Joe Thornton Community Centre - St. Thomas Stars
- Dave Cottenie
- Dec 8, 2025
- 5 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
STMHA Rink @ Joe Thornton Community Centre
75 Caso Xing
St Thomas, ON N5P 3V7
Year Opened: 2005
Capacity: 2,200
Jumbo’s House
St. Thomas, Ontario, is essentially known for two things. First, it was the town that saw the tragic death of Jumbo The Elephant. A member of Barnum and Bailey’s Travelling Circus, Jumbo, an African elephant, was struck by a train and died in September 1885. The town has commemorated this event with a large statue of Jumbo in town.
St. Thomas is also known for being the hometown of NHL Hall of Famer Joe Thornton. St. Thomas is also the home of the Junior B St. Thomas Stars of the GOHL. A city of 42,000, St. Thomas is located south of London. The Stars were established in 1961 as the Barons and have enjoyed a long history on the Junior B circuit, which included a year of hometown hero Thornton suiting up for the Stars.
The team had a few years in the Junior A and Junior C circuits, but spent the majority of their life at the Junior B level. The team adopted the Stars moniker in 1984 and is currently owned by Joe Daniels. Other distinguished Stars alumni include Gregory Campbell, Dan Cloutier, John Cullen, Logan Couture, Brian Willsie, and Bo Horvat.
Home for the Stars is the Joe Thornton Community Centre. Built in 2005 and originally named Timken Community Centre, it acts as a community hub with a pair of NHL-sized rinks, a walking track, and community rooms. The Stars play in the STMHA Rink, named for the St. Thomas Minor Hockey Association. In 2018, after Timken Canada had closed their St. Thomas manufacturing plant four years earlier, the city renamed the community centre after Joe Thornton.
Food & Beverage 3
The upper lobby is where the main concession is found. Fries, chicken fingers, poutine, onion rings, hot dogs, and burgers are on the menu. Beverages include soda, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Inside the STMHA Rink, in the northwest corner, is where the Ice Box is found. Alcoholic beverages, featuring a small beer selection, along with some snacks, are available here.
Atmosphere 3
The Joe Thornton Community Centre has a fairly attractive exterior featuring brown brick with lighter brick for highlights. The main entry is under a peaked canopy with large windows for natural light in the lobby. After entering the building, fans are met by a permanent ticket window before the stairs that lead to the upper lobby.
In the upper lobby, there is no question who this facility is named after, as there is Joe Thornton everywhere. A full set of framed jerseys hangs above the staircase. The St. Thomas Wall of Fame is found in the upper lobby and includes Toronto Maple Leafs legend “Hap” Day and actress Rachel McAdams with Thornton. There are a number of trophy cases on this level, and one of them is dedicated to the Stars. Entry to the STMHA Rink is met with NHL action shots of Thornton, Cory Emmerton, Greg McKegg, and Rumun Ndur, St. Thomas locals, over the windows.
Inside the STMHA Rink, the ice is west to east oriented with seating and netting all around the ice surface. The walking track is found behind the seating. The best spot for a view of the centre ice logo is from the south. There are nine rows of plastic arena seats with standing room behind the seating with drink rails. In the northwest corner, the Stars accolades are found, including a banner for the 1987 Sutherland Cup as Junior B Champions in Ontario.
Banners highlighting the careers of Dan Clouitier, Logan Couture, Brian Wilsie and Joe Thornton hang on the wall, as well as a new banner commemorating the 2025 induction of Thornton into the Hockey Hall of Fame. There are lots of Stars, markings, and colours around the rink.
The gameday production at a Stars game is not dissimilar to other teams in this league. Promotions include program raffles and a 50/50 draw. The speakers in the rink are good, the PA announcer does a good job, and the announcements are easy to understand.
Neighbourhood 3
Joe Thornton Community Centre is located east of Downtown St. Thomas. There are a number of bar and restaurant options, mostly of the chain variety. Along with Boston Pizza and Chuck’s Roadhouse, some original options include Legends Tavern and Harry’s Charcoal Broiled.
The Stars are the only game in town. For fans looking for other sporting options, making the short drive to London, where the London Knights can be found during the hockey season, is the best idea. Other tourist options in the area include the Elgin County Railway Museum, CASO Railway Station, St. Thomas Elevated Park, Elgin Military Museum, and, of course, the Jumbo the Elephant memorial. For fans wishing to stay in the area, the Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn are not too far.
Fans 4
The St. Thomas Stars enjoy strong fan support. For the 2024-25 season, the Stars averaged 640 fans per game, which ranked them 5th in the GOHL. At the time of writing, the Stars ranked 6th in the league and saw 537 fans at the game that was reviewed. Fans in attendance are not unlike most other Ontario fans, as they are fairly quiet and reserved.
Access 4
Joe Thornton Community Centre is located east of Downtown St. Thomas. It is about 1 ¼ km south of Highway 3 and 12 km southeast of Highway 401. Getting to the arena is not too difficult. There is plenty of free parking on site. For fans wanting to take public transit, there are stops on Caso Crossing and Talbot. Fans should consult the St. Thomas Local Motion website for fares, schedules, and maps. Getting around the arena is not too difficult, and the washroom facilities are adequate for the venue.
Return on Investment 5
The St. Thomas Stars and GOHL provide tremendous value for the sporting dollar. Tickets for the Stars are $12 with discounts for seniors and youth. Cash or card are methods of payment available. Concession prices are reasonable, and parking at the facility is free. The product on the ice is very good, and the arena is comfortable. Put that all together, and it equals a solid night’s sports entertainment for a low financial outlay.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the Joe Thornton Community Centre as a community hub.
A pair of extra marks for the Jumbo the Elephant memorial and local celebrity, Joe Thornton. Thornton’s NHL nickname of ‘Jumbo’ comes from his hometown and the sad story of the circus elephant.
Final Thoughts
The St. Thomas Stars are a solid franchise in the Junior B level GOHL. St. Thomas has shown its love for their hometown hero, Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Thornton. The Joe Thornton Community Centre is a solid Junior B facility that offers good sightlines and comfort, and taking in a Stars game has tremendous value for the sporting dollar.
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