Patrick Arena
Encyclopedia
Patrick Arena was the main sports arena
located in the Greater Victoria, British Columbia
area. The wood constructed arena was located in the suburb
municipality
of Oak Bay
, on the north east corner of Cadboro Bay Road and Epworth Street (then called Empress Street). Built in 1911 at a cost of $110,000 with a capacity for 4,000 spectators, it officially opened with public skating on December 25, 1911. More than 600 skaters enjoyed the thrill of opening day. The owners, Frank
and Lester Patrick
, built the arena primarily to accommodate their hockey
team in the newly formed Pacific Coast Hockey Association
(PCHA).
game played at the Patrick Arena on January 2, 1912 was between the New Westminster Royals
and the hometown Victoria Senators
. This was likely the first professional game on artificial ice in Canada. In 1913 the Victoria Senators were renamed as the Victoria Aristocrats
. In 1916 the Patrick Arena was commandeered by the Canadian military and the hockey team was forced to move to Spokane, Washington to play as the Spokane Canaries
. When the military left, a new team was formed in 1918 and again was dubbed the Aristocrats. In 1923 they changed their name to the Victoria Cougars
and when the PCHA disbanded in 1924 they moved to the Western Canada Hockey League
(WCHL). The 1925 Stanley Cup Finals saw the Western Canada Hockey League champion Victoria Cougars
defeat the National Hockey League
(NHL) champion Montreal Canadiens
3 games to 1 in the best-of-five game series. Games one, three and four were played at the Patrick Arena. A marker commemorating the Victoria Cougars' 1925 Stanley Cup victory is located across the road. The next year the Western Canada Hockey League was renamed as the Western Hockey League
with the Victoria Cougars winning the league championship again. In Victoria's second Stanley Cup Final the Montreal Maroons
were too strong, out scoring Victoria 10 to 3 and handily beating them three games to one at the newly built Montreal Forum
. The Western Hockey League folded following the 1925–26 season. Victoria was without pro hockey until 1949, when a new version of the Victoria Cougars joined a new version of the WHL. The Cougars moved to Los Angeles in 1961, then the 1963-64 WHL champions, Denver Invaders became the Victoria Maple Leafs for the 1964-65 season. The Leafs -- a farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs -- lasted three seasons in the BC capital, winning the WHL title in 1967, the same year that their parent club won the Stanley Cup for the last time. The following season, the team moved to Phoenix and became the Roadrunners. That brought an end to professional hockey in Greater Victoria until October 2004 .
is located right across Cadboro Bay Road from the Patrick Arena's old location. There is a marker commemorating the Stanley Cup win for the Victoria Cougars
.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located in the Greater Victoria, British Columbia
Greater Victoria, British Columbia
Greater Victoria is located in British Columbia, Canada, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It is a cultural rather than political entity, usually defined as the thirteen easternmost municipalities of the Capital Regional District on Vancouver Island but also includes adjoining areas and...
area. The wood constructed arena was located in the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Oak Bay
Oak Bay, British Columbia
Oak Bay is a municipality located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian Province of British Columbia, Canada. A member municipality of the Capital Regional District, it is a community east of and adjacent to the City of Victoria...
, on the north east corner of Cadboro Bay Road and Epworth Street (then called Empress Street). Built in 1911 at a cost of $110,000 with a capacity for 4,000 spectators, it officially opened with public skating on December 25, 1911. More than 600 skaters enjoyed the thrill of opening day. The owners, Frank
Frank Patrick (hockey)
Francis Alexis Patrick was a Canadian NHL ice hockey player and head coach. While attending McGill University, he played hockey from 1904 to 1908, winning the Queen’s Cup championship in 1905 alongside his brother Lester Patrick.Frank and Lester helped found the Pacific Coast Hockey Association...
and Lester Patrick
Lester Patrick
Curtis Lester "The Silver Fox" Patrick born in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, was a professional ice hockey player and coach associated with the Victoria Aristocrats/Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association , and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League...
, built the arena primarily to accommodate their hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team in the newly formed Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
(PCHA).
Hockey
The first professional hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
game played at the Patrick Arena on January 2, 1912 was between the New Westminster Royals
New Westminster Royals
The New Westminster Royals was the name of several professional and junior ice hockey teams based in New Westminster, British Columbia.The first team played from 1912-1914 in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association which was established in 1911....
and the hometown Victoria Senators
Victoria Cougars
The Victoria Cougars were a major league professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1922 to 1924, and in the Western Hockey League from 1924 to 1926...
. This was likely the first professional game on artificial ice in Canada. In 1913 the Victoria Senators were renamed as the Victoria Aristocrats
Victoria Cougars
The Victoria Cougars were a major league professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1922 to 1924, and in the Western Hockey League from 1924 to 1926...
. In 1916 the Patrick Arena was commandeered by the Canadian military and the hockey team was forced to move to Spokane, Washington to play as the Spokane Canaries
Spokane Canaries
The Spokane Canaries were a former hockey team in Spokane, Washington. They played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association for only one season, 1916-1917. Previously the team was located in Victoria, British Columbia as the Victoria Aristocrats. Their home arena was the Elm Street...
. When the military left, a new team was formed in 1918 and again was dubbed the Aristocrats. In 1923 they changed their name to the Victoria Cougars
Victoria Cougars
The Victoria Cougars were a major league professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1922 to 1924, and in the Western Hockey League from 1924 to 1926...
and when the PCHA disbanded in 1924 they moved to the Western Canada Hockey League
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.-History:...
(WCHL). The 1925 Stanley Cup Finals saw the Western Canada Hockey League champion Victoria Cougars
Victoria Cougars
The Victoria Cougars were a major league professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1922 to 1924, and in the Western Hockey League from 1924 to 1926...
defeat the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) champion Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
3 games to 1 in the best-of-five game series. Games one, three and four were played at the Patrick Arena. A marker commemorating the Victoria Cougars' 1925 Stanley Cup victory is located across the road. The next year the Western Canada Hockey League was renamed as the Western Hockey League
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.-History:...
with the Victoria Cougars winning the league championship again. In Victoria's second Stanley Cup Final the Montreal Maroons
Montreal Maroons
The Montreal Maroons was a professional men's ice hockey team in the National Hockey League . They played in the NHL from 1924 to 1938, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935...
were too strong, out scoring Victoria 10 to 3 and handily beating them three games to one at the newly built Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
. The Western Hockey League folded following the 1925–26 season. Victoria was without pro hockey until 1949, when a new version of the Victoria Cougars joined a new version of the WHL. The Cougars moved to Los Angeles in 1961, then the 1963-64 WHL champions, Denver Invaders became the Victoria Maple Leafs for the 1964-65 season. The Leafs -- a farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs -- lasted three seasons in the BC capital, winning the WHL title in 1967, the same year that their parent club won the Stanley Cup for the last time. The following season, the team moved to Phoenix and became the Roadrunners. That brought an end to professional hockey in Greater Victoria until October 2004 .
Fire
The arena was destroyed by a fire in the pre-dawn hours of November 11, 1929; it was believed to be deliberately set.Now
Oak Bay Secondary SchoolOak Bay Secondary School
Oak Bay High School is the fourth largest secondary school in the Greater Victoria School District. It is located in Oak Bay, British Columbia, Canada. Roughly 1200 students attend in grades 9 to 12 in both regular and French immersion programs in two buildings, called East and West. The first high...
is located right across Cadboro Bay Road from the Patrick Arena's old location. There is a marker commemorating the Stanley Cup win for the Victoria Cougars
Victoria Cougars
The Victoria Cougars were a major league professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association from 1922 to 1924, and in the Western Hockey League from 1924 to 1926...
.