Nor-Del Arena - Norwich Merchants
- Dave Cottenie
- 17 hours ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14
Nor-Del Arena @ Township of Norwich Community Centre
53 Stover St S
Norwich, ON N0J 1P0
Year Opened: 1987
Capacity: 700
Merchants of Fine Goals and Saves
Norwich, Ontario is known for being part of Ontario’s tobacco district. Agriculture has become more diversified in the area over time, but the area is still viewed as Ontario’s tobacco country. The area has a long hockey history with a number of different teams at different levels. One of the teams with the most longevity has been the Norwich Merchants. The Junior C team in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s South Doherty Division was established in 1968 as part of the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League. Their success culminated in the 1970 OHA Cup as provincial Junior D Champions. Ascension to the Junior C ranks took place in 1980 and the Merchants have been there ever since. As members of the Niagara & District Junior Hockey League, the Merchants won the Schmalz Cup in 1986 as Junior C Champions. The Merchants became part of the PJHL in 2016 with the full reorganization of the Ontario Hockey Association. Merchants Alumni include former coach and broadcaster Gary Green and former NHL goaltender Dwayne Roloson.
Home for the Merchants is the Nor-Del Arena @ Township of Norwich Community Centre. Opened in 1987 with a modest capacity of 700, the arena enjoys the title sponsorship of local company Nor-Del Cablevision.
Food & Beverage 2
Concessions are fairly limited at Nor-Del Arena. The main lobby has a few vending machines for patrons. Above the lobby, at the south end of the arena is the Blueline Club which offers a limited selection of beer, wine and liquor. The game that was reviewed was the home opener for the season and there was a “Parking Lot Party” that went on before, during and after the game. At the party there were a couple of food trucks and fans were able to bring in food from the outside trucks.
Atmosphere 3
Nor-Del Arena is part of the Township of Norwich Community Centre. The Community Centre acts as a hub for the area, like many other Junior C facilities do. The main entry is from the south and the exterior is fairly non-descript with corrugated blue siding above the brick on the lower portion of the building. The entry to Nor-Del Arena is on the left side, while entry to the Auditorium is on the right side.
After entering the community centre, fans will find the ticket window in the breezeway followed by the lobby of Nor-Del Arena. The lobby does not offer much in the way of items for exploring and is fairly non-descript with some temporary signs for Merchant games. Inside Nor-Del Arena the ice is oriented from north to south with the centre ice logo facing the goal at the south, which is fairly unique. The seating in the arena is in a horseshoe shape with the south being the open end. The east and west sides have three and two rows of plastic arena seats respectively while the north end has the majority of seating with eight rows of seats. It is possible to walk around the entire arena as there is a walkway behind the seating and the railway provides the ever popular standing room. Simple hockey scoreboards hang on the east and west walls with the west wall being a touch more complex as it has the displays for penalties. The arena is fairly clean but the block walls are in definite need of a paint job. The team benches are on the opposite sides of the ice and the ceiling is fairly low, with large, curved, truss supports across silver insulation lining the ceiling. For fans interested in a little bit of Norwich history, the south end is where to be. At the top of the south end hang a number of minor hockey banners. The Merchants have a unique manner in displaying their history. Two large posters can be found on the south wall. One poster is the Norwich Merchants Hall of Fame which displays their retired numbers and honoured members. It is divided almost evenly among former players and administrators with plenty of room for new members. Gary Green and Dwayne Roloson are members of note on this poster. A similar large poster is beside the Hall of Fame and displays the Merchants championship banners. The highlight of the banners is the 1986 Schmalz Cup. Just under the pressbox, which is in the southeast corner is a framed jersey honouring Ben Pearson who died of liver failure while a Merchant in 2010. Although these displays may be disappointing to fans, a more traditional set of artifacts can be found in the Blueline Club. A host of team pictures, trophies and traditional championship banners line the club at the south end of the arena, above the lobby.
The gameday production is akin to other Junior C teams. Promotions include the shootout and 50/50 draw. The speaker system is okay, but requires the announcer to remain fairly calm as when he gets over excited, it becomes more difficult to understand the announcements. The game that was reviewed was the home opener and full player introductions took place. A makeshift spotlight was used from the ice to enhance the entrances with the lights out. However, it was fairly ineffective as the lighting infrastructure was not sufficient for the intended effect.
Neighbourhood 3
Nor-Del Arena is located in the Town of Norwich. With a population of just over 11,000, the small town feel in Norwich is prevalent. There are a few spots for pre or post game food and drink that are in Norwich. Some choices include Little Bones, Jordan’s Divine Dish, Lam’s Restaurant and Village Restaurant. The Merchants are the only game in town, but close proximity to the Woodstock Navy Vets or Caledonia for the GOJHL’s Corvairs offer a couple of other sporting options that are not too far away. Senior hockey can also be found in Delhi and Tilsonburg. Other tourist options in the area include the Tractor Pull in August and the Norwich & District Museum. The Delhi Tobacco Museum and Heritage Centre may also be of interest. For fans wishing to stay in the area, heading to the neighbouring towns of Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Simcoe or Delhi will offer hotel options.
Fans 4
It is difficult to assess fans in the PJHL as the league does not compile attendance statistics for easy comparison. That being said, the Norwich Merchants enjoy solid fan support compared to other Junior C teams. The 2024-25 season, the Merchants averaged 384 fans per game and the game that was reviewed saw an attendance of 583 fans. It is believed that this puts Norwich in the upper echelon of fan support. The fans in attendance were loud when necessary, however, it appears that Nor-Del Arena may be a bit of a Friday Night hangout for high school students, who can be unruly at times.
Access 3
The Township of Norwich Community Centre is located in the town of Norwich on Stover Street at the southeast part of town. Stover Street is also Highway 59, the main artery into town from Highway 401. The 401 is 16 km away so there will be plenty of farmland to drive through on the way to Norwich. Parking at the arena can be a bit of an issue depending on if there is another event at the auditorium. At one point there was public transit that linked the towns in the area, however a lack of funding has halted this service and there is now no public transit in Norwich. Getting around the Nor-Del Arena may be a bit of a challenge as getting around the ice surface behind the seating requires ascending and descending some stairs. The washrooms for the facility are adequate.
Return on Investment 5
PJHL hockey offers tremendous value at a low price. Merchants tickets are $10 for adults with discounts for students and seniors. Tickets are purchased at the door with cash. Alcohol prices are a mere $5 per drink in the Blueline Club and parking is free. The product on the ice is decent and Norwich offers that small town feel that is prevalent through the PJHL.
Extras 2
An extra mark for the Parking Lot Party for the game that was reviewed, the home opener.
An extra mark for the Township of Norwich Community Centre as a community hub.
Final Thoughts
The Norwich Merchants offer that small town hockey feeling that is prevalent through the PJHL. Nor-Del Arena is a solid hockey venue and fans will enjoy their time there. It is worth the drive to tobacco country to catch a Merchants game.
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