Victoria Cougars
Arena Name: Victoria Memorial Arena
Capacity: 5000
Built: 1949
Address: 1925 Blanshard St., Victoria, BC, V8T 4J2
Ice Surface Size: Regulation
Last Game: 1994
Demolished: 2003
Victoria Memorial Arena
This photo was taken in 1949, which puts it in the public domain in Canada. It was taken from the City of Victoria's Archives, reference code AC1-M05427.
What Was the Arena Like?
Uniquely in the CHL, the site of Victoria Memorial Arena is still used for junior hockey. The footprint of the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre is roughly the same as what the former Memorial Arena was, which makes it hard to chronicle and celebrate the old building. But Victoria Memorial Arena was still home to a WHL team, the Cougars, from 1971 all the way to 1994, and it’s worth remembering even as the players skate around the same spot today. Memorial Arena was demolished in 2003, and all that is left of it is the War Memorial, which stands today in the lobby of the new rink.
Craig from the Victoria Cougars Hockey Project has done an admirable job chronicling the history of Victoria Memorial Arena, and you can check out his work here.
Victoria Memorial Arena's War Memorial
What's It Used for Today?
Victoria Memorial Arena didn't exactly line up with the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre - VMA was right on the corner of Blanshard and Caledonia and was situated at a right angle to the street grid, whereas the new arena has a plaza in front of it and sits on an angle. But otherwise the site is identical.
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Last Revised: October 31, 2021