Before 1967 if you wanted to skate or play hockey in Maple Ridge, you did so on ponds, rivers or lakes.
In 1967 Maple Ridge opened the Centennial Arena downtown which was located roughly between the current City Hall and Haney Place mall.
Centennial Arena was more than a rink, it was the venue with the largest seating capacity in the city and hosted concerts, community dances, trade shows, fairs and high school graduation ceremonies.
The rink, which was later renamed the Cam Neely Arena, and served the community until 1998.
Planet Ice opened in Albion with two ice sheets in 1998 to replace the Centennial arena. The new arena provided extra rink capacity but we lost the seating capable of hosting larger community events.
When Planet Ice opened in 1998, Maple Ridge had approximately 59,000 residents using its two rinks.
Today, those same two rinks serve approximately 105,000 residents—nearly 80% more people than when the facility opened.
The City wants to borrow $143 million for the proposed Albion Twin-Rink Arenas Expansion?
What you need to know before you decide…
In 2025, the Agricultural Land Commission rejected the City’s application for two additional ice sheets because of unresolved drainage impacts. The City requested reconsideration in March 2026, but approval remains outstanding, creating significant uncertainty about the project’s feasibility.
It is unlikely that the ALC will approve two rinks until a significant investment to resolve the drainage issues on this site is complete. i
Another Option
Another option we can work on today, not in four years is to build one larger arena.
We are one of the only cities of our size in the province whose high school and community events are being held in other cities. We desperately need more ice capacity, but we also need a larger arena to serve the whole community for more than just a rink.
The federal government created the “Build Communities Strong Fund” and has committed $51 billion over ten years to fund new community and recreational facilities. LINK TO FUND
The key word is “Communities”. Our chances of getting funding doubles, when we combine the seating capacity for graduations, concerts, cultural celebrations, trade shows, tournaments and other community gatherings.
Even residents who never put on a pair of skates will benefit from a civic space that finally allows Maple Ridge to host its own events here at home.
There is a huge demand for Ice and Surface time in our current facilities.
Interested in participating, or just coming out to enjoy the action…
Lou JOSE for Councillor
A NEW direction.