So much history of hockey in Ottawa. Arguably the sport started here and not Toronto but they went…read moredecades without a team and came back about two decades ago and then had an arena built for them far outside the city in Kanata. The arena, Canada Tire Centre, is quite dated but they do their best with a good fan experience. My wife and I went here for our first hockey game in Canada to see our Kraken play the Senators. It was Oktoberfest night and they had a Bavarian dance troupe that was fun to see from crowds up in the club level. Their star player Brady Tkachuk is amazing and grew up near me where his father Keith was on the Blues. Hence I got a Brady Tkachuk jersey from Fanatics to wear while my wife wore a Kraken jersey.

Ottawa Senators The original Ottawa Senators were founded…read morein 1883. They won the Stanley Cup 11 times playing in the NHL from 1917 until 1934. For complicated reasons I don't understand the team moved, changed names, and possibly went bankrupt. You can research the details if you're interested. On December 6, 1990, after a two-year public campaign by Firestone, the NHL awarded a new franchise, which began play in the 1992-93 season. The Senators have made 16 playoff appearances, won four division titles, and won the 2003 Presidents' Trophy. They made an appearance in the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Anaheim Ducks in five games. So there you have the history that is important to me. I support all the teams because of my love for the sport. This one has a place in my heart because of the history. I'm not sure I'll ever get to see them play live. I hope their local fans support them so they won't lose their place in the NHL. NHL wants to expand the league not lose teams.

This site offers great entertainment all summer long. Great team building activity. Cost is very…read moreresealable to bring family and friends. Enjoy the suites with work colleagues, food, beer, and great entertainment. Easy access with O-Train

After I had booked my hotel for my recent visit to Ottawa, I checked what was around it. I realized…read morethat I was staying next door to Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT) Park. My first thought: That ballpark's name is a mouthful! My second thought: Is the name a law firm representing two people or four? The ballpark is home to the Ottawa Titans. A number of Ottawa baseball teams have come and gone over the years. The Titans made their debut in 2020 as part of the MLB Partner Frontier League - East Division. Being a partner league means that this team has no direct affiliation with individual MLB organizations, but it collaborates on promoting the sport in North America. Although the name of this ballpark sounds like a law firm, it's actually an accounting firm. It was founded by Jacques Raymond and Guy Chabot. Like the various Ottawa baseball teams that have come and gone, so have partners at this accounting firm. There must have been some merger in the past, because the Grant Thornton part of the name points to an accounting firm in the United States. It was founded by Alexander Grant, went through a bunch of partner names changes, and is now known as Grant Thornton. So, the baseball park's name comprises the last names of four men. It used to be called Ottawa Stadium. I yearn for simplicity. I saw RCGT Park every day from my hotel room. It was cool seeing whether there was a game based on whether the stadium lights were on. I decided to take in a game on Canada Day. My plan was to check out celebrations downtown and then come here to see the Titans play against the Quebec Capitales. I bought my ticket before arriving in Ottawa. I got a decent lower-level seat for $17, which includes tax. It's the most expensive ticket that you can purchase, which is highly affordable. I paid for parking online through Indigo. It was $7. You register your licence plate through the app, specify when you're taking in the game, and pay. In hindsight, I didn't need to pay for parking. If you're staying at the Courtyard Ottawa East, you can simply walk across the parking lot and save some money. The game was to start at 5 pm. I left downtown at around 4:30 pm. It was pouring rain. I didn't know whether the game was on. I still headed to this stadium and parked. I had seven minutes before the first pitch. Security is interesting at this stadium. Staff scan your electronic ticket. That's it. There's no security check at all. So, the guy who brought a huge drum to get the crowd going just walked through with a valid ticket. Kind of weird. It was a throwback to simpler times, but I was living them here. I got a bottle of Diet Coke at the concession stand. I used a credit card to pay. The man who helped me with my order was nice and professional. I used the women's washroom. There were perhaps twelve stalls. Mine was clean and decent. There were many sinks available. The scoreboard stated that this game was delayed by an hour due to rain. The hour delay allowed me to check out the team store. I liked the caps, but many were fixed and could not be adjusted. I like adjustable ones because my big head needs an adjustable one, rather than unintentionally busting a cap when attempting to wear it. I saw the tarp being folded by staff. Staff also wiped down the seats that were wet. It was a nice touch. I actually helped them out by wiping down my seat before sitting down. This ballpark is nice. It has a split-level design, with a concourse running around the middle of the seating bowl. This concourse is the main level. Since I had a lower seat, I was actually walking down. If you have an upper seat, you are climbing up stairs to get there. Apparently, there's a play area for kids. I didn't get around to seeing it. The stadium has skyboxes. I saw some folks occupying a couple during the game. There used to be an upper desk restaurant, but it no longer exists. Bummer. You can technically see a game from Coventry Road. It also means that you can occasionally see a ball fly out of the stadium and potentially hit a passing car. I had a nice view of the home team's dugout, along with home plate and third base. I liked my seat. The only downside to this stadium is that there aren't any handrails. I saw one older man hold on to the backs of chairs. There was also a drunk woman who was wobbling all over the place that it caused some concern for a lot of us watching her make her way up the stairs. The Titans were trailing by a run in the fifth inning. I went to buy a hot dog, as I was getting hungry. I got back to my seat and started eating it. The Titans scored three runs. Note to self: When the home team is trailing, get food. Get a footlong next time! The team mascot is Cappy. Sadly, his name is so close to Crappy that I snickered whenever I saw him. I got a Cappy plushie. It wasn't crappy. The Titans won 4-2. Yay! I had a great time. It's a nice stadium with affordable tickets. There's free wifi, too. (257)

This stadium was built specifically for the Red Blacks football team. There are other teams that…read moreplay as well such as hockey, volleyball, soccer and many more. The field and surroundings are clean. I like how there are info people if you do get lost. There are many washrooms and potties around. The football games a bit empty or so when I went especially for the long weekend but the crowd really set the atmosphere. The DJ as well was playing some awesome tunes to pump up the audience. Before the game starts there are a variety of alcoholic drinks for $10. The food is a bit expensive for what you get. I will be back for sure.

Opinions about Lansdowne Park are very polarized. I was living in Ottawa during the re-development…read moreand I feel that there was so much potential for it to be a more beautiful space. There is too much concrete and not enough greenery, in my opinion. Too many mega chains not enough independents. I feel that it lacks charm. Many Ottawans (including me, admittedly) were excited about the arrival of Whole Foods. However, since they've opened I've been there a grand total of 3 times. Ottawa's only Sporting Life is also at Lansdowne. There's what I call an "urban concept" Winners there (i.e. not too much selection and relatively small). It's similar in layout to the one on Sparks St. Like I mentioned earlier, many of the restaurants are big franchised places that offer burgers, pizza, etc., and in my opinion are not too dissimilar from each other. There are very few smaller independent places that have character, more unique fare, and a more intimate setting. However, I recognize that you need huge restaurants should people who go to the stadium want to go for dinner before/after the game (the stadium fits 24,000 people after all). There's the big stadium of course, and there is a skate park, and a wading pool/area for kids. There is some green space towards the back of the area, and they have retained some of the original buildings like the Aberdeen Pavilion, so all is not lost. Parking is a pain in the butt. There's a paid parking lot but it's quite pricey (and the lot is kind of a maze, and also a zoo - metaphorically, not literally, no monkeys or pandas!), and street parking is hard to come by, plus you are limited to only 1-2 hours. My opinion is that Lansdowne Park may be cool for people living in the neighbourhood who can walk there, but a bit of a pain to get to and find parking for everyone else.

Of the 7 current NHL arenas I have been to this is 7th out of 7th Here is the rundown…read more Arena feels quite dated compared to the others I have been to, even though our favorite Madison Square Garden is much older and others are of similiar age. Unlike Centre Bell and Scotiabank Arena which have great food, drinks, and WiFi there are limited food and drink options here (at least on 3rd floor where we sat) and no WiFi. The arena is also far away from the city center although luckily they are putting new arena near the War Museum in LeBreton Flats that will be on the light rail line. They do their best to make up for the shortcomings and have a couple restaurants in the arena but we didn't try them as well as great pregame and intermission entertainment. When we went on November 2nd against the Kraken it was Oktoberfest night and they had pregame specials and entertainment we missed along with a beer stein giveaway they ran out of (but we didn't want to fly back with them anyways), and a German dance troupe during intermission that was just to the left and below us on the club level and the Jumbotron was fun to watch throughout the game. The team has so much potential and I love Brady Tkachuk as his dad Keith was my favorite Blues player growing up so I got his jersey in advance. Plus hockey really has its origins in Ottawa rather than Toronto even though the original Senators relocated to St. Louis to become the Eagles before they got the current team several decades later. Looking forward to seeing Ottawa again when Parliament is restored and they have a new and improved arena.

This is the 7th hockey arena I've visited. It's almost 30 years old, but the place still looks…read morepretty new. Pretty easy access to get in and out and there are plenty of restrooms and food choices. Staff was also super cool and friendly along with all of the Ottawa fans we met. It is out in the middle of the boonies, so we didn't drive there and stayed at the hotel that was 0.5 miles down the road. It is pretty easy to walk on Huntmar Dr and across the bridge to the arena. That's the only downside is that the place is like a 30 minute drive to downtown. There are some things around the area, but it is still pretty dead and you can't really pregame like you can at other arenas.

Last night, I had a mini reunion with a former co-worker, now friend. We hadn't seen each other…read moresince we worked at the same company in Winnipeg. It had been so long that the calculation of years that we last saw each other was both scary and ridiculous. He plays hockey. I watch hockey. We are both hockey fans. He invited me to see his game last night. His team was playing at Carleton Ice House (CIH). This hockey facility is located at Carleton University. I continue my trend of visiting university campuses without taking a single course. It was easy finding this complex. There were also two parking lots with lots of spots in front of it. My friend gave me a special code that allowed me to park for free. I felt super VIP. You can either pay for parking at parking kiosks in either both lots or CIH. You can either pay through your phone's browser (that's how I did it) or download the app. It was easy. I walked through the main entrance. A sport medicine clinic and washrooms were on the left. The former was closed when I was there just before 7 pm. I used the washroom after the game was over. It was clean with at least six stalls. This facility is the home of the Ravens varsity hockey team. It's bright and inviting when you walk in. What took me by surprise was that this complex has two NHL-sized ice rinks. What?! I'm so used to going into an arena to watch a hockey game. Arena. Singular. Okay, which rink was my friend's team playing on? I went to Arena A. The second floor is where you go to sit down and take in a game. It looked like the North Stars were playing some other team and all players looked young. It wasn't my friend's game. I watched these teams warm up before I left. I headed to Arena B. Seating is on the first floor. The two teams that were playing were larger. Again, it wasn't my friend's team, but I stayed to watch the game. It was entertaining and both teams were evenly matched. My friend texted me a selfie. He was sporting his team's jersey, which was super helpful! He said that he didn't know which arena he was going to play at. I texted him back and said that Arena B's game was over, so he'd likely be on it. I chose correctly. The zamboni came out to clean the ice. My friend was playing at Arena B. It felt like high school. He found me in the stands, skated over, and tapped the plexiglass. I came down to talk to him for a bit. It was cool, especially seeing him after all these years. The Otters is my friend's team. It's a pride team year-round and is inclusive. My friend's son is transgendered, so it made sense that he joined it. The game consisted of two periods of play. There were two referees. One of them smiled at me during the second period while standing in front of me. Another first! Sadly, his team lost to the Rejects. I sat several benches away from the wife and daughter of the Otters' goalie. They were loud, but I appreciated their enthusiasm. Both ice rinks are cold temperature-wise. If you get cold easily, grab a sweater or jacket. I actually went in with shorts and a t-shirt, and was fine. I run on the hotter side, so I'm a bit different. My friend skated over after the game. He let me know that he'd need some time to switch out of his gear. I told him to take his time. I waited steps away from the Welcome Centre. My friend showered and changed, and we headed to his car with a couple of his teammates that I got to meet. As a hockey fan, this experience was wonderful. My friend had beer in the trunk of his car. We had a mini tailgate drinking a can of beer and chatting. It was a nice tradition that this team has and I was thrilled to be a part of it. I had a good time taking in a free game with my friend in it despite the outcome. CIH is an awesome hockey facility. I'm glad that I was able to check it out. (226)

Low stock on sizes and poor overall selection. Settled for a pair of cleats that fit ok but not…read moregreat and made the purchase as sales guy assured me they could be returned as long as not used. Took them back unworn with tag and box and was refused refund due to " no returns policy" .The item was full price not clearance. Very dissatisfied. Not acceptable for store staff to be giving out inaccurate store policy. Go to Disalvo sports instead, better selection, more space to try on the shoes AND reasonable standard return policies.

A shop that specializes in equipment for soccer in Gatitneau-Ottawa, is a rare commodity. If you…read moreare looking for something specific, it is sure that you will find it at this store. They have a great selection of clothes. I recommend to all those who have a child who is goalkeeper or who are goalkeepers themselves, it's the only place where I could find pants and sweaters for them. The staff are really experts in soccer, all being players or former players. They will be able to direct you to the right choices for your child. On the other hand, the store is very small and we have the impression that everything is piled up and it can be a bit difficult to navigate. Also, the selection of gloves, especially for children, is somewhat limited. Very large selection of shoes with cleats, but a little expensive compared to other places. This is my #1 place when I have a piece of soccer equipment to buy.