The gathering place for Wheatley after the August 2021 explosion closed the town's two large halls
The Wheatley Area Arena has long served as a community building for shelter, information, entertainment and social gathering. Since the downtown explosion of August 2021 closed the Wheatley Legion Hall and the Car Barn Hall, it has been the only spot where residents can gather.
In the weeks and months after the explosion the arena became even more of a community hub for affected residents. In 2023 it was one of three Chatham-Kent arenas nominated for the Kraft Hockeyville contest, a push the community made as part of its recovery. One organizer described a very old building that was funded and built by local members of the community many years ago.
In March 2023 Chatham-Kent council voted to have administration plan how to rejuvenate the aging facility and make it more accessible. By January 2024 the plan centred on a new elevator and accessible washrooms, which would give access to the second-floor meeting space and to the top deck of the stands for viewing arena events.
Admission, rentals and arrival details, researched from official rink information. Source checks stay current for 30 days.
Adult skating CA$3.75; membership skating CA$7.50; shinny hockey CA$7.50; stick and puck skills CA$7.50 per session (tax included); Tiny Tot skating (ages 1-6) and the sponsored free skates have no charge.
Source checked · · Official source
Registration is not required for the sponsored free skates, which are open to all ages.
Source checked · · Official source
An adult must accompany children under six at Tiny Tot sessions, where children must wear a helmet; at the free skates participants under 17 need to be accompanied by an adult.
Source checked · · Official source
A source check records what the rink published on that date. Session-specific booking details take precedence.
