Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Bill Gies Recreation Centre
1401 Queens Bush Road
Wellesley, Ontario
Year Opened: 2023
Capacity: 500
A is for Apple … J is for Jacks
For people of a certain vintage, the lyric “A is for Apple … J is for Jacks” produces an earworm of a jingle advertising sugary breakfast cereal, Apple Jacks. In Wellesley, Ontario, Applejacks has a bit of a different connotation. The Wellesley Applejacks were established in 1987 and began play at the Junior D level. Their name is derived from the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival which attracts thousands to the area each fall. The Applejacks moved up to the Junior C level when Junior D was dissolved. The Jacks currently play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League in the Doherty Division. In their short time in Junior C, the Applejacks have already earned a Schmalz Cup in 2023 as the champions of Junior C hockey in Ontario.
The Applejacks moved to a brand new home in 2023. The Bill Gies Recreation Centre was built as a replacement for the outdated Wellesley Arena. The Rec Centre was named after donor Bill Gies who was a home builder in the area. Construction delays and funding issues forced the Applejacks to begin the 2023 season at the St. Clements Arena. Wellesley is a township that includes the town proper and surrounding agricultural areas and small communities, with a township population of over 11,000.
Food & Beverage 2
There is a very small snack bar on a temporary table in the upper level of the Bill Gies Recreation Centre that doubles as the Blueline Club. Chips, candy and popcorn are available. Pepsi products and coffee are the main soft drinks available, however if fans wish to try something truly local, then the hot apple cider will be the drink of choice. A kiosk in the same area sells beer and other alcoholic beverages.
Atmosphere 3
Bill Gies Recreation Centre is one of the newest facilities in the PJHL. The exterior is fairly simple with light siding above tinted glass and dark brick. The main entry to the centre is on the east side. It opens to a lobby with temporary tables selling tickets and 50/50 tickets. Since the building is new, there is not much in the way of history or other interesting items about the community for fans to look at. The lobby is at ice level and has windows allowing fans to see the game. Fans will need to head up the stairs to access the Blueline Club and the seating area. The Blueline Club is above the lobby at the east side and also has temporary merchandise tables.
Inside the arena, entry is from the east side and the ice is oriented from west to east. The spot to get that perfect centre ice logo picture is from the south. All of the seating in the arena is on the south side, which includes five rows of plastic seats. The sections closest to the ends offer wooden benches. The seating area is elevated above the ice surface providing better sightlines. The bottom row of seating is at about the same height as the top of the glass. A bit of a unique aspect of this arena is the track that encircles the ice surface at the upper level. On the west end and north side it offers the perfect view for fans who like to stand during the game, but for whom ice level is not choice. The northwest corner offers a mini-stick arena which can keep the youngsters occupied as well as keep those pesky mini stick games contained. A simple scoreclock hangs above centre ice and to the west are the Wellesley Applejacks championship banners, featuring the 2023 Schmalz Cup. The Applejacks embrace their history also keeping banners for their Junior D titles.
The gameday production at an Applejacks game is fairly simple. The PA system is good and the announcer does a good job with announcements and promotions, not getting overly excitable and more difficult to understand. His reference to the arena as the Wellesley Orchard is an original aspect of the team.
Neighbourhood 2
Wellesley is a small community at the west end of Waterloo Region. It is the epitome of a small town. There are a couple of spots for pre or post game food or drink, however, fans may want to consider doing their research for gameday as Wellesley is very quiet at night. Schmidtsville Restaurant and Olympic Pizza are the options in town. Fans will have to head to Waterloo if they are looking for something else. The Applejacks are definitely the only game in town, but Wellesley is close to New Hamburg, Tavistock and Woodstock so away games are not a challenge at all. The area is known for the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival. For fans wishing to stay in the area, there are some B&B possibilities. Heading to Shakespeare or Waterloo will be where fans need to go for a more traditional hotel.
Fans 3
Assessing fans in the PJHL is difficult as some teams do not publish attendance figures and the league does not compile and publish attendance statistics. At the time of writing, for the 2023-24 season, the Wellesley Applejacks attracted around 230 fans per game. The game being reviewed saw a good crowd of over 360 fans. The previous season, the Applejacks attracted nearly 190 fans per game, however the Bill Gies Recreation Centre was just opened and the first 9 games of the season were held in St. Clements. There is constant motion at an Applejacks game with kids running all over, one of the detriments of having a track around the rink. The fans in attendance are knowledgeable and supportive and due to the competitive nature of the division, there are always plenty of fans of the visiting team as well.
Access 4
Getting to the Bill Gies Recreation Centre is not difficult. It is located west of the traditional town of Wellesley at the west side of Waterloo Region. It is at the end of Queens Bush Road at Hutchison Road. It is 12 km from Highway 7-8 and there is plenty of rural driving to get to Wellesley so proper planning during the winter months is important as snow can be a real issue. There is plenty of parking on site. At the time of writing, there were no public transit options to get to Wellesley or the Rec Centre. Getting around the arena is not a problem at all and the washroom facilities are adequate for the size of the facility.
Return on Investment 4
PJHL hockey offers some of the best returns on investment possible. Tickets for the Applejacks are $12 with discounts for students, seniors and children. Tickets must be purchased at the door and cash or debit are accepted. Children 5 and under are free. Parking is free and the concession prices are good. The quality of hockey is good and fans will have the opportunity to watch the action from an arena that is modern, clean, bright and comfortable.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the unique name and identity of the Applejacks that closely relates to the community.
An extra mark for the Bill Gies Recreation Centre as a community hub.
An extra mark for the Bill Gies Recreation Centre as a new, bright and modern facility.
Final Thoughts
The Bill Gies Recreation Centre is a new, modern, clean facility which is home to a Junior C hockey team that has the support of the community. The Wellesley Applejacks offer a fun experience for fans and at the end, the “A is for Apple … J is for Jacks” jingle might just be stuck in their heads!
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