Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex facts for kids
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The Aud
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 Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Location in Ontario
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Location in Canada
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| Location | Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
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| Coordinates | 43°26′49″N 80°28′1″W / 43.44694°N 80.46694°W |
| Owner | City of Kitchener |
| Operator | City of Kitchener |
| Capacity | 7,131 (Ice hockey seated) 7,777 (with standing) 7,312 (Basketball) 8,462 (Concerts) |
| Surface | Ice 200'x85' |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1950 |
| Opened | May 24, 1951 |
| Tenants | |
| Kitchener Greenshirts (OHA) (1951–1954) Kitchener Canucks (OHA) (1954–1956) Kitchener Dutchmen (GOJHL) (1956–2020) Kitchener Rangers (OHL) (1963–present) KW Titans (BSL) (2016–present) |
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The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, often called The Aud, is a big place in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. It's owned by the city and has many different areas for sports and events.
The complex includes the main "Kitchener Memorial Auditorium" with the Dom Cardillo Arena. It also has two smaller community rinks, the Kinsmen Arena and Kiwanis Arena. Outside, you'll find the Jack Couch Stadium for baseball and a skatepark.
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The Aud: Home of Sports and Shows
The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, or The Aud, is famous for its main ice rink, the Dom Cardillo Arena. It can hold over 7,200 people for seated events and nearly 7,800 with standing room.
This arena is the home of the Kitchener Rangers, a popular junior hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. It's also where the KW Titans basketball team plays in the Basketball Super League.
The Aud was first built in 1950. It has been made bigger three times since then to welcome more fans.
Big Hockey Events at The Aud
The Aud has hosted many important hockey tournaments. It was the site of the 2008 Memorial Cup, a huge junior hockey championship. Extra seats were added for this special event.
It also hosted Memorial Cup games in 1962, 1975, and 1984. Other big hockey events included the CHL Top Prospects Game and Ontario Hockey League All-star games.
More Exciting Events
Beyond hockey, The Aud has seen many other major events. These include international figure skating competitions like the Homesense Skate Canada International and the World Junior Figure Skating Championships. It has also hosted wrestling shows and concerts by famous musicians.
Some of the well-known artists who have performed here include Pearl Jam, Backstreet Boys, Bob Dylan, Elton John, and Michael Bublé. The Aud has also been used for training camps by the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team and exhibition games for the NBA basketball league.
Seating at The Aud
The Aud can hold different numbers of people depending on the event:
- About 7,777 people for hockey games.
- About 7,312 people for basketball games.
- About 8,462 people for concerts with a stage at one end.
The arena also has 26 special luxury suites and a restaurant where you can eat while watching the action.
A Look Back: The Aud's History
The current Aud replaced an older building called the Queen Street Auditorium. That first arena was built in 1904 but was destroyed by a big fire in 1948.
In the early days, the old Aud had natural ice for hockey. Later, in 1927, artificial ice was installed. Famous hockey players once played there. During the Second World War, when many young men were away, the building became a popular dance hall.
Making The Aud Bigger
Over the years, the Kitchener Rangers hockey team became very popular, often selling out their games. This led to discussions about making The Aud even bigger.
In 2012, an agreement was made to expand The Aud. The Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club helped pay for this project. The work involved adding about 1,000 new seats, bringing the total seating capacity to 7,234. The standing room capacity became 7,777. This expansion was finished by the end of 2012.
Jack Couch Park: Baseball Fun
Jack Couch Park is a baseball stadium right next to The Aud. It has 1,400 seats and is home to the Kitchener Panthers baseball team. They play in the Intercounty Baseball League.
Images for kids
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Exterior
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Interior Prior to 2012 Addition
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Kinsman Arena, home to the Kitchener Dutchmen
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Facade
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See also
- List of indoor arenas in Canada
