History
The facility's original name was the Charlottetown Civic Centre (1989–2013). It was built in 1989–1990 and opened in the fall of 1990 as the principal venue for the 1991 Canada Winter Games which Prince Edward Island hosted in February 1991.
The facility's location was the subject of significant controversy during its planning stages as various sites were being considered within the City of Charlottetown and surrounding communities; Charlottetown having argued that as host city for the games, the facility should be located on land within its boundaries. It was eventually decided by the games organizing committee and the federal and provincial governments to build the arena as part of a larger redevelopment of the Provincial Exhibition grounds in the neighbouring town of Parkdale (which amalgamated into Charlottetown in 1996).
The 3,200 seat capacity arena was to be built on the southern side of the Charlottetown Driving Park (a harness racing track) and adjoining Kennedy Coliseum (an agricultural show facility), which would be renovated into a multi-use exhibition hall. Following construction there were many complaints from patrons and tenants of the arena, citing wasted space and the lack of seating down to the boards.
Following the 1991 Canada Winter Games, the Charlottetown Civic Centre and its arena became the responsibility of the City of Charlottetown (despite being located outside city limits until municipal amalgamation in 1996). In 2003, following extended complaints from patrons and tenants, the arena's seating was redesigned and expanded with additional seating placed down to the glass in several locations, as well as "luxury boxes" or sky boxes. The current capacity of the arena is 3,718 (3,690 seated).
On September 13, 2013, Charlottetown City Council announced that the facility was being renamed the Eastlink Centre after selling the naming rights for an undetermined period of time to the telecommunications company Eastlink.
Tenants
The facility has been the home rink of the Charlottetown Islanders, formerly the PEI Rocket, of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League since the team relocated from Montreal in 2003.
Since 2013, the Eastlink Centre has been the home of the Island Storm of the National Basketball League of Canada.
From 1993 to 1996, the facility was the home of the American Hockey League's Prince Edward Island Senators.
From 1990 to 2003, the facility was also home to the Charlottetown Abbies of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League, as well as the University of Prince Edward Island "Panthers" men's hockey team of the Atlantic Universities Athletic Association (now Atlantic University Sport). Both of these teams were former tenants of the Charlottetown Forum, a facility which was closed following the civic centre's opening in 1990. Both teams moved in the fall of 2003 to the newly built MacLauchlan Arena on the University of Prince Edward Island campus.
Until the 2008 opening of the Consolidated Credit Union Place located in Summerside, the facility was the largest indoor public sports facility in the province. It has also hosted a number of concerts, trade shows, wrestling shows and tournaments such as the 1999 Scott Tournament of Hearts, 2003 Royal Bank Cup, and 2006 Telus Cup. The facility also hosted the 2006 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft.
In 2011, the facility hosted the 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts from February 19 to 27.
The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is a public university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the only university in the province. Founded in 1969, the enabling legislation is the University Act, R.S.P.E.I 2000.
TD Place Arena, originally the Ottawa Civic Centre, is an indoor arena located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The arena can seat 5,500 people, and with the upper bowl open it can hold 8,585 people. Opened in December 1967, it is used primarily for sports, including curling, figure skating, ice hockey, and lacrosse. The arena has hosted Canadian and world championships in figure skating, curling, and ice hockey, including the first women's world ice hockey championship in 1990. It is also used for concerts and conventions such as Ottawa SuperEX.
Winnipeg Arena was an indoor arena located in the Polo Park district of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Centre 200 is Cape Breton's primary sports and entertainment facility, located in Sydney, Nova Scotia. It is home to the QMJHL's Cape Breton Eagles. Besides ice hockey, the arena hosts many other events, such as rock concerts, figure skating, and antique/custom car shows. The facility features an obstruction-free sports arena that seats 5,000 people, expandable seating to 6,500 for concert hall purposes, and exhibit space of 17,000 sq ft (1,600 m2) with the possibility of another 3,000 sq ft (280 m2) upon removal of telescopic seating.
The Charlottetown Islanders are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the Islanders play their home games at the Eastlink Centre, which has a seating capacity of 3,717.
The Montreal Rocket were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for four seasons from 1999 to 2003, based out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The team was named in honour of Montreal Canadiens great Maurice "Rocket" Richard. The smoke from the rocket in the logo forms the number 9, which was Maurice Richard's jersey number.
The Charlottetown Driving Park (CDP), located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada is a harness racing track for racing standardbred horses.
The Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. It consists of six teams from New Brunswick, which make up the EastLink North Division, five teams from Nova Scotia, and one team from Prince Edward Island which make up the Eastlink South Division. The winner of the MHL playoffs competes for the Centennial Cup against the winners of the 8 other tier 2 junior A leagues across Canada. Prior to the pandemic the MHL champions would participate in the Fred Page Cup. This tournament involved the Bogart Cup champions from the CCHL(Ontario), the Kent Cup champions from the MHL(Maritimes) and the winner of the La Coupe Napa of the QJHL(Québec) as well as a pre determined host. The winner would move on to compete for the Canadian National Junior A Championship. However with the departure of the BCHL whom ended affiliation with the CJHL in March 2021 as well as Hockey Canada in June 2023 becoming an independent league. No Centennial Cup qualifying tournaments such as the Kent Cup have been played since 2022 and instead all the league champions have directly advanced to the Centennial Cup.
The Fred Page Cup was a championship ice hockey trophy, won by a tournament conducted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The award was given to the winner of a round-robin and playoff between the Bogart Cup champions of the Central Canada Hockey League, the Kent Cup champions of the Maritime Junior Hockey League, La Coupe NAPA Champions of the Quebec Junior Hockey League, and a pre-determined host team. The winner of the Fred Page Cup moves on to the Centennial Cup, the national Junior A championship. The trophy was donated by the then-called Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League in 1994–95.
The Truro Bearcats are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based out of Truro, Nova Scotia. The Bearcats are one of six Nova Scotia teams in the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
The West Kent Steamers are a Junior A Ice Hockey team from Bouctouche, New Brunswick. They play their home games at the 1,100 seat J.K. Irving Regional Centre in Bouctouche, New Brunswick. The team is a member of the Maritime Hockey League and play in the Eastlink North Division.
The Charlottetown Abbies were a Tier II Junior "A" team based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. They played in the IJHL and the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. Their home rink from 2003 to 2008 was the MacLauchlan Arena on the campus of UPEI. Before then, it was the Charlottetown Civic Centre.
Consolidated Credit Union Place is a multi purpose facility that opened in two stages in April 2006 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It contains an aquatics centre, meeting and convention rooms, a fitness centre, two NHL size ice surface arenas, bowling lanes and an indoor walking track. The swimming portion consists of a 25 metre competition pool, pleasure pool, a water slide, a water mushroom, a hot tub, steam room, and sauna. There is also a conference centre over 4,000 square feet (370 m2) in size, and Iron Haven Gym, with two squash courts and weight lifting equipment. The second portion, the Arenas, were designed to replace Cahill Stadium and Steele Arena.
Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, Charlottetown was an unincorporated town until it was incorporated as a city in 1855.
The J. Pius Callaghan Cup is a trophy that was formerly given to the ice hockey Junior A Champion of Atlantic Canada from 1981 until 1991. The trophy is named for Joseph Pius Callaghan, sports writer for the Charlottetown Guardian, school teacher, and sports executive, by Hockey PEI. From 1991 until 2006, the trophy was awarded to the playoff champion of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. In 2006 it was retired and now resides in the Charlottetown Civic Centre. Prior to 1981, the championship was just called the Atlantic Junior A Championship.
The St. James Civic Centre is a multipurpose recreation complex located in the St. James district of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The complex features an indoor ice hockey arena, swimming pool, and auditorium. Built in 1967, the St. James Civic Centre is owned and operated by the City of Winnipeg.
Canadian Tire Centre is a multi-purpose arena in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located in the western suburb of Kanata. It opened in January 1996 as the Palladium and was also known as Corel Centre from 1996 to 2006 and Scotiabank Place from 2006 to 2013.
The Island Storm is an inactive Canadian professional basketball team based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The team is a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada that began play in the 2011–12 season. The Storm plays its home games at the Eastlink Centre. Former Vermont Frost Heaves head coach Joe Salerno served as the team's head coach for the first six seasons until he parted ways with the team in May 2017. In 2021, the Storm were granted a one-year leave of absence after they were the last remaining team based in the Maritimes.
The Meridian Centre is a 5,300 seat arena in downtown St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, located at 1 David S. Howes Way. The arena is the home of the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League and the Niagara River Lions of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
The 2023 U Sports Men's Hockey Championship was the 61st edition of the U Sports men's ice hockey championship, a postseason tournament to determine the national champion of the 2023 U Sports men's ice hockey season. The tournament started on March 16 and ended with the bronze-medal and championship games being played on March 19 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
