WFCU Centre

The WFCU Centre is an arena and entertainment centre in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The WFCU Centre replaced the 84-year-old Windsor Arena as the primary home of the Windsor Spitfires. It opened on December 11, 2008, in the east end of the city. The WFCU Centre is owned by the City of Windsor, operated by Comcast Spectacor, and named for Windsor Family Credit Union.

WFCU Centre
Full nameWindsor Family Credit Union Centre
Address8787 McHugh Street
LocationWindsor, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates42.3186°N 82.9279°W / 42.3186; -82.9279
OwnerCity of Windsor
OperatorComcast Spectacor
Capacity
  • 6,450 ice hockey
  • 6,500 end stage concert
  • 4,500 hybrid concert
  • 3,000 theatre concert
  • 670 premium club seats
  • 31 luxury private suites
  • 2 party/group suites
Field size302,000 sq ft (28,100 m2)
Scoreboard8 sided, 24 feet in diameter
Construction
Broke groundJanuary 22, 2007[1]
Built2007–2008
OpenedDecember 11, 2008
Construction costC$71 million[1]
($83 million in 2018 dollars[2])
ArchitectBBB Architects, Ltd.
Structural engineerHGS Consulting Engineers Ltd.[3]
Services engineerVollmer & Associates[4]
General contractorPCR Contractors
Tenants
Windsor Spitfires (OHL) (2008–Present)
Windsor Express (NBLC) (2012–Present)
Website
wfcu-centre.com

History

City council approved the project on October 4, 2006, and the groundbreaking ceremony took place on January 22, 2007. The WFCU Centre was built at a cost of approximately $71 million by the Windsor, Ontario-based construction company, PCR Contractors. The land was purchased from London, Ontario developer Farhi Holdings Corporation. The construction of this sports-entertainment centre was decided upon as a part of the city government's overall effort to add excitement to the economy. As part of that effort, Windsor city council committed to building the centre, and agreed to fund most of the cost.

During the initial stages of planning, several other committees and companies proposed building arenas and venues in the area, including a privately owned skating arena, as well as proposed a relocation of the Windsor Raceway Slots to Tecumseh, Ontario, owned by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

In August, 2013 Windsor City Council approved a $6.5 million addition to the WFCU Centre, adding a 25-metre pool in advance of the city hosting the 2016 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) which were held inside the WFCU Centre. The WFCU Centre complies with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Sports
The exterior of the WFCU Centre

The WFCU Centre is home to both the Ontario Hockey League OHL's Windsor Spitfires and the National Basketball League of Canada NBLC's Windsor Express.

The Windsor Spitfires won both the 2009 and 2010 OHL Championship final series on home ice, and the Windsor Express won the 2014 League Championships on home court.

The WFCU Centre has played host to a variety of large-scale events in hockey including the 2012 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, the OHL All Star Game and the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. The WFCU Centre also hosted both the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships and the Skate Canada International in 2012, the latter being broadcast internationally. The WFCU Centre also played host to the Grey Power World Cup of Curling in 2010.

The WFCU Centre hosted the 2017 Memorial Cup.

References
  1. "Arena Kickoff Ends 30 Years of Waiting". Windsor Star. January 22, 2007. Archived from the original on November 17, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2007.
  2. Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020. and 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  3. "Windsor Family Credit Centre". HGS Consulting Engineers Ltd. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  4. "Commercial". Vollmer & Associates. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
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