Central Recreation Centre - Burlington Blaze
- Dave Cottenie
- Jun 28
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 29
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57
Central Recreation Centre
519 Drury Lane
Burlington, ON L7R 2X3
Year Opened: 1968
Capacity: 1,300
Blaze of Glory
In 1976 the Hamilton Bengals joined the ranks of Junior A lacrosse in Ontario. Success came quickly for the Bengals, as they finished the regular season in 1st place in their division in just their fourth season of play. The Bengals subsequently fell off and ended up competing with Jr B teams for a number of years in the playoffs after a poor showing during the regular season. The Bengals merged with a Burlington team to form the Bay Area Bengals in 1984.
By 1992, Hamilton split off to head to the Junior B circuit leaving Burlington to play in Junior A as the Chiefs. In 2023 the Chiefs rebranded to the Burlington Blaze, jettisoning their aboriginal name, and ended up winning the Iroquois Cup as OJLL Champions and then going on to defeat the Coquitlam Adanacs to take home the Minto Cup as National Champions. The Blaze are a not-for-profit organization under the auspices of the Burlington Minor Lacrosse Association.
Home for the Blaze is the Central Recreation Centre, commonly referred to as Central Arena. Built in 1968, Central Arena is nicknamed The Oven, which seems to be an apt home for a team referred to as the Blaze. Alumni for the Blaze and Chiefs include Andrew Kew, Brent Noseworthy, Ryan Smith and Ed Comeau.
Food & Beverage 1
At the game that was reviewed, there was no concession stand. There were some vending machines that sold soft drinks and candy.
Atmosphere 2
Central Arena is part of a larger community centre in Burlington. The Central Recreation Centre building is a simple combination of light stucco and siding on the exterior. A colourful mural at the southwest corner of the building is the exterior highlight. Fans will enter the building at the main entrance at the west side. The main entrance leads fans into a small lobby with temporary tables for the 50/50 and ticket sales. The feeling that the building is designed more for recreation as opposed to spectators becomes evident.
The main arena is available to fans after traversing a set of stairs. There are a number of trophy cases located in the hallway just outside of the main arena, one of which showcases some Burlington Minor Lacrosse items under the old Chiefs name and logo. Another trophy case is dedicated to the Blaze and has a number of items related to the 2023 Minto Cup Champion team. Inside the main arena fans are met with a very plain area with no markings to let fans know that this is the home of the Blaze. Banners for the 2023 Minto Cup Championship are found on the east wall. The polished concrete floor runs from west to east with ten rows of step benches on the south side. An enclosed operations/press box is at the top of the south side, dividing the seating area. The simple hockey style scoreboard is found on the west wall. Inside the arena there are two other major items that become evident. The first is that the moniker “The Oven” is apt as there is no air-conditioning and the arena can be very hot in the summer months. The second is that there are a number of diagonal structural I-beams that can obstruct the view of the floor from the seating area.
The gameday production is very simple. No music is played before the game or during down periods. It could be possible that this was due to technical difficulties as during the game that was reviewed the national anthem was unable to be played. However, after Blaze goals, a goal song was provided by a fan holding a large portable speaker. The PA system is very poor and it is difficult to understand announcements that are made.
Neighbourhood 3
Central Arena is located in the Central Park area of Burlington. There are several other recreation facilities in the immediate Central Park area including the curling club, lawn bowling, tennis club, library, baseball diamonds, and theatre. The practice facility for the famous Burlington Teen Tour Band is in this area also. Other than the park facilities, it is a fairly residential area with little in the way of pre or post-game culinary facilities.
Fans should consider heading south towards Lakeshore Road to find bars and restaurants. Some options worth considering are The Carriage House, The North Coal Kitchen & Bar, Joe Dog’s, La Creme de la Creme, and Pepperwood Bistro Brewery. There is not much in the way of other sports options in Burlington and fans would probably need to head southwest to Hamilton for those options.
Central Arena is also the home of the Burlington Cougars of the OJHL during the winter months. The Blaze have a rivalry with the Oakville Buzz, who are a short drive northeast, along the lake. Hamilton is very close also and has a bunch of sporting options.
For other entertainment options fans should consider checking out the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Drury Lane Theatrical Productions, and Spencer Smith Park.
Fans wishing to stay in Burlington should consider the Waterfront Hotel or The Pearle Hotel.
Fans 3
Assessing fans in the OJLL is difficult as attendance figures are not published. There were probably around 150 fans at the game that was reviewed. It would be considered a “friends and family” crowd at a regular season game. Fans in attendance were supportive of the team and into the game. It was not a crowd that was too much different than most of the other teams in the league.
Access 3
Central Arena is located in the Central Park area of Burlington, east of the Queen Elizabeth Way south of Highway 403, and north of Lakeshore Road. Fans coming to Burlington from out of town will be required to drive a bit through the city, however, the travel is not difficult. There is plenty of parking in the area at no cost, however, it is a busy area with many other recreation facilities where parking will also be utilized.
Fans who wish to take public transit to Central Arena have several options on Drury Lane, New Street, and Central Park. Fans should consult the Burlington Transit website for fares, maps, and schedules. Traversing the arena can be difficult as there are plenty of stairs throughout the arena. There are plenty of obstructed views due to the diagonal structural beams and railings. The washroom facilities are adequate.
Return on Investment 4
OJLL lacrosse offers tremendous value for a small investment. Tickets for the Burlington Blaze go for $10, parking is free and concessions are very affordable. The product on the floor is top notch and very fast and exciting. If the Blaze offered a little more when it comes to the atmosphere, then the ROI would be better.
Extras 2
An extra mark for the Blaze earning the 2023 Iroquois Cup as OJLL champions and 2023 Minto Cup as National Junior A Lacrosse Champions.
An extra mark for the strength of lacrosse in the area with the Toronto Rock located in Hamilton and the Oakville Buzz just up the highway in Oakville. OJLL teams are also found in nearby Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto and Six Nations.
Final Thoughts
The Burlington Blaze continue to provide strong competition in the OJLL and can even boast a Minto Cup. Although Central Arena is not an ideal home, it provides a serviceable venue for lacrosse.
