Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
J.L. Grightmire Arena
35 Market Street South
Dundas, Ontario
Year Opened: 1950
Capacity:1,000
Small Town Blues
Although it is part of the City of Hamilton, the community of Dundas has a personality all of its own. The former town was amalgamated into the City of Hamilton in 2001 and currently boasts 24,000 residents. Dundas is also the home of Canadian icon, Doug McKenzie, of the McKenzie Brothers of SCTV Fame, actor Dave Thomas.
One of the staples of Dundas is the Dundas Blues hockey team. Founded in 1959 as a team at the Junior D level. It folded after two seasons and was reformed as the Junior C Dundas Merchants. In 1971, the team was renamed the Blues and moved to the Junior B level. In 1981, the Blues settled at the Junior C level, where they remain today as part of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) playing in the South Bloomfield Division. In 2010, Dundas won the annual Kraft Hockeyville contest which brought with it an NHL preseason game and money for infrastructure. Home for the Blues is the J.L. Grightmire Arena. Built in 1950 and named after James Louis Grightmire who founded a bus line between Dundas and Hamilton after World War I. He also founded the Dundas Golf and Curling Club and was involved in building the arena.
Food & Beverage 2
There is one main concession stand in the lobby. The menu ifeatures typical arena snack bar fare, including hot dogs, popcorn, chocolate, candy sandwiches, wraps and breakfast sandwiches. Coffee, hot chocolate, tea, smoothies and Coca-Cola products are the soft drink options that are available. There is a big push in the arena for patrons to bring their own cup to reduce the garbage created. A separate beer cart is also found in the lobby where Grain and Gut Beer Company products are available for sale.
Atmosphere 3
The J.L. Grightmire Arena was built in 1950 and has had a few renovations since then including one that wrapped up in 2023. The exterior of the arena features light brick and glass and gives it that feeling of an old building with a modern refresh. The main entry off of Market Street leads into the upgraded lobby which is bright and modern. The lobby has a number of old photos and framed newspaper articles reminding students of the history of the building. The original cornerstone delineating the opening of the arena in 1950 is also prevalent near the entry. Windows from the lobby also look into the arena and allow some patrons to watch from the warmth.
Entering the arena shows a cozy, old-school rink where the ice surface runs from west to east. Fans immediately are aware that the J.L. Grightmire Arena is the home of the Dundas Real McCoys, a senior hockey team that has been an institution in Dundas and previously in neighbouring Flamborough. The east end of the arena is littered with Real McCoys championship banners that encircle the scoreclock. Also along the south wall there are a number of Real McCoy numbers that are retired, the most prevalent of which is former Toronto Maple Leafs captain, Rick Vaive, who finished his playing career with the Real McCoys as a player coach. There are also a number of minor hockey banners around the arena. Although the centre ice logo, which is oddly best seen from the west end of the arena, is of the Dundas Blues, a moniker shared by the minor teams, the presence of the Blues in the arena is muted. There are some Dundas Blues banners that get lost in the shuffle on the south side. There are some old, faded banners from Blues league championships in 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1993. There are also retired numbers for former blues Ward Batter, Jeff Aglor and Rick Kunc. The Hockeyville banner hangs prominently in the arena. The ceiling has a gentle arch with the typical silver insulation. The long sides of the arena have three rows of arena seats and the ends have six rows. Although finding a seat under one of the gas heaters hanging over the seating area may be the best choice, the best sightlines are from the ends. A small track around the arena offers a bit of a path around. A bit of a unique feature of the Grightimre Arena is that the Blues’ dressing room is behind the seating on the south side of the arena. At the beginning of the period, players cross the track and step down the stairs into the bench area before getting to the ice. Probably not the safest of features, but a relatively unique one that has an old-school feel to it.
The gameday production in Dundas is what one would expect for Junior C hockey. Thursday nights are when the Blues traditionally play. Typical promotions at the arena include a 50/50 draw, various raffles and the chuck-a-puck promotion. The chuck-a-puck is particularly entertaining as the protective mesh around the rink prevents a simple promotion. During the second intermission, fans pack on to the Blues bench so that they can throw their puck on the ice. The mascot, Lo, interacts with, and entertains fans.
Neighbourhood 3
Dundas is a community, former town, west of Hamilton proper, that technically is part of the City of Hamilton. It has an interesting small-town, downtown area that has some options for pre and post game food and drink. Some options include Shawn & Ed Brewing Co, Thirsty Cactus, Betula, Namu, Valley Charcoal and Collins Brewhouse. For other sporting options, the Dundas Real McCoys play in the Senior ACH league and share Grightmire Arena. The Blues own Thursday evenings in Dundas and get a pretty good crowd. Other sporting options are found in Hamilton proper, including the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Hamilton Kilty B’s, McMaster Marauders football and basketball and Forge FC. Beginning in 2024, the former FirstOntario Centre, home of the Toronto Rock, is undergoing huge renovations and displacing the NLL team. The Hamilton Cardinals may also be an option, but the schedules will probably not align. Other tourist options include Dundas Museum, the Niagara Escarpment and many of the walking trails in the area. For fans wishing to stay in the area, there are a number of B&B options or the Barracks Inn. Finding accommodations in Hamilton may be a better option.
Fans 4
Assessing fans in the PJHL is difficult as the league does not aggregate publish and attendance figures. It seems that the Dundas Blues are among the top drawing teams in the PJHL. For the 2024-25 season, at the time of writing, the Blues averaged over 400 fans per game. The game reviewed saw over 500 fans in attendance. The previous season saw the Blues average 345 fans per game. Fans in attendance are knowledgeable and supportive of the Blues. At the game reviewed there were plenty of kids running around, not really watching hockey, but definitely excited about the night out at the arena.
Access 4
The J.L. Grightmire Arena is located in the community of Dundas, west of the traditional boundaries of Hamilton. It is on the east side of Market Street, two blocks south of Highway 8 or King Street, south of Hatt Street. Getting to the arena will require driving through Dundas, but that is not a big issue. The parking at the arena is limited, so getting there on the earlier side is recommended. For fans wishing to take public transit, there is an HSR transit stop on King Street. Fans should consult the Hamilton Street Railway website for fares, schedules and maps. Getting around the arena is not terribly difficult, but fans with mobility issues should keep in mind that the arena is of a fifties vintage, and there will be some stairs and narrow points on the track. The bathrooms are on the small side, but did not seem to have long lineups.
Return on Investment 5
Typically, Junior C hockey is among the most affordable sporting experiences there is. Tickets for the Blues go for $10 with students and seniors getting in for $8. The large number of kids running around can be explained by the Blues’ policy whereby kids under 13 years of age get free entry. Blues Alumni also have free entry. Parking, although limited, is free and concession prices are what one would expect. The product on the ice is decent and the Blues generally have a good team. The Blues, although technically part of big-city Hamilton, do give off that small town vibe so prevalent through the PJHL.
Extras 2
An extra mark for Dundas winning the 2010 Hockeyville contest.
An extra mark for the City of Hamilton and community of Dundas restoring a classic arena.
Final Thoughts
Taking in a Dundas Blues game will give fans that small town feel that the PJHL boasts, in a classic arena for a supportive community. The J.L. Grightmire Arena is a classic arena that has been given a significant facelift to make it more modern and comfortable. Taking in a Blues game is an affordable and enjoyable sporting experience fans should consider while in the area.
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