Gee-Gees Field - Ottawa Gee-Gees
- Dave Cottenie
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Gee-Gees Field
200 Lees Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario
Year Opened: 2013
Capacity: 3,352
Horses on the Gridiron
At the University of Ottawa, they have been playing football since 1881. Although they have the same lineage as Toronto, McGill and Queen’s, they do not seem to have the same history. Ottawa looked east to join the initial Quebec Rugby Football Union in 1894. Through the sixties, the Gee-Gees played in the OSLAA (Ottawa-St. Lawrence Athletic Association) and in the seventies moved to the OQFIC (Ontario-Quebec Football Intercollegiate Football Conference). In 2001, Ottawa finally returned to the Ontario Conference and the current OUA. The convoluted history of the Gee-Gees culminated with six OSLAA Championships, five Dunsmore Cups, four Yates Cups and a pair of Vanier Cups. Ottawa also boasts six National Championships before the advent of the Vanier Cup in the sixties.
For a number of years, Ottawa played at Lansdowne Park, home of the Ottawa Rough Riders. When Lansdowne had structural issues and the south grandstand was condemned, the Gee-Gees needed to make some new plans. The University of Ottawa built their own stadium on their Lees Campus in 2013, and Gee-Gees Field was born.
Food & Beverage 2
There is a small concession tent at the southwest corner of Gee-Gees Field with a very limited selection. Soda, hot dogs, chips and chocolate are the options. Alcoholic beverages are available at a separate tent. Both are available through the tailgate as well as when the gates open.
Atmosphere 3
Entry to the stadium is at the southwest corner, where the pregame tailgate occurs. The Lees Campus of the University of Ottawa, where Gee-Gees Field is located, was formerly the location of Algonquin College. The building is still standing to the west of the field and is used for football as well as other things. On the side of the building, above the tailgate area, are six banners representing Gee-Gees football championships. One honours the six OSLAA Championships, one honours the five Dunsmore Cups, one honours the six pre-Vanier Cup National Championships, one honours the 1907, 1975, 1976 and 2006 Yates Cups and the final two honour the 1975 and 2000 Vanier Cups. The tailgate area offers a DJ, tent selling alcohol, a number of games including cornhole and some picnic tables. The Ottawa tailgate is unique in that fans are able to bring in their own alcohol with some limitations. The tailgate is open two hours before kickoff. Entry into Gee-Gees Field proper happens an hour before kickoff. Sitting at the top, around the 25-yard line of the west side may give fans a peak at the Canadian Parliament buildings off in the distance. There are not too many spots to see this view, but they exist.
Gee-Gees Field is a very simple structure. The field is oriented from west to east and is wedged between the Rideau River and Highway 417. The seating is on the south side of the field and consists of 20 rows of aluminum bleacher benches. The scoreboard is a simple football scoreboard and is found in the northwest corner. Chain link fencing surrounds the stands and field and is covered with banners with Gee-Gee markings.
Gameday production at a Gee-Gees game is about what one would expect for an OUA football game. A unique aspect is that uOttawa is fully bilingual and all of the announcements are made in both English and French. Gameday staff hand out sticks and buckets to fans entering to make noise and a tent is there with materials to make signs. Ottawa’s mascot, Gee-Gee takes part in the pregame announcements and walks the stands, interacting with fans throughout the game. The uOttawa cheerleaders perform stunts and lead cheers from the sideline also. The Gee-Gees make use of the horse sound effect often, especially announcing Ottawa first downs.
Neighbourhood 5
Gee-Gees Field is located on the Lees Campus of the University of Ottawa in the Old Ottawa East neighbourhood of the city. It is approximately 2 km from Parliament Hill and offers a number of places nearby for pre or postgame food and drink. Some options include Fathers & Sons, In’s Kitchen, No Forks Given and Elgin Street Diner. There are plenty of other sporting options in Ottawa for fans to take in. The University of Ottawa fields a number of Gee-Gee teams including basketball and hockey. Carleton University also fields Ravens basketball, football and hockey teams. The annual Panda Game between Carleton and Ottawa is a local event worth checking out. The Colonel By Classic and Capital City Hoops are also rivalry games played at TD Arena between Ottawa and Carleton. Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata is home to the Ottawa Senators and Ottawa Black Bears. Other sporting options include the Ottawa 67’s, Ottawa RedBlacks, Ottawa Blackjacks, Ottawa Charge and Ottawa Titans. Ottawa also has a plethora of other tourist options including skating on the Rideau Canal, Parliament Hill, the Canadian war Museum and Museum of Nature to name a few. For fans wishing to stay near campus, the Embassy Suites is a good option.
Fans 3
Assessing Ottawa Gee-Gee fans can be a bit of a challenge. For the 2025 season, Ottawa did not publish any attendance figures. During the previous season, the Gee-Gees averaged over 1,600 fans per game. This ranks them near the bottom of the OUA at 9th. The 2024 attendance figures were an improvement from the previous season where they ranked 10th and had over 500 fewer fans per game. The Panda Game draws huge crowds every year, but the regular home games at Gee-Gees Field do not draw anywhere near capacity. The fans in attendance make a decent amount of noise and make use of the provided buckets.
Access 4
Gee-Gees Field is located on the Lees Campus of the University of Ottawa in the Old Ottawa East neighbourhood of Ottawa. It is east of Lees Drive, between Highway 417 and the Rideau River. The proximity to Highway 417 means getting to the stadium should not be too difficult. However, fans should keep in mind that traffic in Ottawa can be an issue and there are plenty of twists and turns in the city. There was plenty of slow traffic on Highway 417 for the duration of the game which was reviewed. There is very limited parking at Gee-Gees Field and uOttawa suggests parking at the Minto Sports Complex, where there is a large parking garage where fans can purchase parking. A shuttle is provided to the stadium, however it is only a twenty minute walk along a trail by the railway tracks. For fans wishing to take public transit, there are bus stops on Mann and King Edward and the light rail Lees station is right there. Fans should consult the Ottawa-Carleton Transpo website for fares, schedules and maps. Getting around the stadium is not difficult, however, getting to the stadium from Lees Avenue will require fans to go around the existing buildings. The path is well marked with signs. Washroom facilities are good and in the building to the west. They are not right by the door and will require fans to again follow the signs while traversing the halls.
Return on Investment 4
Ottawa Gee-Gees football tickets are $22 for adults with discounts for students and youth. Tickets are available online and will cost an extra $3 at the door. Concession prices are good and parking is not very expensive. The product on the field is solid and the Gee-Gees are consistently a competitive team. The location is unique and offers a very “Ottawa” feel to the sporting experience. A good use of the sporting dollar.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the annual Panda Game. The rivalry game between Ottawa and Carleton at TD Place Stadium is the premier USports football game. It routinely outsells the Vanier Cup and no other USports football game comes close to the attendance. If there is one USports football experience to put on the bucket list, this is it.
An extra mark for Paul Padon, Rick Zmich, Phil Cote and Brad Sinopoli, the four Ottawa Gee-Gees who have won the Hec Crighton Award as the Most Valuable USports player in the country.
An extra mark for the unique tailgate party offered by uOttawa. Although not heavily populated, the opportunity to bring one’s own alcohol is definitely unique in this league.
Final Thoughts
Taking in an Ottawa Gee-Gees football game is a great way to spend a fall afternoon and Gee-Gees Field, although not fancy, does offer a uniquely “Ottawa” experience. The location right on the Rideau River is very unique and the Parliament Building can even be seen from a few spots. It is definitely worth the trip.
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