Latest news with #JoeBirch
CBC
13-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Kitchener council approves $4.5M in upgrades to The Aud that will improve players' area, add restaurant
Renovations at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium expected to take place this summer have been approved by city councillors. The Kitchener Rangers will fund $2.5 million to upgrade areas of the arena used by the hockey team while the city will spend $2 million to create an on-site restaurant. Joe Birch, chief operating officer of the Kitchener Rangers, said the renovations are being driven by the fact "we need to remain elite and there's a significant change in the hockey landscape." He said they asked the players and they were told they need a larger player lounge and an on-site gym. It's expected the Ontario Hockey League will expand to more teams, meaning the Rangers will face more competition for players, he said. As well, the rules recently changed to allow players to be able to play for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) teams in the U.S., the Rangers need to offer better facilities to recruit top talent, he said. These Big 10 schools, like Michigan and Penn State, have "incredible facilities" for athletes funded by football and other sports programs. "We don't want to lose anyone due to things that are within our control," Birch said. "We're competing with those [Big 10 universities] when we want to recruit [hockey players] into the league, but more importantly, in retaining our 19-year-old and our 20-year-old hockey players. We just cannot afford to lose them." New players' area, offices, restaurant The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, often referred to in the community as simply The Aud, opened in May 1951 and its last major renovation was in 2012, also through a partnership between the Rangers and the city. The report that went before Kitchener city council on Monday's community and infrastructure services committee detailed how the Kitchener Rangers hockey team wanted to improve the players' dressing room area, business office and the room used by media and scouts. The $2.5 million in renovations would be fully funded by the team. At the same time, the city will also undertake renovations to change a lounge room into a 120-seat restaurant. Allyson Samms, manager of The Aud, told councillors it's an "exciting opportunity" to add a restaurant to the building because there aren't many dining options in that part of the city. Adding a restaurant would cost the city $2 million of which $575,000 would come from the tax base. Other funding would come from a reserve fund from ticket sales at The Aud as well as the municipal accommodation tax. Councillors passed the motion to move forward with the renovations during the committee meeting, then also at a special council meeting Monday evening, meaning the project has been fully approved. Coun. Bil Ioannidis said he was happy to support the move because he felt like the partnership between the Rangers and city was a special one that benefitted the whole community. "I can't think of another community that has such a beautiful relationship with a tenant, such as the Rangers," he said. "We have to keep working together to make a great product for the community." Coun. Scott Davey agreed the team is a "terrific partner" with the city and the Rangers "bring a lot of vibrancy" to the community. Future of The Aud Renovations are expected to take place between July and October. The renovations are also necessary because, Birch said, it appears there is no new facility in the team's near future. City staff have told the Rangers The Aud is expected to operate as it is for at least the next 10 years. In the Ontario Hockey League, the top competitors for the Rangers are London and Oshawa, which Birch said are also renovating their facilities. Other OHL teams are also working to improve their buildings, he said. Sarnia and Saginaw have recently completed renovations while Sudbury, Ottawa and Brantford all plan to have new buildings. Coun. Debbie Chapman questioned whether the city spending $2 million was worth it if The Aud could be replaced in 10 years. Bob Cheyne, director of sport for the city, said by the end of 2026, staff will undertake two key initiatives. One is to complete a venue assessment with a third-party consultant. The second is to develop a strategic "road map" to outline work that needs to be done at The Aud. "We anticipate that The Aud will continue to operate as it does. The building is in good current condition and we see it working as it is today for the next five years, more likely closer to the next 10 years," he said. Davey says he knows people in the community will be interested to hear what is next for a hockey arena in the city, but for now, The Aud works. "I'd love to see a new arena as well. But the reality is the auditorium is in good shape. It's kind of like that beautiful classic car, that the bones are good," Davey said. "I know there's lots of folks out there that want us to buy a sports car and we will. But it's 10, 15 years away … in the meantime, we're doing everything we can to make this as vibrant as possible."
CTV News
12-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Renovations at The Aud to bring new player facilities, restaurant
Now that the Kitchener Rangers have ended their season, a new project is set to start at home ice. The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium will undergo a series of renovations aimed at enhancing the user experience for both players and fans. One part of the plan is upgrading player facilities, such as the fitness centre, player's lounge and physical therapy spaces. The three-part project will also include the development of new office spaces, as well as a media and scout area. The Aud Kitchener Rangers Artist's rendering of the renovations at The Aud. (Provided) 'It's all about player recruitment and player experience,' explained Joe Birch, the Rangers' chief operating officer. He emphasized the need for a competitive edge over other hockey markets, whether that be provincially, nationally or internationally. 'We're competing now with U.S. colleges,' Birch said. 'We had to be able to do some renovations and improve the player experience that were really within our control and financial means.' Then he added, 'No time like the present to be able to do this.' The Rangers organization said it will be covering the cost of the renovations, budgeted at $2.5 million. The Aud Kitchener Rangers Artist's rendering of the renovations at The Aud. (Provided) Built in 1950, the last time The Aud underwent any major improvements was in 2012, with the addition of 1,000 new seats, a concourse, community room, concession stands and a media area. The Kitchener Rangers take on the London Knights at the Aud in Kitchener on March 18, 2025. The Kitchener Rangers take on the London Knights at the Aud in Kitchener on March 18, 2025. Part of the proposal includes an opportunity for the City of Kitchener to build a new restaurant inside The Aud. The dining space would take over the Subscriber's Lounge, currently located on the second floor of the building. The budget for that part of the project is estimated at $2 million, with taxpayers covering 25 per cent of it. 'It is available and open, not only for Rangers' games, but for [KW] Titans' games, other events and tournaments,' noted Bob Cheyne, the city's sport director. k-w titans The K-W Titans played at The Aud on Family Day. (Hannah Schmidt/Feb. 17, 2025) 'Depending on what the capacity [or] uptake is of the restaurant, over the estimated 100 operational days the payback would be anywhere between four and seven years,' said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. He believes the renovations are a much-needed investment for both the team and the city. 'I think these improvements are really going to help take the team to the next level over the coming years and will also guide the city in its work,' Vrbanovic said. Upgrades to the Rangers' home base are expected to wrap up by the end of August, just in time for training camp. If all goes according to plan, the city said it expects the restaurant to be up and running by the start of the 2025-2026 season in October.
