Arena

Hockey for everyone: Huskies host Canadian Blind Hockey for fun practice

 
 

You could tell from the sounds of rattling ball bearings and children’s laughter in the Dauphinee Centre on Wednesday afternoon that this wasn’t a usual practice for members of the Saint Mary’s Huskies men’s hockey team.

The Huskies hosted Canadian Blind Hockey for their annual Learn to Skate and Try Blind Hockey program on Nov. 24. Nearly 20 participants, between the ages of two to over 30, took to the Dauphinee Centre ice to skate, pass, shoot and have some fun with the Huskies.

“We haven’t been able to get on the ice in a while because of COVID, so we partnered with Saint Mary’s to bring blind hockey to the Dauphinee Centre, and to show kids young and old what blind hockey is all about,” explained Kelly Serbu, President of Canadian Blind Hockey, and the captain of the Canadian Blind Hockey National Team.

Serbu is a former Saint Mary’s Hockey player who was diagnosed with Stargardt, a hereditary eye disease during his second year with the team and continued playing after being declared legally blind.

Now he’s on a mission to spread awareness of blind hockey, and make the sport accessible to everyone, even those who are partially sighted and blind.

Blind hockey is much like traditional hockey with a few key differences, most notably the noisy puck.

“We play with a larger puck, it’s a metal puck, about 5.5 inches across the top and has eight ball bearings inside of it. People like me, who are partially sighted can track the puck on the ice by seeing it, but also by hearing it,” says Serbu. “The only other differences are the nets are one foot shorter, the goalies are totally blind, and wear blindfolds, and before you score a goal you have to complete a pass in the offensive zone. Other than that, it’s just like regular hockey.”

Some of the young hockey players say blind hockey has created a community and taught them some valuable life lessons.

“Just because you’re disabled, doesn’t mean you can’t play sports. They’ve tried to adapt many sports for everyone to be able to play,” said Carter Ryan, who has been playing hockey for three years.

“I came out to have a lot of fun with the community of blind hockey. Since I was like four years old, this has been a supportive group, like a family kind of. Not only just in hockey, but in anything you’re doing, they’re very supportive and always there for you,” said Mary Ellen MacEachen.

According to the Huskies head coach, his players were also inspired.

“This is part of our culture, we’ve been involved in Move for Inclusion, Motionball, Ronald McDonald House. So for our players, it’s very rewarding for them, they know they get a lot and they’ve been given a lot growing up, so it’s very rewarding to see them giving back,” said Huskies interim head coach Tyler Naugler. “We didn’t tell them to come, we told them about the event and we had almost everyone of our guys who didn’t have a class commitment today stay, so it’s a very rewarding experience for everybody.”

After a fun session on the ice, the group had a pizza party lunch and were given a tour of the Huskies facilities. It was an afternoon full of smiles, laughs, and inspiring messages.

Saint Mary's community celebrates the Dauphinee Centre

Saint Mary’s University celebrates the Dauphinee Centre.

A new chapter in Huskies hockey lore was recognized and lauded on Saturday, Jan 11. On Hockey Day at SMU, the Santamarian community came together in the Barbara Holmes Gathering Centre to celebrate the Dauphinee Centre and the donors who supported the project: Glen and Nancy Holmes, and the late Bob Dauphinee BComm’60.

"Saint Mary's University has a proud and successful hockey tradition that will continue for generations to come in the Dauphinee Centre," said Saint Mary's President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "This new arena will contribute to the continued success of our varsity men's and women's hockey teams, and provides our athletes and coaches with a new home to continue their tradition of excellence."

The Dauphinee Centre is named in honour of the late Bob Dauphinee, a Saint Mary's alumnus and community champion, who donated $2 million for an arena through his estate.

The Dauphinee Centre is the home of both the women's and men's hockey teams. The centre features an NHL-sized ice surface with seating for 850 fans and ample standing room that brings the capacity to more than 1200 people. The building is fully accessible with an elevator between floors and six accessible changing rooms for visiting teams, community-based recreational sports groups and summer camps.

On the upper level is a heated gathering centre with an attached room for spectators overlooking the ice surface. This community-oriented space is named the Barbara Holmes Gathering Centre.

The Pseudio Link, a pedway connecting the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness to the new arena, is another new addition. The Huskies also have a great new area to prepare for games in the Holmes Family Varsity Suite.

These enhancements and the varsity suite were made possible by a generous gift of $2 million from local entrepreneurs Glen and Nancy Holmes, parents of Saint Mary's students. Glen and Nancy Holmes are the owners of Pseudio, Samuel & Co and Envy.

“The main reason I did this was that I love Halifax – I love everything about Halifax. There was a need for a rink, and we were in a position that we were able to pull it together,” said Glen Holmes. “I got a lot more out of this than I put into it. Everything I do in life, normally at this size, there’s a return that’s expected. This was more than any financial return I could have asked for. ”

The Dauphinee Centre is on track to open this season with a surprise for Huskies Stadium

The paint is drying, and the seats are installed as The Dauphinee Centre continues on its path towards opening day this fall. The varsity dressing rooms are coming along nicely, as is work on the ice surface, where the piping is in place, and the concrete surface has been laid.

“Although construction only began about a year ago, we are now closing in on the final month of this project,” said Gary Schmeisser, The Dauphinee Centre project manager. “Everyone involved in this project has been doing a great job to keep us on schedule. We all keep looking toward the opening with anticipation, and we are excited to share the finished product with our community.”

The flooring has, for the most part, all been installed and all the interior walls are in place. The elevator has been installed, and the interior and exterior of the arena have all been painted. Landscaping for the centre has already begun, showing just how close this project is coming to completion.

Earlier this summer a ceremony took place to where the iconic smoking pipe of the late Bob Boucher was laid at centre ice. This ceremony brings a direct connection between Saint Mary's storied hockey past with the future of the sport at The Dauphinee Centre. Bob was rarely seen without his smoking pipe, which became a symbol of the well-loved coach and the tradition of excellence he brought to the university’s hockey program.

While the project is winding down, other aspects of the project will soon be appearing on campus, coming as a pleasant surprise for Huskies fans.

“As some of our Saint Mary’s community members may have noticed, the scoreboard for Huskies Stadium is no longer in place,” said Scott Gray, director of Athletics and Recreation. “I am happy to share with you that as part of this project, the stadium will receive a new scoreboard that will include a video screen. Now Huskies fans will never miss a moment of the action.”

The Dauphinee Centre is scheduled to open this fall. Don’t miss out on the action, purchase tickets to the Men’s and Women’s hockey home openers and more  at http://www.smuhuskies.ca/fan_zone/Tickets.

Huskies hockey memento laid at the heart of The Dauphinee Centre

A piece of Saint Mary's hockey history now lays at the heart of The Dauphinee Centre.

In a ceremony this summer the iconic smoking pipe of the late Bob Boucher was laid at centre ice, connecting Saint Mary's storied hockey past with the future of the sport at The Dauphinee Centre.  Bob was rarely seen without his smoking pipe, which became a symbol of the well-loved coach and the tradition of excellence he brought to the university’s hockey program.

An inductee of the Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame in 1998, Bob Boucher was the coach of the Saint Mary's men's hockey team for 13 years. During this time, he compiled an astounding record of 231 wins, 33 losses and four ties and led the Huskies to the national championship game in four consecutive seasons from 1970 to 1973. He also coached the Dartmouth Moosehead Mounties who won the Hardy Cup national championship.

Bob came from an illustrious hockey family with connections to numerous NHL teams. A star junior player with the Montreal Junior Canadiens when they won the Memorial Cup in 1957, and with the Toronto Saint Michael's, an eye injury precluded his promising NHL career. Nevertheless, Bob went on to play senior and semi-professional hockey in Europe and the USA before being joining the Saint Mary's community.

He revived hockey at Saint Mary's, and also started the Saint Mary's Hockey Camp of Champions, a summer program for minor hockey players. He left Saint Mary's in 1980 for the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers to be an assistant coach to his former teammate, Hockey Hall of Famer Pat Quinn.

"Sharing the rich hockey history and sports tradition of Saint Mary's makes a difference to our student-athletes," said women's hockey coach Chris Larade. “Ceremonies like today for Bob, honouring his contributions to hockey and the Saint Mary’s community, show our student-athletes the lasting impacts that we have as a team on our community."

The recognition meant a lot to Anne Boucher and her son Robert. Anne is a former figure skating coach who worked out of the Alumni Arena. It was here that she met her husband, Bob Boucher.

"A lot of memories came flooding back today, it was very special to be able to share it with some of Bob's players and today's coaches," said Anne Boucher. "We have fond memories of the old arena, and we spent a lot of our time there. We actually lived on campus our first two years of marriage."

"The arena has always been a special place at Saint Mary’s. The games, the atmosphere, the place was always electric. I am really looking forward to that atmosphere at The Dauphinee Centre.  I know Bob would be very happy to see that passion back on-campus and to be a part of it in a new home for hockey."

The Dauphinee Centre: On schedule and taking shape

As we say goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019, The Dauphinee Centre continues to make great progress towards its opening for the 2019-2020 varsity hockey season.  The exterior walls are in place, and work is underway on both the inside and outside of the structure. By the end of 2018, the steel roofing will be in place, and in early 2019, more roofing material will be added to ensure it is weather tight. 

“It’s been a busy construction season in Halifax, which has been great for the city but can also be challenging,” said Gary Schmeisser, the Arena Project Manager. “Our partners on this project have been busy doing a great job to ensure that work continues on schedule, which it has, and we are looking at the opening date with anticipation.”

The last of the major tenders for the project will soon be awarded. The tender will include the rink boards, glass, flooring and the maroon seating for spectators. Preparations have begun for the mechanical equipment required for refrigeration as well as for the new zamboni and scoreboard.

“Work on The Dauphinee Centre is really progressing, you can feel the anticipation both on and off-campus,” said Schmeisser. “We are looking forward to the opening, and sharing the centre with the Halifax community. This is going to be an important gathering place for years to come.”

While varsity sport has always been an important part of the university, it’s expected that a new on-campus arena will bring even more interest.

“Anyone who enjoys SMU Huskies hockey, should buy their tickets as soon as possible because tickets to The Dauphinee Centre are going to be hot commodities,” added Schmeisser.

 

About the Dauphinee Centre

The Dauphinee Centre is named in honour of the late Bob Dauphinee, a Saint Mary’s alumnus and community champion, who donated $2 million for an arena through his estate.

The Dauphinee Centre will feature an NHL-sized ice surface with seating and sightlines designed to enhance the fan experience. The centre will have seating for 850 fans with ample standing room that brings the capacity to more than 1200 people.  The building is fully accessible with an elevator between floors and six accessible changing rooms for visiting teams, community-based recreational sports groups and summer camps.

Visit news.smu.ca/arena to learn more. 

Fence signage offers glimpse into the future The Dauphinee Centre

The Dauphinee Centre is sporting a new look thanks to new fence signage on the build site.

Installed in time for Homecoming, the signage showcases various members of the Saint Mary’s community, acknowledges donors, and helps promote the centre slated to open in time for the 2019 hockey season.

The signage is designed to reflect the fact that centre will make a significant contribution not only to varsity athletics but to the wellness of our entire community, with 50% of its usage capacity dedicated to community groups. SMU varsity athletes Marc Terriault and Siobhan Birch are featured wearing their Huskies gear. Another panel pictures Tyler Naugler, Assistant Coach, Men’s Hockey with his daughter as they walk by the Homburg Centre. The Saint Mary’s student body is represented with a photo of students Mohammad Ashiq, Jesus Hernandez, Jillian Taylor, Ashley Brewster and Sehmat Suri.

Additional panels highlight the Saint Mary’s University branding, and promote the arena name as well as the Pseudio Link and the Barbara Holmes Gathering Centre.

The Dauphinee Centre construction on track

A rendering of The Dauphinee Centre.

A rendering of The Dauphinee Centre.

Excitement is building as work continues on The Dauphinee Centre, the new arena at Saint Mary’s that will feature an NHL-sized ice surface and accommodate more than 1200 fans.

With the arena design 95% complete and construction progressing well, the $14.8 million facility is on track to open in time for the 2019 hockey season. This fall, neighbours can expect to see the large, precast concrete walls (about 85 pieces in total) go up on the build site. Work is now underway on the foundations to support the walls and on the underground water and electrical services. 

When completed, the centre will feature an upper-level warming room with an attached fan room overlooking the ice surface, a pedway link to the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness, and men’s and women’s varsity dressing rooms that are equal to the best junior hockey facilities in the country. These enhancements to the project were made possible by a generous gift of $2 million from local entrepreneurs Glen and Nancy Holmes, parents of two current Saint Mary’s students. Glen and Nancy Holmes are the owners of Pseudio, Samuel & Co and Envy.


Saint Mary's unveils the details of The Dauphinee Centre

June 18, 2018

Saint Mary’s University celebrated the philanthropy behind the new on-campus arena and unveiled its design, renderings and name, today, June 18.

The facility will be named The Dauphinee Centre, in honour of the late Bob Dauphinee, a Saint Mary’s alumnus and community champion, who donated $2 million for an arena through his estate.

“Saint Mary’s University has a proud and successful hockey tradition that will continue for generations to come in The Dauphinee Centre,” said Saint Mary’s President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “This new arena will contribute to the continued success of our varsity men’s and women’s hockey teams, providing our athletes and coaches with a new home to continue their tradition of excellence.”

The Dauphinee Centre will feature an NHL-sized ice surface with seating and sightlines designed to enhance the fan experience. The centre will have seating for 850 fans with ample standing room that brings the capacity to more than 1200 people.  The building is fully-accessible with an elevator between floors and six accessible changing rooms for visiting teams, community-based recreational sports groups and summer camps.

The centre will also feature an upper-level warming room with an attached fan room overlooking the ice surface, a pedway link to the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness, and men’s and women’s varsity dressing rooms that are equal to the best junior hockey facilities in the country. These enhancements to the project were made possible by a generous gift of $2 million from local entrepreneurs Glen and Nancy Holmes, parents of two current Saint Mary’s students. Glen and Nancy Holmes are the owners of Pseudio, Samuel & Co and Envy.

“Glen and Nancy Holmes have been true partners in the vision for this facility,” said President Summerby-Murray. “Their tremendous gift has elevated the entire project, and we are incredibly grateful to them for their vision, leadership and passionate support of Saint Mary’s, the Halifax community and this project.”

If you would like to make a gift to the arena project, please click here.

The new arena will continue Saint Mary’s tradition of hockey excellence and community engagement and is being constructed on the same site as the former arena. The overall cost of the project is approximately $14.8 million, and the centre is scheduled to open in time for the 2019 varsity hockey season.

“For 50 years, the Saint Mary’s Alumni Arena served as a community gathering space. A place where students who are new to Canada experience what it’s like to strap on skates for the first time and where young children learn to love skating and Canada’s game,” said President Summerby-Murray.

“Today, we look forward to the next 50 years. A time when students, friends and families will create new memories in The Dauphinee Centre, a new facility designed to meet the needs of our university, and the greater Halifax community, for years to come.” 


New arena with NHL-sized ice surface coming to Saint Mary’s

Saint Mary’s Huskies Anthony Repaci (3rd year, Psychology), Siobhan Birch (2nd year, Commerce) and Athletics and Recreation Director Scott Gray, share the great news of the new arena coming to campus in 2019. 

Saint Mary’s Huskies Anthony Repaci (3rd year, Psychology), Siobhan Birch (2nd year, Commerce) and Athletics and Recreation Director Scott Gray, share the great news of the new arena coming to campus in 2019. 

Saint Mary’s University has approved construction of a new, state-of-the-art arena. The on-campus facility will feature an NHL-sized ice surface for the Huskies men’s and women’s hockey teams.

“This new arena will not only support our varsity athletes and coaches but will enrich athletics and recreation opportunities for all of our students,” said Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “This facility will benefit the Saint Mary’s community but also Halifax as a whole. As a university, we are community engaged and focused, and our new arena will be available to community sports teams and other groups looking for a place to learn and play.” 

The new arena will continue the tradition of hockey excellence on-campus and will be built on the same location as the arena it will replace. The new arena will have seating for 800 fans with standing room for 200 plus. The planning and design of the arena will incorporate flexibility for future growth should that be needed during the life of the building. Cost and funding details will be announced later in the spring.

The arena is scheduled to open in time for the 2019 hockey season.