a Civic Arena Replacement Feasibility Study. The study recommended adding a second ice surface to Kal Tire Place situated north of the main building, to be built in part of the current parking area.
- April 3, 2014: Structural deficiencies were identified in the Vernon Civic Arena. Vernon Recreation Services said that replacing the current ice surface in the event of a catastrophic failure would cost C$ 5.6 million ($4.5 million). The other options that were explored were twinning (building a second indoor ice surface) at Priest Valley Arena or Kal Tire Place.
- January 6, 1938: Vernon Civic Arena opened. This was the first indoor ice arena in the Okanagan area of British Columbia.