Lethbridge Hurricanes
Rink: VisitLethbridge.com Arena
Capacity: 5,479
Built: 1974
League: WHL
City: Lethbridge, Alberta
Home Of: Lethbridge Hurricanes
Games Attended: 1
Only Game: February 3, 2023 vs Regina
Unique Arena: #62
WHL Arena: #9
The now ridiculously-named VisitLethbridge.com Arena in Lethbridge (shocker) has joined the ever-growing list of rinks across the CHL that has had a huge renovation to put a new front facade on the rink as well as adding more end seating and suites. Like its counterparts in Erie, Rimouski and Prince Albert, the renovation has helped make the building feel a bit more Big Time without making it lose its older charm. While the parking in Lethbridge isn’t free, there is plenty of it around the rink, and one thing they do have that I’ve yet to see elsewhere in the CHL was the chance to prepay for parking. I got an email the day before asking if I wanted to prepay via an app. Luckily our hotel was just down the street so it wasn’t necessary (we walked over) but it was a neat touch nonetheless.
When I went to a game in Lethbridge in February of 2023, I had at that time only been to about half of the arenas in the WHL, but Lethbridge quickly became one of my favourite rinks and stayed high in my rankings even once I had finished the league. It’s an old building that has history and soul, but it has all the luxuries a new building brings. It’s a big rink that doesn’t feel very big, which I mean in the best way possible. The small two-deck setup lends to some great vantage points of the ice. There doesn’t appear to be a bad seat in the house. The concourse isn’t very wide, which can make it a pain to get around if it’s a sellout like our game was with the Connor Bedard-led Regina Pats in town.
Despite the concourse not being huge in Lethbridge, it has one of the most open concourses to the rink I’ve seen in the CHL. Many rinks across the country have concourses that allow you to still view the action from the concession area, but in Lethbridge it almost feels like the concourse is right in the middle of the action. You aren’t far from the ice and you’re right in the middle of the crowd even if you’re waiting in line for a hot dog or the bathroom. The Hurricanes are also total pros at presenting a game, and the PA system isn’t ear piercingly loud which is a nice change. Their PA announcer was a tad over the top and almost reminded me of the guy from Plymouth, but that’s a small, nitpicky complaint.
One other small complaint is because of the seating being in a U shape you cannot walk 360 degrees around the building, but again I’m nitpicking.
Extra points for the fans in Lethbridge being loud and knowledgeable. I’m told most games aren’t close to the crowd we had for the Bedard show, but it was still nice to see Lethbridge at its best. While it’s unlikely I’ll find myself back in Lethbridge anytime soon barring the Hurricanes hosting a Memorial Cup (which they totally could, I think), I will always look back on my night in Lethbridge fondly. Its easily among one of my favourite rinks in the dub.
