Western Fair Sports Centre - London Nationals
- Dave Cottenie
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
London Major Appliances Rink @ Western Fair Sports Centre
865 Florence St,
London, ON N5W 6G6
Year Opened: 2001
Capacity: 1,500
__________________________________________________________________________________
Back on Track
With the 2025 season, the London Nationals of the Greater Ontario Hockey League presented a bit of an identity refresh. The Nationals were founded in 1950 as part of the Big 10 Western Division. They played in Ontario Arena on the grounds of Western Fair. The Nationals began as the London Lou Ball Juniors, named after the sponsor, Lou Ball Clothes.
In 1961, the team was renamed the Nationals after the railway company CN Rail. In 1963, the team became one of the junior affiliates of the Toronto Maple Leafs. This version of the Nationals would end up becoming the modern-day London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. With the Knights moving to the Junior A level, the Junior B Nationals moved to Ingersoll for a year. They returned to London and played under a number of different monikers until returning to the Nationals name in 1991.
During the majority of this time, the Nationals used the familiar logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs with the famous blue and white. As of 2025, the Nationals have retired the maple leaf in favour of a train-themed logo and red and black, a nod to their CN rail ties, which were the origin of their name. The Nationals are currently owned by Dean and Brenda Pomerleau.
The Nationals left Western Fair and Ontario Arena in 1963. After playing in the London Gardens and a few other spots, the Nationals returned to Western Fair in 2006. Western Fair District Sports Centre was built in 2001 and includes 4 ice surfaces. The Sports Centre is part of a rethinking of the Western Fair District to act more as a physical area for year-round activities rather than the location of the annual 9-day Western Fair. The main rink is sponsored by London Major Appliances Service and is Olympic-sized with a capacity of 1,500.
Food & Beverage 4
The main lobby of the Western Fair Sports Centre, connecting the four ice pads, is where the main concession stand is found. Pizza Pizza is prominent, and a variety of pizza slices, as well as chicken and fries, are available. Other traditional concession options are also available, including hot dogs, burgers, wraps, popcorn, candy, and chocolate. Coca-Cola products are available, as well as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and slushies. Beer is also available at this stand. Also in this area is Deke’s, a full-service bar and restaurant, a unique feature for a GOHL venue.
Atmosphere 3
The exterior of the Western Fair Sports Centre is nondescript but not unattractive. Light trim with brown brick gives the main entrance the look of a Pro Hockey Life store. Large windows allow natural light into the atrium on entry, and the new Nationals logo is displayed prominently over one of the windows.
Entry into the Sports Centre brings fans right to the doors of the London Major Appliances Rink and the pro shop. This is not where fans will enter the arena, as they are required to head up the ramp to the main lobby, central to all four ice pads. The lobby does not offer much in the way of interesting artifacts or anything, but it is bright and clean. The ticket table and ticket takers are at the entrance to the London Major Appliances Rink, where fans can enter the arena.
The ice surface is east-west oriented, with the best spot for a centre ice logo picture from the north. As of this writing, the logo at centre ice was still the Maple Leaf. Entry to the rink is at the southwest corner, behind the seating. The Nationals hang retired number banners for Tom Cardiff, Patrick Dobie, Taylor Edwards, Scott Lombardi, Max Vingradov, and Aaron Dartch. Championship banners hang on the northwest side with the 2013 Sutherland Cup Championship as the highlight.
Also of note is the large Drew Doughty banner hanging on the southeast corner wall, acknowledging Doughty coming up through the London Jr Knights program. The seating in the London Major Appliances Rink is a horseshoe with the east wall open. This limits the ability for a 360-degree travel on the walkway behind the seats. Seating consists of 7 rows of plastic, blue arena seats.
The gameday production at a London Nationals is not uncommon for the GOHL. Promotions include the 50/50 draw and a minor hockey game during intermission. The mascot, Lou the Bear, takes part in the pregame ceremonies. Lou is a nod to the original name of the Nationals, the London Lou Ball Juniors. Truck horns blare after a Nationals goal, which may be a bit startling after the first one. Although the speaker system is decent, it can be difficult to understand announcements at times.
Neighbourhood 4
The Sports Centre is located on the grounds of Western Fair District in the Old East Village neighbourhood of London. The north end of Western Fair is Dundas Street which has a number of options for food and drink. These include Momo’s, Lana’s Place, Byrne Eats, Edgar & Joe’s, Willie’s Cafe, London Burgers and Powerhouse Brewing Co. Match Eatery and Public House located in the casino is a good choice.
Western Fair District has other entertainment options including the Raceway @ Western Fair, Western Fair Market and Gateway Casino. Other options in the area include the London Children’s Museum and Royal Canadian Regiment Museum. There are also plenty of sporting options in London. The London Knights of the OHL are the crown jewel of the city.
Western University fields a full complement of athletic teams that are always very competitive, most notably Western Mustangs football, hockey and basketball. The London Lightning play in the Basketball Super League and London Majors play in the IBL at historic Labatt Memorial Park. For fans wishing to stay in the area, the Hard Rock Hotel, Residence Inn and Double Tree are all good options that are close.
Fans 3
In the 2024-25 season the London Nationals averaged almost 390 fans per game. This ranked them 14th in the 23 team GOHL. This is a decent showing, however there is plenty of room for improvement. The game that was reviewed, which was the 2025-26 home opener, had 443 fans in attendance. Fans are knowledgeable and into the game and although not over the top are solid hockey fans.
Access 4
The Western Fair Sports Centre is located on the grounds of Western Fair District in the Old East Village neighbourhood of London. It is 7km north of Highway 401, so fans will have to do a bit of driving through London to get there. The main roads that run north from the highway are large and traffic should not be an issue.
There is plenty of parking on site. For fans who wish to take public transit, there are London Transit stops at Western Fair. Fans should consult the London Transit website for fares, maps and schedules. Getting around the Sports Centre is not difficult. There are ramps that go from the main entry up to the lobby between the four ice pads. The lack of 360 degree movement around the ice is unfortunate. Cash or cards are welcome for ticket and concession purchases. The washroom facilities are good for this venue.
Return on Investment 4
London Nationals tickets are $13 for General Admission adults. For full service club seats it is $20. Tickets are available online, which is not too common for the GOHL. Club seating is a unique feature to the GOJHL which offers food and drink delivered directly to the seat and orders taken by servers at the seat as well. There does not appear to be any discount for students or children. Parking is free on site and concession prices are okay. The arena is comfortable and the product on the ice is solid. Overall, there is a strong ROI for Nationals hockey.
Extras 4
An extra mark for the Western Fair District, which is a great, unique area for GOJHL hockey.
An extra mark for Western Fair Sports Centre as a community hub.
An extra mark for the long history of the London Nationals.
An extra mark for the very unique Club seating for the London Nationals.
Final Thoughts
With the rebrand of the London Nationals complete and the season in full swing it is clear that the Nationals offer a solid product. The Western Fair Sports Centre is a clean and comfortable venue that is a good home for Junior B hockey. With the Nationals back on track, hockey fans should take in a game at Western Fair.
Comments