Jim Durrell Recreation Centre

Jim Durrell Recreation Centre

Interactive map of Jim Durrell Recreation Centre
Former names	Walkley Arena (1964–1984)
Address	1265 Walkley Road Ottawa, Ontario K1V 6P9
Coordinates	45°22′23″N75°39′32″W / 45.373096°N 75.658808°W / 45.373096; -75.658808
Owner	City of Ottawa
Operator	City of Ottawa
Capacity	2,000 (Jim Peplinski Arena) 200 (Walkley Arena)
Record attendance	1,131 (Game 6 of 2016 Bogart Cup Final)
Field size	200 feet (61 m) x 85 feet (26 m)
Construction
Broke ground	November 16, 1962
Opened	1964
Renovated	1984
Construction cost	CA$217,200
Architect	J.L. Richards and Associates
General contractor	Abel Construction
Tenants
Ottawa Jr. Senators (CCHL) (1984–present)

Jim Durrell Recreation Centre is a dual-pad arena complex in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ^[1] It is located in the south end of the city on Walkley Road close to the intersection of Bank Street. The facility holds two NHL-sized rinks with one having 2,000 seats, and is the home of the Ottawa Jr. Senators of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL). ^[2] It also features a community room for special events.

History

The facility opened in 1964 as the single-pad Walkley Arena. It was the second City of Ottawa owned arena after the Elmgrove Park Arena in the west of the city. City council debated on whether to build two arenas but ultimately decided to start with the one on Walkley first and then build their third arena on a lot they owned at the intersections of Chamberlain and Lyon. ^[3] Initial costs for the new arena were to be $170,000 but increased by $30,000 by November 1962 when work began. ^[4] Strangely enough, the City saved somewhere between $5,000 to $15,000 by not installing showers in the four dressing rooms. ^[5] The contract was awarded to Abel Construction, ^[6] and the architectural firm was J.L. Richards and Associates. ^[7] Several names were proposed for the new arena, among them were, Senator's Memorial Arena, Colonel By Arena and Billings Arena, ^[8] the Silver Seven Stadium (to commemorate the Silver Seven hockey team which won the Stanley Cup in 1903, 1904 and 1905), ^[9] but it was eventually decided to simply keep it as Walkley Arena. ^[10]

In January 1984, 300 residents of Ottawa South presented the a petition to city planners requesting a new arena be built inside the building to help with the 2,000 hockey and ringette players and figure skaters. Brian Bourns considered a $2-to $3-million arena far too expensive and thought doubling Walkley Arena was the better solution. ^[11] The complex officially changed its name to the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre in 1984 when the Jim Peplinski Arena was built inside the building.

The Jim Peplinski Arena has been the home of the Ottawa Jr. Senators since 1984 and is the biggest among the two rinks. ^[12] It contains 2,000 seats, while the Walkley Arena only holds 200 people. The biggest crowd to ever see a game at the complex was on April 23, 2016 when 1,131 fans saw the Jr. Senators winning 7–0 against the Carleton Place Canadians during Game 6 of the 2016 Bogart Cup Final. ^[13]

See also

• Ottawa Jr. Senators
• Central Canada Hockey League

• Ontario portal

References

1. Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services (2025-08-12). "Jim Durrell Recreation Centre". ottawa.ca. Archived from the original on 2025-08-23. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
2. "Home Page" . Retrieved 2025-11-23.
3. "Pave Way For Walkley Road Arena", The Ottawa Evening Journal, p. 1, April 30, 1962, retrieved July 29, 2014
4. "Mayor Turns Sod At Walkley Road Arena", The Ottawa Evening Journal, p. 2, November 13, 1962, retrieved July 29, 2014
5. "Turn of solitary sod marks start on arena", The Ottawa Citizen, p. 25, November 13, 1962, retrieved July 29, 2014
6. "Walkley Road Rink Contract Goes to Abel", The Ottawa Evening Journal, p. 4, October 31, 1962, retrieved July 29, 2014
7. "Architects Selected for City Arenas", The Ottawa Evening Journal, p. 10, May 4, 1962, retrieved July 29, 2014
8. "Walkley Rd. Arena Name Big Headache", The Ottawa Evening Journal, p. 40, February 20, 1963, retrieved July 30, 2014
9. "Silver Seven Stadium?", The Ottawa Journal – Metro Final, p. 1, February 27, 1963, retrieved July 30, 2014
10. "Name Proposed For New Arena", The Ottawa Journal, p. 2, April 30, 1963, retrieved July 30, 2014
11. "Ottawa South Residents Push For Arena", The Ottawa Citizen, p. 20, January 12, 1984, retrieved July 29, 2014
12. "Anxiously waiting for pucks to drop again at Jim Durrell Arena". ottawacitizen. Archived from the original on 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
13. "CCHL- Central Canada Hockey League". www.thecchl.ca. Retrieved 2025-03-20.