Jefferson Elora Community Centre - Elora Hawks
- Dave Cottenie
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Jefferson Elora Community Centre
29 David Street West
Elora, Ontario N0B 1S0
Year Opened: 1976
Capacity: 600
New Hawk on the Floor
For some, when competing at the Junior B level, the goal is to make it up to Junior A. The Elora Hawks have accomplished that. In the 2026 season, Elora debuted at the top level of Junior Lacrosse, the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League. The Hawks’ lineage dates back to the Fergus Thistles, who played Junior A lacrosse in the fifties. In 1963, the team moved to Guelph to become the Mohawks. They dropped to Junior B in 1967 and moved to the Historic Village of Elora.
The Elora Mohawks were a very successful Junior B franchise, although they bounced back and forth from A to B and back over the years. The Mohawks earned the Founders Cup as Canada’s Junior B National Champion in 2005 and 2018 and were Silver Medalists in 2004. For the 2025 season, in keeping with the trend of dropping Indigenous nicknames, Elora rebranded as the Hawks and the very next season made the jump up to Junior A.
Elora is part of Centre Wellington Township, and the home for the Hawks is the Jefferson Elora Community Centre. Built in 1976, the community hub has undergone a couple of renovations, the latest included the naming rights to the facility, now owned by the Jefferson Elora Corporation, a local auto parts manufacturer. The JECC is a small facility with a seating capacity of just 600, but lacrosse is not an afterthought here.
Food & Beverage 1
The concession options consist of what is contained within the two vending machines in the lobby. One vending machine sells snacks while the other sells cold soft drinks. Bottled water is not sold at the JECC, but a water filling station is on site, and empty water bottles are sold in the vending machine.
Atmosphere 2
Jefferson Elora Community Centre is a pretty simple facility. The exterior at the north end of the building, clearly the lobby, has an attractive, dark grey brick exterior with updated signage. The lobby is attached to a long, low peaked structure with brown siding and light accents. The main entrance to the lobby is on the east side and under an updated canopy.
Inside, the lobby is very small, and although it has a fairly clean and modern appearance, there is nothing really interesting in it. Fans are met at the door with temporary tables selling tickets, 50/50 tickets, and merchandise. There is a viewing area on the north end that looks right into the arena. This is key as the lobby is the only spot with air conditioning.
Inside the area, the floor runs from south to north with all of the seating on the east side. Seating consists of six rows of blue, wooden benches, with standing room behind. The benches have a steep incline, which provides better sightlines. Protective mesh encircles the floor. Massive arched, blue support beams stretch over the floor and hold up the silver insulated ceiling. A simple score clock hangs on the southern wall.
Inside the arena, it is clear that lacrosse holds some sway in the Elora community. The west side of the arena has the typical minor hockey banners that are found in arenas of this nature. However, on the north wall, there are many lacrosse banners. Banners for the Junior B Mohawks and some minor lacrosse teams hang proudly, as well as the honoured number 29 of Austin Whittom, a Mohawk goaltender who tragically passed away due to cancer at age 13.
The gameday production at a Hawks game is very simple. The speaker system is solid, and announcements are easy to understand, unlike in many similar arenas. The highlight of one of the intermissions was a minor lacrosse game.
Neighbourhood 5
The Jefferson Elora Community Centre is located in the west end of the Historic Village of Elora. For a town of under 8,000 people, Elora is renowned as a bit of a foodie paradise. There are several unique spots fans can go for pre- or post-game food and drink. Some options include Handsome Devil Bistro, The Friendly Society, The Bluebird Bistro, Elora Mill, The Evelyn, Gorge Country Kitchen, Cellar Pub & Grill, and Elora Brewing Company.
The Elora Hawks are really the only game. During the winter months, the Fergus Whalers play hockey just northeast of Elora. Fergus also has a Junior C lacrosse team that goes by the legendary Fergus Thistles name. Grand River Raceway is a short drive from the arena and has summer harness racing.
For other entertainment and tourist options, fans should consider the Wellington County Museum, Elora Quarry Conservation Area, Elora Centre for the Arts and Elora Gorge. There is also an Elements Casino inside Grand River Raceway.
For fans wishing to stay in Elora, The Village Inn and Elora Mill are good options.
Fans 4
Assessing fans in the OJLL is very difficult as attendance figures are not published. Many OJLL franchises routinely welcome “friends and family” crowds of between 100 and 200 fans. However, for the game that was reviewed in Elora, a Hawks game is clearly an event. There were probably between 400 and 500 fans in attendance. Combined with the small capacity, the Elora Hawks offered a unique experience. The fans in attendance were supportive of the Hawks even though the team was not very good in their first OJLL season.
Access 3
Jefferson Elora Community Centre is located on the west end of Elora in the Township of Centre Wellington. It is found on the southeast corner of David Street and Wellington Road 7. The JECC is approximately 6 km from Highway 6, the largest highway in the area. The summer season and small town features of Elora will make getting to the arena an easy drive. There is plenty of parking on site. For those interested in public transit, there is an extremely limited summer shuttle that travels between Fergus and Elora. The closest stop is a 10 min walk from the JECC. This is probably not a great option for travelling to lacrosse.
The JECC offers fairly tight quarters, and getting around can be a bit of a challenge. The seating area offers plenty of stairs, and the lobby is pretty small also. Comfort is at a premium at the JECC. The seating area offers little in the way of airflow and can be very warm for the lacrosse season. Partway through the game that was reviewed, an exterior door was opened at the south end, and a large fan was put into use at the north to offer some airflow. The washroom facilities are decent for the arena.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Elora Hawks are $10 for adults with discounts for students. Cash or card are accepted. Fans will not have to pay for parking or spend a ton on concessions. The product on the floor is good, and events are well attended. A more comfortable experience would offer a perfect ROI score.
Extras 2
An extra mark for the community support of the Elora Hawks, the only game in town.
An extra mark for the Hawks making the jump to Junior A lacrosse.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 OJLL season saw a new addition to the ranks of Junior A lacrosse with the Elora Hawks making the jump. The support the Hawks have received in Elora has been pretty remarkable, making a lacrosse game a community event rather than just a “friends and family” affair.
