Arena Information

The Memorial Centre

In the spring of 2007, Queen's University began construction on a new athletic complex and student centre at the corner of University Avenue and Union Street on main campus. The first phase of construction required the university to tear down the Jock Harty Arena, the home of Queen's Golden Gaels hockey. As a result, the program will move off-campus until construction of the complex is complete.

For 2007-2008 Queen's will play their OUA home games and practice at the Memorial Centre located in downtown Kingston. They willl share the Arena with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL for the 2007-2008 season while construction of the Frontenacs' new arena is completed. The Gaels will take over the Memorial Centre for the 2008-2009 season and occupy it until the Queen's Centre is completed. For this season, Queen's will also play a portion of their home games in Napanee, Ontario at the Strathcona Paper Centre.

The Memorial Centre was built in 1950 when it was originally called the Kingston Community War Memorial Arena. The Memorial Centre seats 3300. The ice surface is NHL regulation length, but 7 feet wider than normal. It has served as the home of the Kingston Frontenacs since their inception in 1973. The Memorial Centre is located at 303 York St. at Frontenac St.

The Queen's Centre

The $230-million Queen's Centre, the largest capital building project ever undertaken by Queen's or any Canadian university, will be constructed in three phases, with the first phase to be completed in 2009, the second phase in 2012 and the third by 2014. The Queen's Centre will be located in the heart of the Queen's campus, bound by University Avenue, Union Street, Division Street and Earl Street. The Arena will be completed in Phase 2 of the Project.

The Arena's 2000 seat Olympic-sized ice surface acts as a centerpiece to the entire project. At two stories below grade the ice surface is visually accessible at street level from two pedestrian streets, a courtyard, the adjacent Queen's Pub, and all points within the Arena itself.

In addition to providing a magnificent venue for competitive and recreational ice activities (hockey, figure skating, etc.), the venue is easily converted into a large performance space for speakers, conferences, concerts and convocations.

Official Information About the Queen's Centre can be found on the Queen's University Website.

The Jock Harty Arena 1922 - 2007

On Saturday April 14th 2007, Queen's University officially closed Jock Harty Arena with an exhibition, game between the Queen's Golden Gaels and RMC Paladins, entitled Rock The Jock. The event was to commemorate over 85 years of student life in the arena and to formally close down the rink, which is slated for demolition early in the summer of 2007. Below are a few pictures from the event, including the last game which the Gaels won 7-5.

Jock Harty Arena, which was a part of the Physical Education Centre, was in its third incarnation. The original Jock Harty Arena was built in 1922, with the money for its construction being largely supplied by friends, family, and classmates of John Joseph Harty. This building was located on Arch Street, where Humphrey Hall now stands. It burned to the ground only two short years afterwards, and a second Jock Harty Arena was built on the same location in 1924. The arena remained there until 1968, when it was torn down to make way for the new psychology building. The third Jock Harty Arena was opened on the north side of Union Street in 1970, and boasts a skating rink, indoor running track, and six tennis courts located on the roof. The Jock Harty Arena was also used was also an exam hall, convocation hall, and venue for concerts and dances.