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Cornwall Royals Arena Name: Water Street Arena |
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| Cornwall Civic Complex |
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| What was the Arena Like? |
| From the exterior, Water Street Arena in Cornwall isn't much. Located in the heart of Cornwall's downtown across the street from the modern hulk of the Civic Complex, the old Arena is clad in dark brown siding and isn't exactly a welcoming place. All that changes once inside, though. All of the character at the Water Street Arena is inside - from the moment you step through the door, the place explodes with colour and atmosphere. The worn, uneven floors at the entrance give way to a bright building done in primary colours - red, yellow, and two shades of blue. All of the seats at the Arena are made from wood, and are essentially glorified benches with backrests. A hallway too narrow to be called a "concourse" extends around the building, and actually ducks under the seats in the one end of the building in an unlit tunnel. Banners hang from the ceiling, and there is no centre scoreclock. The Cornwall Royals were rejected from joining the OHA in the early 1970s for a lot of reasons, but one of them was the inadequacy (even then) of the 1500-seat Water Street Arena as a major junior rink. As the Royals joined the Q instead and went on to one of the most spectacular runs of success in junior hockey history, the city built the new, charmless Civic Complex across the street for the team, and Water Street's colour was lost to the major junior ranks. With the city looking to redevelop the downtown and the site of Water Street Arena being prime real estate (well, by Cornwall standards, anyway) it's looking like the arena itself will most likely be lost sometime in the near future. If you're ever in the area and want to drop in on an endangered relic from a bygone era that's essentially unchanged since the day it opened, it's well-worth the stop. |
| Inside the Water Street Arena |
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How To Get There |
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From Ottawa: Take Highway 417 east to Highway 138. Proceed south to Cornwall. Turn right on Cornwall Centre Road, then left on Brookdale Ave. Proceed South past the International Bridge. Brookdale turns left under the bridge and becomes Water Street. Proceed East. From Toronto: Take Highway 401 east to Brookdale Ave. exit. Proceed South past the International Bridge. Brookdale turns left under the bridge and becomes Water Street. Proceed East. From Montreal: Take Autoroute 20 or 40 west to Highway 401 then west to Brookdale Ave. Proceed South past the International Bridge. Brookdale turns left under the bridge and becomes Water Street. Proceed East. |
| What's it Used For Today? |
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Long after the Royals vacated, the Water Street Arena was renamed to the Si Miller Arena for the city's long-serving Director of Parks and Recreation. Si Miller today is home to the Cornwall Colts of the CJAHL, but as mentioned, the city is looking at the possibility of demolishing it. Nothing has been done as of yet, but the place will most likely be demolished within the next few years. |
Feedback |
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at  and I'll update the guide. |
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Copyright © Kevin Jordan
2002-07. |