Central Recreation Centre - Burlington Cougars
- Dave Cottenie
- 11 hours ago
- 5 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71
Central Recreation Centre
519 Drury Ln
Burlington, ON L7R 2X3
Year Opened: 1968
Capacity: 1,300
Cougarland
The Burlington Mohawks were founded in 1952 as a Junior B franchise on the shores of Lake Ontario. They were known as the Mohawks until 1976, when they were rebranded as the Burlington Cougars. The Mohawks won the Central Jr B Hockey League title in 1957 and 1958, and they were transferred to the Niagara District Junior B Hockey League in 1962.
Burlington won another league title in 1964 and eventually dropped to Junior C for a couple of years in 1967. The return to the Junior B level brought with it a return to the Central League, where they won four more league titles and a Sutherland Cup in 1981 as the best Junior B team in Ontario. In 1993, the Junior B Cougars left the Central League and joined what would become the OJHL, graduating to the Junior A level, where they have remained ever since. Cougars alumni include Hockey Night in Canada’s Kevin Bieska, Pat Quinn, Steve Valiquette, Paul Henderson, and current owner, Ron Sedlbauer.
Home for the Cougars is the Central Recreation Centre, commonly referred to as Central Arena. Built in 1968, Central Arena is nicknamed The Oven during the summer when it is home to the Burlington Blaze of the OJLL, but is more apt to be called the Freezer during Cougar season.
Food & Beverage 2
A small snack bar window is found just outside the entrance to the arena. The menu is simple and includes soda, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, Gatorade, candy, popcorn, chocolate, chips, and hot dogs. Many teams in the OJHL have a Blueline Club that sells alcoholic beverages. It seems that Burlington does not have such a club.
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 can enter the building at the main entrance on the west side.
The main entrance leads fans into a small lobby where they will need to traverse a staircase to the spectator level of Central Arena. In the hallway, just before entering the main arena, there are a pair of trophy cases with awards and some older team pictures. It’s not nothing, however, the trophy cases are not terribly interesting and do not hold much in the way of artifacts. At the top of the stairs, fans will find the ticket sales table as well as a merchandise table and concessions just down the hall.
Inside the main arena, fans are met with a very plain area with few markings or banners. The Cougars do have a significant history and have enjoyed success, including a Sutherland Cup; however, there is no acknowledgment of the Cougars before they moved to Junior A, and little history is on display. The ice 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 scoreboard is found on the west wall. The centre ice logo is perfect for a picture from the seating area. The ceiling is slanted from south to north and has silver insulation covering it. Huge, diagonal, structural I-beams also run from south to north, originating from the middle of the seating area can obstruct the view of the ice from some spots in the viewing gallery.
There is some standing room behind the benches at the top; however, to find a view unobstructed by the support beams is nearly impossible. The arena is extremely cold. There are gas heaters above the seating area, so fans may consider choosing a seat underneath a heater that is working.
The gameday production at a Cougars game is very simple. The PA announcer is decent, and the sound system is okay, allowing fans to understand the announcements as they are happening.
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 and 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 Blaze of the OJLL during the summer months. 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
For the 2025-2026 season, the Burlington Cougars are drawing an average of 225 fans per game. This ranks them in the middle of the pack of the OJHL at 11th, not among the elite franchises but far from the basement. In the previous season, the Cougars averaged just over 200 fans per game. At the game that was reviewed, there were just over 100 fans in attendance, however, it was a mid-week game, not the traditional Friday night that the Cougars enjoy. Fans in attendance were fairly quiet and reserved.
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. As mentioned above, there are plenty of obstructed views due to the diagonal structural beams and railings. The washroom facilities are adequate.
Return on Investment 4
OJHL hockey provides tremendous value for the sporting dollar. Tickets to the Cougars are $15 with discounts for students and seniors. Children 12 and under are free as are Burlington Eagles minor hockey players. Although the facility is not the greatest, and the gameday production is simple, the on ice product is fast-paced and solid. Parking is free and concession prices are decent. In the end, the Burlington Cougars provide a solid return on investment for the fans’ sporting dollar.
Extras 2
An extra mark for Central Recreation Centre as a community hub.
An extra mark for the Cougars having a consistently competitive team on the ice.
Final Thoughts
A trip to see the Burlington Cougars will not blow fans away with bells and whistles and Central Recreation Centre has some issues, however, there is great value in OJHL hockey and the Cougars are consistently competitive. Fans will leave a Cougars game having enjoyed themselves and seen some solid hockey.
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