Several weeks ago I was out in Kanata, in the west end portions of Ottawa, where the Senators play at what's now being called the Canadian Tire Centre. This was in the morning, so the parking lots were empty, the only people present being those who had business to see to.
The place is very different on a game night, or when some other event is going on. Thousands of people will come through these doors into the building to catch some hockey or a concert. The team has, over the last few years, consistently been a contender, breaking hearts some years ago by getting all the way to the Stanley Cup finals and just missing by that much. They've gotten off to a rough start this year, but it's still early. Hope springs eternal, and our time will come...
Nice arena, lovely blue sky (could you send some over?) and love the last shot.
ReplyDeleteWe're short of blue sky today!
DeleteNice stadium! I never made it to a hockey game when I was living in Toronto. :(
ReplyDeleteTickets were too expensive just to see the Leafs lose.
And that's a habit of the Leafs... particularly starting in February when ye olde annual collapse starts.
DeleteNice architecture. Not a place I go very often, but thinking about it I might go and watch curling on Wednesday:)
ReplyDeleteCurling, admittedly, is a sport I do not understand, but there's quite a big following for it here in Canada.
DeleteSo nice,, and big. I think Canadians like hockey. Greets from Norway.
ReplyDeleteCanadians love hockey. That's an understatement... like calling Crater Lake a pond.
DeleteI didn't know it was the Canadian Tire Centre. It was much nicer when areas had their own names - eg Maple leaf Gardens! Home of our beloved Leafs!
ReplyDeleteYes, these days it's all about the corporate branding rights. They changed it this summer from Scotiabank Place, and before that it was the Corel Centre. At first it was the Paladium.
DeleteCorporate branding is profoundly tacky. If they're going to name the place, it ought to be after someone who made a difference in the place or the team... not the company signing over a few million so we can have the Saniflush Centre of The Arts for ten years.
Isn't it incredible how these public spaces can be so flooded with life one evening, empty monoliths the next. I also love the last shot!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteBeautiful and big stadium, hockey must be very very popular.
ReplyDeleteIt was already told me when I was a child that Canadians are the best hockey players in the world, are they?
Oh, yes, and we take pride in being so.
DeleteThe Senators deserve a fine building even if they have gotten off to a rocky start. I dislike the corporate branding though.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite cheesy.
DeleteLeafs fans and Cubs fans should get together. They have a lot in common!
ReplyDeleteI'm really starting to like hockey better than other sports. They beat each other up!
Yes, Leafs and Cubbies fans are all deluded!
DeleteFrom the top photo, it's clear why this place has the nickname of the tire centre. Sorry the link didn't work in my recent turkey post. It had seemed to work on my PC when I tested it, but then not on the Mac and apparently not anywhere else afterwards...it was a funny one.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have thought of it quite as a tire centre!
DeleteI'll have to attend a game sometime and show the interior of the arena.
Nice looking building. I detest the new naming rights idea for many reasons, not least of which is you can't really tell where a stadium/arena/hall is located by a name that has nothing specific to do with the place and seems only to advertise itself.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the building owners or the municipalities just see dollar signs, not the notion of tackiness.
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