Sadlon Arena - Barrie Colts
- Dave Cottenie
- Mar 12
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 12
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Sadlon Arena 555 Bayview Dr Barrie, ON L4N 8Y2
Year Opened: 1995
Capacity: 4,195
Colts Country
In a mind-splitting thirteen months, the City of Barrie built the home for the Barrie Colts. Granted an expansion team for the 1995 season, work frantically began for what is now known as Sadlon Arena. Opening its doors in 1995, Sadlon Arena also became the home of the Colts, who have played nearly all of their home games just west of Highway 400.
The Colts were originally a Junior B franchise established in 1946. The Colts have come a long way, earning a Hamilton Spectator Trophy for the best record in 2010 and a J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2000 as OHL Champions. Barrie was not foreign to top-level junior hockey either, as the Barrie Flyers took the ice from 1945 to 1960, earning a pair of Memorial Cups.
The franchise line leads them to the current Sudbury Wolves. The Colts are currently owned by Howie Campbell and are also known as the final hockey stop for Hockey Hall of Fame member Dale Hawerchuk, who was the coach in Barrie before his tragic death in 2020 after battling stomach cancer.
Food & Beverage 3
The concession options at Sadlon Arena are fairly limited. The two main concession stands at the east and west ends of the arena are not typical arena options. Hot dogs, sausage, poutine, fries, nachos, and cold options are available. Topper’s Pizza provides a variety of pizza varieties, including a Colt Feature. Pepsi products are the featured soft drinks, and Budweiser and Michelob Ultra are among the tall-boy beer options.
The Bailey’s stand combines Madison County Coffee options with the option of a Bailey’s shot, and some State Fair Mini Donuts is the most unique option available. There are plenty of vending machines for fans who wish to grab a quick soda without standing in long lines. Perhaps the best plan is to grab something to eat at Horsepower Grill before the game. Reservations are not required, but would be appreciated, and a full sit-down restaurant experience with a full bar is the result.
Atmosphere 3
Sadlon Arena offers a solid junior hockey experience that is not uncommon in many other markets. From the exterior, Sadlon Arena has a bit of a barn-like appearance with a rounded, elongated roof, which can be seen from Highway 400.
Oriented from west to east, the most eye-catching feature of the arena is the Horsepower Sports Bar, which offers a unique brick facade to the front of the building with awnings. Although the west side of the building, on Bayview Drive, appears to be the front, there is no real main entrance or atrium. Entrances empty immediately into the concourse.
Concourses at Sadlon Arena are decorated with as much Barrie Colts history as possible. Entrances to the seating bowl feature murals, complete with statistics and highlights, of former Colt players, including Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little, Kyle Clifford, and Alex Pietrangelo, among others. Fans should make sure to look for the Dale Hawerchuck mural for the winningest coach in franchise history. Banners hanging from the ceiling also emphasize former Colts in their NHL garb.
The Captain’s Wall shows all those honoured enough to wear the ‘C’ on their jersey, and the championship wall shows Barrie teams that have participated in the Memorial Cup, J. Ross Robertson Cup Finals to crown the OHL Champions, and Bobby Orr Trophy winners as Eastern Conference Champions, including the old Barrie Flyers.
Entering the seating bowl, fans will find a single-level seating bowl with an east-west orientation and suites at both the top of the seating bowl and at ice level. The west side of the arena has the Horsepower Sports Bar, which has some tables that view out onto the ice as a ticketed seating option. The press box is small, and along the north side, the side fans should be on for the perfect picture of the centre ice logo.
Above centre ice, the videoboard is newly updated and clear with a ribbon under the four-sided screen. Along the centre, the Colts hang their banners for division and conference championships. The 2000 OHL Championship banner is far too inconspicuous given its relative importance.
The Colts also have some “Leaderboard” banners along the north and south sides to give fans some statistical history for the team, including season goals and points and goaltender wins to go with career leaderboards for those categories, among others.
Finally, hanging in the east end are the retired number banners for Bryan Little, the all-time leading scorer for the Colts, Kyle Clifford, and Dale Hawerchuk. The west end has banners for each former Barrie Colt who has won a Stanley Cup. The best spot to check out some Barrie Colts artifacts is definitely the Horsepower Grill, where the walls are adorned with old jerseys, framed photos of former Colts who have gone on to the NHL, and other artifacts.
The gameday atmosphere is about what one would expect from an OHL game. The presentation is fairly traditional with the expected playlist, announcements, and promotions. The Timbits minor hockey game takes place during the second intermission, giving local kids the opportunity to skate on the same ice as their local heroes. The Colts mascots, Charlie Horse and Carley Horse, take part in the pregame ceremonies and interact with fans around the arena.
Neighbourhood 4
Sadlon Arena is located in South Barrie near Highway 400, at Mapleview and Bayview. Mapleview has plenty of shopping and eating options and is quite a busy area. Fans looking for something to eat before or after the game will not have to wander far. There are plenty of chain restaurants in the immediate area, including Lone Star, Milestones, Panera, and The Keg.
Expanding the search to the opposite side of Highway 400 will provide another whole set of options. Some original options include the Spoon & Fork, the Simmering Kettle, and The Burger’s Priest. However, making a reservation at the Horsepower Bar & Grill may be the best selection to round out the day. Right in the Sadlon Arena, it provides the full Barrie Colts experience.
If in Barrie during the summer months, fans may want to head to Minesing to see the Barrie Baycats of the Canadian Baseball League, or the Barrie Lakeshores of Major Series Lacrosse. Otherwise, Barrie is very much an outdoor city.
Barrie is on the doorstep of Ontario’s Cottage Country. Barrie itself is on the banks of Lake Simcoe. In the winter months, there are plenty of ski resorts around, including Snow Valley, Horseshoe Valley, and Mount St. Louis Moonstone. Just south of Barrie, in Innisfil, fans could head to Georgian Downs during the racing season or catch the Innisfil Spartans of the PJHL.
Fans who require a place to stay close to Sadlon Arena may choose the Holiday Inn, Fairfield Inn, or the Comfort Inn, all which are within a two-minute drive from the arena.
Fans 4
The Barrie Colts have enjoyed very strong fan support for the duration of their stay at Sadlon Arena. For the 2025-26 season, at the time of writing, the Colts averaged over 3,400 fans per game, which ranked them 11th out of 20 in the OHL. The previous season, the Colts averaged over 3,700 fans per game.
Although they do not rank high compared to other OHL teams, there is little room to grow with a capacity at Sadlon Arena of just over 4,000. Once viewed as one of the quietest rinks in all of hockey, even given the tongue-in-cheek nickname “The Library,” Sadlon Arena now seems to have more life, with the fans providing more excitement.
Access 3
Sadlon Arena is located in the 400 East neighbourhood in Barrie, on the east side of Bayview at Mapleview Drive. It is less than ½ km east of Highway 400, so getting to Sadlon Arena is very easy. There is plenty of parking available on site, which is free.
For fans wishing to take public transit to the game, there are Barrie Transit bus stops on Bayview. Fans should consult the Barrie Transit website for maps, fares, and schedules. The concourses in Barrie are the true drawback of the arena. Concourses are very narrow, and washrooms are pretty small, so getting around the arena can be a challenge.
Although security protocols at Sadlon Arena are relatively simplistic, the nature of spectator sports is that security protocols can change quickly. Before heading to the game, Stadium Journey highly recommends consulting the Barrie Colts website for the most up-to-date information.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Barrie Colts begin at $27.50. Seating in the Horsepower Grill for a game is $30. Parking is free at Sadlon Centre, and concession prices are about average for the OHL. The product on the ice is very high quality, and a Colts game is a great opportunity to get the whole family out for some entertainment, without dropping a mortgage payment.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the Barrie Colts honouring Dale Hawerchuk, who coached the team until his illness required him to leave the team. A street outside of the Sadlon Arena is also named Dale Hawerchuk Way.
An extra mark for the Sadlon Arena, originally Barrie Molson Centre, being built in a lightning-fast 13 months.
An extra mark for the Colts rivalries with the Sudbury Wolves and North Bay Battalion.
Final Thoughts
The Barrie Colts are a franchise worthy of the memory of Dale Hawerchuk, and Sadlon Arena is a solid arena for Junior Hockey. What was once one of the quietest experiences now has a bit of life to it, and a Colts game is a great experience.
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