An Enviable Position

My unofficial tour of new rinks continued with a stop at the new Langley Events Centre. A couple of things jump out at me right away with the new home of the Langley Chiefs. The first is the ease with which you can get to the rink ... its right off 200th. The second is the size of the facility in every aspect from the overall building and the ice arena to the ample parking for the 5,000 seat arena.

It is an Events Centre that includes an arena, gymnasium and banquet hall. The major tenant holders include the City of Langley, the BCHL Langley Chiefs and the Langley Thunder of the Western Lacrosse Association. The Trinity Western University Spartans Athletics and the IBL Vancouver Titans professional basketball team will also be calling the Events Centre home. Another interest group in the mix is the KBR Facility management Corporation who will be managing and maintaining the building and events.

The building overlooks 200th with an expansive parking area off to its side. Upon entering the building you are greeted by a wide staircase that leads up to the upper level of the ice arena. In the future I can envision a number of large photos hanging in this area depicting some of the inaugural events, but for now it is a showcase for some local artists.

At the top of the staircase is a large unobstructed entranceway into the main concourse of the arena. One of my first impressions at this point was how the main arena didn't have that modern closed in design. Instead it was open with some natural light coming in giving it a warm inviting feeling.

The ice wasn't in as the Langley Thunder lacrosse team were still playing so it was a little on the dark side ... too dark for some pictures to really show off the arena. Small pieces of construction were still going on with half of the luxury suites still in need of some completion work. There were also some satellite rooms off the concourse that were in the finishing stages.

My original intention was to run into the Langley Chiefs marketing manager, but Jared Harmen was walking down another aisle in another part of town, so Chelsea graciously agreed to be my tour guide of the new building. It was obvious from Chelsea that there is a great deal of pride in this building and a lot of promise in its arrival to one of the fastest growing areas of the Fraser Valley.

For many years before the Langley Chiefs, the Hornets had struggled looking to define a market niche for themselves before giving up the fight to become the Westside Warriors. The timing of that move worked perfectly for the Chilliwack Chiefs as they found themselves without a home following the arrival of the Western Hockey League Bruins. The Chiefs relocated their franchise to Langley and have subsequently won the proverbial lottery.

It is safe to say with the new rink in a great location along with the steadily increasing population base not to mention the Golden Ears Bridge that will allow hockey fans from the Maple Ridge area quick access that the Chiefs stand in an enviable position amongst the "Mainland Division" of teams in the BCHL.

The Prince George Spruce Kings will play their first game in the Langley Events Centre on Saturday January 9, 2010 at the tail end of four game Coastal Division road trip.