Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Budds' Chevrolet Rink @ Sixteen Mile Sports Complex
3070 Neyagawa Boulevard
Oakville, ON L6M 4L6
Year Opened: 2010
Capacity:1,500
The Blades are Sharp
The Oakville Blades have been a successful franchise in the current OJHL since its inception and have been one of the longest-running Junior hockey teams in Ontario. The founding of the Blades dates back to 1966 when the Blades were founded as a Junior C team. They made one Schmalz Cup appearance and eventually graduated to Junior B in 1970.
The Blade would make two Sutherland Cup appearances and would graduate to Junior A with the rest of the league in 1993. It was in the OJHL where the Blades would achieve their greatest successes as Buckland Cup Champions in 2008, 2010, and 2019. The Blades are currently owned by Wayne Purboo and former NHL goaltender Jamie Storr.
Home for the Blades is Budds’ Chevrolet Rink @ Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. The Sixteen Mile Sports Complex is named after the Sixteen Mile Creek, where the City of Oakville was founded and is a true community hub. The complex features 79 hectares of space with baseball, soccer, and cricket fields and outdoor courts, along with four indoor ice rinks indoors. It is receiving a massive addition which will include gymnasiums, a seniors centre, an aquatic centre, and a library branch.
Food & Beverage 4
The culinary options are surprisingly strong for a venue such as the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. The main atrium has a cafe that serves a variety of coffees, Gatorade, popcorn, pizza, hot dogs, cookies, muffins, and ice cream. Between the Budds’ Chevrolet Rink and the adjacent rink is Puckz Pub, a full-service bar and restaurant that looks out to both rinks.
Inside Budds’ Chevrolet Rink is a Puckz Pub stand that serves soft drinks, chips, popcorn, cotton candy, pizza, and hot dogs. The stand is in a licensed corner of the arena and also serves products from Cameron’s Brewing and Vice Vodka cocktails. Pepsi products are the soft drink of choice in the Sixteen Mile Sports complex.
Atmosphere 4
At the time of writing, the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex was a bit of a construction zone. However, the construction mess was relegated to the parking lot area and in no way impacted the atmosphere at the complex. The complex has a sleek and modern look from the outside, which is accessed from the parking lot, away from the street. Light brick, along with blue-tinted glass, completes that look.
Entering the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex leads fans into a massive atrium that joins all four ice rinks, which line up parallel to each other. The furthest to the north, or the right-hand side when entering, is Budds’ Chevrolet Rink, home of the Blades. A nod to the history of hockey at all levels in Oakville can be found in the atrium, with many displays, including photos and some artifacts.
There is a specific display that focuses solely on the history of the Blades. These displays are professionally compiled and are not cluttered as many trophy case displays in other arenas tend to be. The displays are more akin to what one would find in a museum. Above the large panes of glass that look into the ice rinks are pieces of art that can be lost as they are well above the traditional eyeliner.
On game days, the shades are drawn over the windows that look into Budds’ Chevrolet Rink. Fans are met just outside the rink by temporary tables for ticket sales as well as merchandise, 50/50, and chuck-a-puck sales.
Entering Budds’ Chevrolet Rink, fans are immediately struck with how bright, clean, and modern the arena is. Immediately to the left upon entry, at the northwest corner of the arena, are banners for conference championships as well as a Humboldt Broncos memorial banner and banners honouring the retired numbers of former Blades greats, John Duff and Jack Ricketts.
The Buckland Cup Championship banners hang above centre ice along either side of the octagonal scoreboard with four panels of video board. The video board is low profile as the arena does not have a very high ceiling. It is not huge, but appropriate for the size of the arena and the OJHL. The ice is oriented from northwest to southeast.
The seating bowl features eight rows of modern, plastic arena seats. The first row is elevated above ice level, improving the sightlines. A sense of the importance of the Blades to the community is seen at the southwest side, behind the seating, where a permanent television booth is found for broadcasting Blades games on local TV as well as FloHockey, where all OJHL games can be found.
The gameday production in Oakville is pretty simple. Promotions are limited to a 50/50 draw and chuck-a-puck contest. The PA system is good, and the announcer is good, but it gets a little over-excited for the home side, creating a bit of a buzzing sound in the sound system.
Neighbourhood 4
Sixteen Mile Sports Complex is located in the Glenorchy neighbourhood of Oakville. There are a number of chain and fast food restaurants that are right across the street from the complex. Other, more original food and drink options in the area include Oakville Pump and Patio, House of Wings and Spoon and Fork Plus.
There are a few other sporting options in Oakville. The Oakville Buzz of the OJLL play at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. Other lacrosse teams also play at the TRAC, including the senior Oakville Rock of MSL. The Toronto Rock also play their preseason games there. Oakville is very close to Toronto and Hamilton and all of their sporting options.
The Blades also enjoy a healthy rivalry with the nearby Burlington Cougars. Other tourist options in the area include Glen Abbey Golf Course, which has hosted the Canadian Open a number of times, and Rattlesnake Point Golf Club. There are also a number of parks and the waterfront may be of interest. For fans wishing to stay near the area, the Holiday Inn is a good option.
Fans 3
The Oakville Blades have enjoyed decent support for the OJHL. In the 2022-23 season, the Blades averaged over 350 fans per game, which ranked them 7th in the league. The game that was reviewed saw only 125 fans in attendance, pretty much a friends and family crowd. The 2024-25 season is looking like a bit of a down year for the Blades, and it is assumed that stronger crowds show up for seasons in which the Blades are more competitive.
Access 4
Getting to the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex is not difficult. Keep in mind that at the time of writing, there was plenty of construction on the site that may limit parking a bit. The Sixteen Mile Sports Complex is located in the Glenorchy neighbourhood of Oakville at the northwest end of the city. It is located just south of toll Highway 407 and north and west of Highway 403.
Being on the edge of Oakville, it is a little easier to get to the arena and fans should not have to drive through the heart of the city. There is plenty of parking on site, although parking can fill up depending on the number of activities happening at the complex.
For fans wishing to take public transit, there are Oakville Transit stops on Dundas Road and Neyagawa Blvd. Fans should consult the Oakville Transit website for fares, maps and schedules. Getting around the complex is not difficult at all and the washroom facilities are more than adequate for the facility. Budds’ Chevrolet Rink is probably one of the most comfortable arenas in the entire OJHL.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Oakville Blades run for $12 for adults, $6 for youth and seniors. Seating is general admission and there is an additional $3 or $4 for purchasing tickets at the door. The Blades are one of the minority of teams that sell tickets electronically in advance and fans should take advantage of that. Parking at the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex is free and the concession prices are decent. The product on the ice is solid and fans should have a good time at a Blades game. More fans in the stands would result in a better return.
Extras 2
An extra mark for the Sixteen Mile Sports Complex as a community hub for the city of Oakville.
An extra mark for the longevity of the Oakville Blades franchise.
Final Thoughts
The Oakville Blades have been around a long time and have enjoyed success at all three levels that they have played at over the years. Taking in a Blades game will bring fans to a bright, clean, modern arena in Budds’ Chevrolet Rink @ Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, one of the best in the entire OJHL.
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