$43M arena rebuild on track for opening next year in Brampton, city says

Construction is on track for the opening of the rebuilt Victoria Park Arena, more than a decade after a fire that forced the closure and demolition of the facility.

The old 35,500 square-foot Victoria Park Arena at 20 Victoria Cres. in Brampton was built in the late 1960s, and was a hub for junior hockey and lacrosse in the city until it was torn down following a fire in 2016.

It cost the city more than $17 million to tear down the building after years of the building sitting empty, but construction is underway on the new Victoria Park Arena and on track to open late in 2017, the city says.

The new Victoria Park facility will feature a hardwood dry floor arena designed for a range of sports including box lacrosse, ball hockey and indoor field hockey. The new area will also include six team change rooms with showers and washrooms, a coach’s and meeting room, a referee room and a large multi-purpose space.

There will also be a second-storey mezzanine with seating for up to 500 spectators that overlooks the playing area, and site improvements and landscaping to enhance the surrounding public space. The new arena will also be the new home of the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame,which will feature a hanging piece of art commissioned by the city.

Construction on the $43-million facility started early last year, and the city said earlier this month it hit a milestone in construction with the opening of the new area planned for the fall of 2027.

“This new facility will honour the legacy of the original arena while creating a modern, accessible space where residents can come together, stay active and celebrate community,” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said in a statement.

The old arena was demolished in 2021, and the city committed funding of $28.65 million for the rebuild. Those costs jumped by more than 50 per cent in 2024 to more than $43 million due to skilled labour shortages, rising material costs, and fluctuating labour rates, a city report said.

Material costs for structural steel, concrete and metal fabrications, coupled with high inflation rates for labour and materials, also  contributed to the overall cost increase.

Once completed, the new arena and Sports Hall of Fame “will provide space to celebrate the legacies, achievements and contributions of our local athletes and community builders,” Coun. Rod Power said in a release.

“From accessible design to flexible programming space, Victoria Park Arena will be a valuable facility that supports recreation, inclusion and community pride,” Power said.

From left to right: Coun. Rod Power, Mayor Patrick Brown, Coun. Pat Fortini and Commissioner of Community Services Bill Boyes gather at the future site of the revitalized Victoria Park Arena. (Photo: City of Brampton)