Tribute Communities Centre - Oshawa Firewolves
- Dave Cottenie
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Tribute Communities Centre
99 Athol St E
Oshawa, ON L1H 1J8
Year Opened: 2006
Capacity: 5,180 (6,125 including SRO)
East Side Fire
In 2021 the Toronto Rock moved westward from Toronto to the city of Hamilton. Among the most controversial issues surrounding this move, along with keeping the Toronto brand, was the greater distance that lacrosse fans on the east side of Toronto would now have to travel for the highest level of professional lacrosse. In 2025, a plan to help alleviate this issue was hatched with the relocation of the Albany FireWolves to Oshawa. Oshawa is 63 km east of downtown Toronto, about equidistant east as Hamilton is west. The FireWolves franchise lineage dates back to the original Philadelphia Wings, who were an original Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, now the National Lacrosse League, team in 1987. The Wings moved to Connecticut in 2015 to become the New England Black Wolves, and Albany in 2021 to become the FireWolves.
Home for the FireWolves is the Tribute Communities Centre. Built in 2006 and known mainly as the home of the Oshawa Generals of the OHL, the former General Motors Centre is due a renovation to expand the capacity from 5,100 to 7,000. This move gives the FireWolves the smallest building in the league. However, Oshawa has been a bit of a lacrosse hot bed over the years with a fairly strong junior scene.
Food & Beverage 3
There are a number of concession stands in the main concourse that provide an average selection of expected arena concession options. Menu items include pizza from Pizza Pizza, burgers, hot dogs, sausage, fries, poutine, chicken fingers, popcorn, nachos and candy. Soft drinks include Coca-Cola products, coffee, tea and slushies. There is a decent selection of alcoholic beverages including Budweiser, Bud Light, Michelob Ultra, Alexander Keith’s IPA, Stella Artois, Corona, Mill Street Organic, various seltzers and wine. Prospects Bar & Grill is a sit-down, full-service restaurant found on the north side of the arena that offers floor views. Reservations need to be made for window tables.
Atmosphere 3
Tribute Communities Centre is the smallest venue in the NLL and a junior hockey arena first. The exterior features brown brick and a curved main entrance at the northwest corner. The main entrance also features a tower and large ads for both the FireWolves and Oshawa Generals. The northwest corner is a good pregame meeting spot and the Noel Harding sculpture “Reverb” offers a landmark to aid in meetings.
Entry into the Tribute Communities Centre brings fans right to the Generals Team Store and ticket windows. FireWolves gear is sold on a temporary table in the main concourse and not the Gens Store. Fans ascend a staircase to bring them to the main concourse, which is behind the top level of the main seating bowl. Posters of Generals Ring of Honour members are found above the section staircases. A few Oshawa FireWovles photo op areas are set up in the main concourse including a lit “OFW” sign and a pair of lacrosse player cutouts. The Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame is also found on the main concourse. The Hall of Fame is open Wednesday afternoons and during Generals games but was not open for the FireWolves. Hall of Fame member sketches are found on the walls around the concourse, while the Hall of Fame is full of Oshawa sports artifacts. The arena floor runs from east to west with the main logo best seen from the north side. The seating consists of the main lower bowl and a club level with suites and club seating on the upper level. At the time of writing, it is unclear how a future renovation to the Tribute Communities Centre will bring the capacity up to 7,000. A four-sided videoboard, with lower LED ring, hangs above the centre logo.
The gameday production at a FireWolves is a little more muted than some other NLL experiences. Music is selected by DJ Sweet Lou from the upper northwest corner and plays during gameplay. The sound system is good and announcements are easy to understand. The PA announcer is more like a traditional hockey announcer, focusing on announcements rather than engaging fans and leading chants during game play. When the FireWolves score, a loud train whistle blares followed by Nickelback’s “Burn it to the Ground.” The FireWolves Fury Dance Team performs during some media breaks and partakes in the pregame player, and dances in various areas in the arena, including in front of Prospects. Alphie, the mascot, carries the flag to the floor for pregame and moves around the arena, interacting with fans and taking part in promotions.
Neighbourhood 3
Tribute Communities Centre is located in Central Oshawa, a neighbourhood that is a bit depressed. There are some food and drink options that are within walking distance of the arena. These include Madrock’s Bar & Grill, Mountain Burgers and Avanti Trattoria. The Tribute Communities Centre is shared with the Oshawa Generals and Ontario Tech University offers hockey and basketball for sports fans to take in. Other tourist options in the area include the Regent Theatre, Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Canadian Automotive Museum. For fans wishing to stay near the arena, La Quinta Inn is right across the street.
Fans 4
Oshawa’s entry into the National Lacrosse League is not without its obstacles regarding fans. Oshawa resides in the smallest building in the league. The game that was reviewed was the second of the season. Not surprisingly, the FireWolves attracted over 5,300 fans for their debut against the Toronto Rock. After the first three weeks of the season, this ranks the FireWolves 8th in the league. This average would have ranked them 10th compared to the 2024-2025 season teams. For the game that was reviewed, the attendance was 4,850. Oshawa has made a strong showing so far. It will be interesting to see where attendance ends up later in the season and how a renovation of the Tribute Communities Centre helps get a larger crowd. The fans in attendance are fairly energetic and add to the experience.
Access 4
Tribute Communities Centre is located in Central Oshawa on the south side of Athol Street, between Charles Street, Bruce Street and Red Tilson Lane. It is only 2 km north of Highway 401. Getting to the arena should not be too difficult, but traffic in Central Oshawa can get busy closer to gametime. There are a few parking garages north and south of the arena, but getting to the arena is a good idea to ensure a parking spot. For fans who wish to take public transit to the game, there are bus stops on King Street, a block north of the arena. Fans should consult the Durham Region Transit website for fares, schedules and maps. Getting around the arena is not too difficult, but a full house can lead to some crowded concourses. The washroom facilities are adequate for the facility.
Stadium Journey recognizes that security protocols for major sporting venues are constantly changing. Stadium Journey strongly encourages fans to consult the Oshawa FireWolves and Tribute Communities Centre websites before heading out to become familiar with the latest security requirements, including prohibited items and bag policy.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the FireWolves begin at $42 for ends and go up to $79. This is by no means the most expensive ticket in the NLL. The small capacity at Tribute Communities Centre makes it a good plan to purchase tickets earlier rather than later. Concession prices at Tribute Communities Centre are decent and parking can be found for $5. The product on the floor is fast paced and hard hitting and the FireWolves do a good job with their gameday production. A FireWolves experience is a little more muted than some of the more over-the-top NLL experiences, which is not a bad thing.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the FireWolves lineage back to an original Eagle Pro Lacrosse League franchise, the Philadelphia Wings.
An extra mark for the return of lacrosse to the east side of the Greater Toronto Area, which was left wanting with the Toronto Rock moving west.
An extra mark for the FireWolves moniker and its connection to Indigenous culture.
Final Thoughts
The relocation of the FireWolves to Oshawa from Albany is an ambitious idea moving to the smallest venue in the NLL. However, the move to the Tribute Communities Centre has brought professional lacrosse back to the east side of the GTA. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the FireWolves.
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