Vanier's city arena, named for its 1970s mayor, became a shelter in 2023 and stayed closed to hockey in 2024
Bernard Grandmaître Arena is the City of Ottawa's arena in Vanier, named for the man who sat on Vanier city council as an alderman from 1969 to 1974 and served as its mayor from 1974 to 1980 and again from 1982 to 1984. Grandmaître was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2013 for fostering the vitality and growth of Ontario's Francophone community. He died on October 28, 2025, at the age of 92.
Before the pandemic the ice belonged to minor hockey: a February 2020 photograph shows a youth team practising there. In 2023 the City turned the building into a temporary shelter, moving the Heron Road Physical Distancing Centre into the arena to house single men. Closure of the shelter was planned for mid-August 2023, with work to follow to ready the facility for regular fall programming, but on August 21, 2023 it remained one of Ottawa's two remaining physical distancing centres, and the local councillor and community association were asking for it back for hockey.
Vanier has few other recreation options, especially indoors, which made the loss of the arena harder on the neighbourhood. On October 7, 2024 the quarter's young people still could not use Bernard Grandmaître Arena for hockey, skating or any other recreation.
Admission, rentals and arrival details, researched from official rink information. Source checks stay current for 30 days.
Basic skating, including HST: adult CA$5.85; child, youth or student CA$3.50; senior CA$4.40; family CA$3.50 per person. Specialized skating and hockey use a separate, higher Plus rate. Specialized skating and hockey (Plus rate, including HST): child, youth or student CA$6.20; adult CA$10.35; senior CA$7.75.
Source checked · · Official source
Bring exact change or a valid membership. At this stand-alone arena, the attendant cannot make change or accept credit or debit cards.
Source checked · · Official source
At public and family skates, children 10 and under must be actively supervised by a parent or guardian aged 14 or older.
Source checked · · Official source
On-site parking is available.
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A source check records what the rink published on that date. Session-specific booking details take precedence.