Oshawa Civic Auditorium
 | |
| Location |
99 Thornton Rd. S. Oshawa, Ontario L1J 5Y1 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 43°53′16″N 78°53′28″W / 43.887795°N 78.890998°WCoordinates: 43°53′16″N 78°53′28″W / 43.887795°N 78.890998°W |
| Owner | City of Oshawa |
| Operator | City of Oshawa |
| Capacity |
3,625 (seated) 4,025 (standing) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 28, 1964 |
| Opened | December 11, 1964 |
| Closed | October 29, 2006 |
| Demolished | April–July 2010 |
| Tenants | |
|
Oshawa Generals (OHL) (1964–2006) Oshawa Legionaires (OPJHL) (1972–2006) Oshawa Green Gaels (OLA) (1965–1996) | |
The Oshawa Civic Auditorium was a 3,625–seat (4,025 standing) multi-purpose arena in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The recreational complex was financed by donations from the community, including United Auto Workers members. It opened in 1964, and was home to the Oshawa Generals ice hockey team of the Ontario Hockey League from December 1964 to October 2006. The auditorium sat idle until April, 2010 when demolition began.
The arena was part of a larger recreational complex including a swimming pool, tennis courts and soccer fields. The complex is located at 99 Thornton Road South in the city's west end, with close proximity to Highway 401.
History
The arena was built as a replacement home for the Oshawa Generals, when the Hambly Arena burned down on September 15, 1953. The Generals resumed play in 1962–63 as part of the Metro Junior A League playing out of Maple Leaf Gardens, then returned to the Ontario Hockey League for the 1963–64 season sponsored by the Boston Bruins. The team played in nearby Bowmanville, Ontario for one season until construction on the new arena was finished. The Generals also won the first game played at the Civic on December 15, 1964, a 6-4 win over the St. Catharines Black Hawks. Bobby Orr, aged 16 at the time, scored in that first game.
On April 22, 1979, the Auditorium hosted two benefit concerts for the CNIB by the Rolling Stones, after Keith Richards was charged with possession of heroin. In May 2006, Alice Cooper appeared in concert at the Auditorium, one of the final acts to appear.
The Civic hosted the 1987 Memorial Cup tournament for the Canadian Hockey League championship. Oshawa competed against the Longueuil Chevaliers and the Memorial Cup champions the Medicine Hat Tigers.
In June 2005, construction began on a replacement arena in downtown Oshawa, the General Motors Centre. The last Generals game in the Civic was held October 29, 2006, versus the Kingston Frontenacs, in which the Generals won 8-6.
Championship teams
The Oshawa Generals won five J. Ross Robertson Cups as OHL champions during their tenure at the Civic; in 1966, 1983, 1987, 1990, and 1997. Oshawa also won 1990 Memorial Cup.
The Oshawa Legionaires, another junior team from the Metro Jr B League won three regular season titles. The first in 1975–76, then two more in 1977–78, and 1978–79, led by the coaching of Mike Keenan, and the playing of Dale Hawerchuk.
The Oshawa Green Gaels of the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League were a championship junior lacrosse team who moved into the Civic partway through their seven consecutive Minto Cups from 1963 to 1969.