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Belleville Bulls Arena Name: Yardmen Arena |
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| Yardmen Arena |
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| What's the Arena Like? |
| If it wasn't for the 1999 OHL final that broke my 17-year-old heart, the Belleville Bulls would probably be my second-favourite team in the OHL. The Bulls usually have a clean, fast team that play hockey the way it should be played. They have incredibly awesome old-school uniforms. They personify small-town hockey, with their intimate community rink and friendly, charming fans. The Olympic-sized ice surface is the most obvious unique thing about the Yardmen Arena, but in many ways the arena feels like an upgraded Owen Sound - an intimate small-town community rink, only more solidly built, more brightly lit, and with equally friendly fans. Yardmen Arena is a large, orange and brown building located footsteps off the 401. The words "Yardmen Arena" are spelled out in huge letters and there is also a small sign on the front of the arena reading "Home of the Bulls". The building looks huge from the outside, but appearances can be deceiving - it is actually the OHL's second-smallest behind St. Mike's. The arena is a part of the Quinte Sports Centre complex which also includes Wally Dever Arena, a smaller community barn. There is lots of parking in behind the building, and most fans enter the place from the rear doors. Once inside the main entrance to the arena is up a flight of stairs. The walls of the foyer feature the Belleville Sports Hall of Fame. Once you're upstairs, you pass the ticket booths and enter the arena. The main gate features no view of the ice as it is blocked off by the Bulls' offices, a team store, and the offices of the Belleville City Parks and Recreation department. The walls are painted light blue and gold and the concession areas and souvenir stands are all directly in front of you as you enter the seating area. You either turn left or right to get to your half of the building. The Yardmen is laid out in a two-grandstand design with virtually no seating apart from standing room in the ends. All the seats are green and plastic, and relatively comfortable. The narrow concourse runs along the back of the seating area and bottlenecks during the intermissions. There is also a pair of balconies hanging over the seating areas; tickets for those seats are more expensive and admission is barred unless you have a ticket. The view up there is terrific though - high in the rafters, you can see the play developing perfectly, and you're still close enough to feel like you're on top of the action. It's among the OHL's best views. The press box is up in the rafters as well. There used to be banners hanging over the ice, but with the installation of the video scoreboard and low rafters, there wasn't room for them anymore, so they have been moved to one end of the ice along the wall. The far end of the rink is history central, with all the team's banners and team pictures from every season they've played in Belleville. The banners also commemorate not only the Bulls' history, but all of Belleville sports history including teams which won the Allan Cup and other trophies in the 1950's. While the Bulls are younger than some OHL teams, all of the team's history is on display, which is a big plus from my perspective. They also have a strange-looking "Bull" hanging on one side of the building. I don't think it's a stuffed head, but it's definitely designed to look like it. The ice in Belleville is the OHL's biggest - it's basically Olympic-sized. Watching your team take on the fast-moving Bulls team is either a treat or an ordeal depending on how your team is built. It's one of the biggest home-ice advantages in the league, and the Bulls team is usually built to take advantage. The scoreboard has a full video board, but it's not used to any particular great use - the play is not broadcast during games, and the game I went to also barely ever showed replays. It raises the obvious question as to why the city paid to install a video scoreboard if they're not going to use it properly. There is also a second scoreclock hanging in the end, but since the installation of the video board, it's not used anymore. I don't know why - it would be a decent supplement. Sound quality is good from new speakers, as is the arena announcer. There weren't too many promotions which I quite enjoyed as it kept from being a distraction. The first game I went to in Belleville was unnaturally cold, and I shivered my way through the game in spite of wearing two layers and a winter jacket. However, the temperature issue seems to be fixed as of my second visit. Other than that minor complaint, the Yardmen Arena is a great place to watch a game. The railway history of Belleville permeates the team - "Yardmen" refers to the men who work in the CN rail yards - and whenever the Bulls score, the goal horn is actually a train whistle. It's a great little touch. There are plans afoot to expand the Yardmen by making the seating "U"-shaped, and when they do the arena's seating capacity will match the Bulls' aspirations. The Bulls have the highest average percent-capacity rate in the league year-to-year, and once the Yardmen rises to a more reasonable seating total the Bulls will become one of the league's best-supported franchises. In 1999 my six were blown out on Yardmen ice in Game 7 of the OHL final, and for that reason alone I was prepared to hate the rink from Day 1. But it's simply impossible to hate the Yardmen Arena or the people of Belleville. The Bulls are one of the remaining teams that don't feel like a big corporation; they're simply a local hockey team playing hockey the way it should be played. In Canada, we idealize the mythical small-town hockey club even as the NHL and CHL move quickly away from that ideal. Bellevile is one of the teams that still comes close to the Platonic ideal of a good ol' Canadian hockey team, and seeing that alone makes it worth the trip. Yardmen Arena by Sports Nut, Arena Correspondent Belleville's arena, the Yardmen Arena, is located on the east side of the city near the residential area. It's not 2 minutes from the 401, and if you look closely while driving on the 401, you can see it. The arena is situated on a fairly busy road, right next to the city's river, and is on a very large piece of land. The building itself is 2 different arenas, from what I'm told, with the main entrance being on the east side(street is on the west side). There is a massive parking lot behind the Yardmen, which could easily hold a few hundred cars, my rough estimate. The side of the arena that faces the main street has a large sign that makes the arena quite easy to find if you're not sure what to look for. When you get into the main doors at the arena, you turn left and head up the stairs to the box office and main lobby. The box office isn't large or anything but it doesn't need to be, really. There is a souvenir shop around the corner to the left, which seemed to be very nice the two times I went in. Small, yet stuffed with anything "Bulls" you can think of. Now, as you walk outside of the souvenir shop, there is a huge wall right in front of you. This is the one end of the rink, and appears to be some sort of private box. Not quite sure on that one, unfortunately. However, as you keep walking around the sides, you then venture into the seating area with the ice, and the narrow side walkways. The seats are quite steep and located on the sides of the rink, for the most part. There are limited seats on the north end of the rink (you enter on the south end with the box office), but not enough to really worry about (few dozen). The visiting bench is on the east end, while the home bench is situated directly across from it, with the penalty box being right next to the home bench near center ice. There is also a press box area above the west end that is accessible from both the north and south end for ticket holders of that area. The two times I went, I found myself at center ice and in the one corner. Center ice provides an amazing view of the giant rink, biggest in Ontario I believe, at 200' by 100'. The corner is still a solid view, however with such a large rink, it makes it difficult to make out anything in the far end from your seats. Still, though, not a bad place, really, to sit. As well, the hallways to the locker room underneath the seats are quite accessible, which allows for family and friends to visit the players after the game rather easily. It's simply a matter of going to the front row along the glass, and walking to the end of the arena(north or south), and walking around a corner(going under the seats, so to speak). Out of the way, yet accessible...nice!! The lighting in the arena is nicely done...not too bright, but not dull. The seats are darker green, so the ice being the nice bright white that it is, stands out well. The music, from what I remember, was appropriate with a combination country and other genres suitable for hockey. As well, the announcer was such that they didn't stick out in my mind, so that's a good thing. Loud enough, but not overpowering. Concession stands are well maintained and have a nice selection of hockey favourites for a reasonable price. They were located on either ends of the rink. As well, there are alcohol stands in the corners of the rink, again, at reasonable prices. Generally speaking, the arena is one worth visiting. Between the nice fans, the giant ice surface, and the small arena in general, no complaints at all. |
| Inside the Yardmen Arena, 2008 |
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| Future Developments |
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The new owners of the Bulls have pledged to keep the Bulls in Belleville for the immediate future, however it is not clear whether the team can stay in Belleville when the Yardmen is the smallest OHL building (excluding St. Mike's). The Yardmen could be expanded with seats added in the south end, but it would require massive expenses, which the Belleville city council is reluctant to allow. As of now, I know of no plans for the Yardmen to be renovated or replaced, but there is speculation that the Bulls may be for sale again to outside investors should no progress be made in the near future. |
| What Is It Like For Away Fans? |
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Much like other small-town fans in cities such as Owen Sound, Belleville people are generally nice people with nothing against visiting fans. They welcome visitors with open arms. I managed to keep running conversations going throughout the game with many people in my section about the Knights' record-breaking year and the game, and I received no bad reception from anyone whatsoever. Knighthawk says: Pretty good rink. No intimidation factor. in fact, there were some sort of sympathy for me because some people were saying "Chovie (Jan Chovan) isn't having a very good game." Sports Nut says: Their fans totally rock!!! I've been there twice now with NO problems at all. Well, I did get one evil eye for a lady, but I laughed. You have to stop by the souvenir shop right when you enter the front entrance of the Yardman. The lady in there, Julie, is one of the nicest ladies you'll ever meet!!! I mean, I came in the first time and she knows me from the Bulls chat....she was sooooo nice, smilling, helpful, the works!!! Noofers there seemed to be more than willing to say hello, for the most part, which was really nice. A true family experience there(though, they went wild during the Gilmour/Janssen tilt!). #1 67's Fan says: The Arena is all right, very quiet. It could be just because it was 1-0 but the fans weren't really into the game until the last minute. The fans didn't really like all the noise, telling us to be quiet - I dont think they liked us sitting behind the Bulls' bench. It was a fun trip for me, it was my first time going to the Yardmen Arena. I was heckled a little during the first period but when we made it 2-0 the fans were kinda funny. But hey, in every arena you get some heckling. I wouldnt mind going back. Intimidation Factor: LOW |
How To Get There |
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Exit from the 401 at Exit 544 (Hwy #37 South) and go south on Cannifton Road. The Centre is located on East side just past the second set of lights on Hwy #37. There is plenty of free parking onsite. |
| Admission Prices |
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Balcony - $17.00 Adult - $15.00 Senior/Student - $13.00 Child - $8.50 |
| Franchise History |
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Belleville was added to the OHL as an expansion team in 1981-82. |
| Retired Numbers |
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15 Dunc MacIntyre |
| Inside the Yardmen Arena, 2005 |
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| Local Rivals |
| Kingston, Peterborough, Oshawa. |
About the City |
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By Bellevillian Robbie Rayzor: The city of Belleville was founded in 1789 when about fifty United Empire Loyalists settled on the shores of the Bay of Quinte. The Loyalists were originally Americans who fought on the side of the Crown during the American revolution, and fled the United States when the Colonial forces won the war. Belleville was originally known as Meyers Creek and was named after Captain John Walden Meyers. The city earned its permanant name in 1816 when it was named after a visiting dignitary, Lady Arabella. The city really began to boom when the local timber trade gave birth to the Grand Trunk Railway, a line running between Montreal and Toronto. Currently the population of Belleville is about 46,000. The city has been home to large amounts of factories over the years, and the surrounding area hosts a large number of cheese factories that have been in production for decades. Besides having a large number of people descended from Loyalists, the Quinte area is also home to a significant amount of French and Dutch settlers from back in the Upper Canada days. Belleville is known as Belle-Vegas to the locals and is probably viewed as a sort of a dead town. Not much in the way of major concerts or sporting events happen here (mostly thanks to the City of Belleville and their great skill of sitting on their hands). Loyalist College does have a concert series in the winter months, mostly Canadian new rock bands like Matthew Good, the Trews and the like. Outsiders probably see the city as a poor man's Kingston, which is pretty accurate, and also explains why the rivalry is so fierce between the Fronts and Bulls. The main employers in Belleville are Proctor and Gamble, Sears, Decoma, HCI, Stream, and Lipton Monarch. It's largely a blue-collar town with a lot of farming in the surrounding area. Tourism is also huge as well as real estate. The downtown has had a bit of revival thanks to promotions and the waterfront trail. The trail is a path that runs up from the mouth of the Moira River, almost to the Yardman arena. It's still a shell of what it once was, but I think that's the norm these days. The most famous resident of Belleville is Bobby "the Golden Jet" Hull, who was hockey's first millionaire, and also to his son, Brett "Canada's Best-Known Sports Traitor" Hull. Former Prime Minister Sir John A MacDonald held an office in nearby Picton and another former Prime Minister, Sir Mackenzie Bowell owned the Belleville Intelligencer newspaper. Author Farley Mowat called Belleville home, and singer Avril Lavigne is from Napanee, halfway between Belleville and Kingston. For more information about Belleville accomodations and attractions, please vist Belleville Tourism's website. |
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
2002-08. |