Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre - Brantford Titans
- Dave Cottenie
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre
254 N Park St
Brantford, ON N3R 4L1
Year Opened: 1972
Capacity: 1,000
Telephone City Titans
The hockey landscape in Brantford, Ontario is taking shape. The Southwestern Ontario city most known for the home of telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell and the greatest hockey player ever, Wayne Gretzky, has seen hockey change drastically in the last few years. The move of the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL to Brantford changed many things. The Brantford OJHL team, the 99ers, found the area too crowded and moved to King City. The Junior B installment had a bit of shuffling and came out in 2024 as the Brantford Titans. Junior B hockey was present in Brantford in the 90s with the Brantford Eagles, who eventually moved down the road to Caledonia to become the Corvairs. In 2013 an iteration of the Branford 99ers came to town to play in the GOJHL. The 99ers eventually became the Brantford Bandits and played in the Brantford Civic Centre. In 2023, the Bandits pursued a failed attempt to move to Kitchener. In an ownership shuffle, the Bandits owners purchased the Cambridge Redhawks and sold the Bandits to Jon Clark and Mike Christian, owners of the nearby Junior C, Paris Titans. The Bandits rebranded as the Brantford Titans and solidified their home as the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.
The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre was built in 1972. In 1982 it was named after Brantford native and favourite son, Wayne Gretzky. In 1997, the Sports Centre received a huge renovation and now is home to four NHL sized ice pads and an Olympic size swimming pool. The Gretzky Centre is definitely a community hub and a strong facility for Junior B hockey.
Food & Beverage 4
The concession options at Wayne Gretzky Centre are a step above those found in other GOJHL arenas. There are two main concession options. The Lookout Lounge offers a full service bar and restaurant and looks out over the ice surface of the main arena. The offshoot Lookout Express offers more traditional concession options. Pizza, burgers, grilled cheese, hot dogs, salads, wraps, popcorn, breakfast sandwiches and cookies are all available. Pepsi products, coffee, slushies, juice and iced tea comprise the beverage options.
Atmosphere 4
The exterior of the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre is long and large. A large square in front of the main entry has a full-sized bronze sculpture of Gretzky holding up the Stanley Cup in front of Wayne’s parents, Walter and Phyllis and a young Wayne. This area is pretty busy and acts as a drop off point for many parents dropping kids for skating, hockey or swimming. The exterior of the building is a long structure, with a heavy use of glass, allowing a ton of natural light into the main lobby. This is no mere small town hockey barn. Another note from the exterior is the Karen Roberts artwork “Take Your Shot” which features a large puck, made of hockey stick shafts, hitting the top corner of a hockey net. It is found in the parking lot in a spot that was once reserved for Walter Gretzky. After Walter’s passing in 2021, members of the community placed hockey sticks and pucks in his dedicated parking spot. Those items were incorporated into the art.
After entering the Wayne Gretzky Centre, fans will be wowed by the huge main lobby that connects the pool area with the ice hockey pads. Towards the ice pads, sits the Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Recognition. This museum not only contains the enshrined members, including both Wayne and Walter Gretzky, but it houses a number of artifacts and mementos, many donated by the Gretzkys. This is definitely worth some time to explore. Other trophy cases can be found outside of the ice pads. After purchasing tickets, fans will ascend to the walking track of the main arena, behind the seating area which acts as a concourse. The ice surface is oriented north to south and the main seating area, with a good view of the centre ice logo, is on the west side. The seating consists of ten rows of modern, plastic, arena seats on the west side and six rows on the east side. The track allows for standing room around the entirety of the arena. Protective netting circles the entire ice surface and a simple scoreboard hangs above centre ice. A unique plus is the exit at the northeast corner which offers a significant window and allows natural light into the arena.
The gameday production at a Titans game is very simple. The PA system is decent. Of note on the game that was reviewed, there were some issues with music and announcements at the same time.
Neighbourhood 3
Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre is located in the Fairview neighbourhood of Brantford. It is a fairly residential neighbourhood, but there are a couple of strip malls that are within walking distance. These include a few spots for pre and post game food and drinks. Some options include Sociable Kitchen & Table, Yong Great Wall Buffet, Stromboli’s Brick Oven Pizza and Angel’s Diner. There are also a few other sporting options in Brantford. The OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs have taken the city by storm and are awaiting a new arena that is in the works. It is unlikely that the schedules would cross, but it may be possible to catch some Brantford Red Sox baseball early in the hockey season. It is also just a hop, skip and jump over to Paris, where the affiliate Paris Titans play. Other tourist options in the area include the Bell Museum, Canadian Military Heritage Museum, Brantford Twin Valley Zoo and Myrtleville House Museum. For fans wishing to stay in town, the Comfort Inn and Best Western are not far away.
Fans 2
With the hockey landscape changing in Brantford, the Titans have yet to fully get a stronghold in the market. For the 2024-25 season, the Titans averaged 137 fans per game, which was second from the bottom in the GOJHL. At the game that was reviewed, it was mainly a friends and family type of crowd. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Titans and if they are able to attract larger crowds on a more consistent basis.
Access 5
The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre is located in the Fairview neighbourhood of Brantford, west of the Wayne Gretzky Parkway. It is immediately north of Highway 403 and three blocks east of Highway 24. Getting to the Gretzky Centre is not an issue and fans coming from out of town will not need to traverse the city too much. There is plenty of parking on site. For fans wishing to take public transit, there are bus stops on Park Street, immediately east of the Gretzky Centre. Fans should consult the Brantford Transit website for fares, schedules and maps. Getting around the Gretzky Centre is not an issue at all and is very spacious. The arena is fairly modern and comfortable as well.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Brantford Titans are very affordable and can be purchased online ahead of time, which is not terribly common for teams in the GOJHL. Tickets start at $10 with discounts for students and seniors. It is one of the cheapest tickets for any sporting event, anywhere. Parking at the Wayne Gretzky Centre is free and concession prices are what one would expect. The investment is very low, but a bit bigger crowd to provide some more excitement would put the return on investment over the top.
Extras 2
An extra mark for the synergy that the Brantford Titans have with their affiliate, the Paris Titans.
An extra mark for the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre as a community hub for the city of Brantford.
Final Thoughts
The Brantford Titans play in a facility that is quite unique in that it is not new, yet feels big, bright and modern. The Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre is one of the best facilities in the GOJHL. There is plenty for fans to explore at the Gretzky Centre and taking in a Titans game is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening.
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