Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena
25 Hester St.
Hamilton, ON L9A 2Nc
Year Opened: 1966
Capacity: 2,500
The Kilty Buzz
On the Mountain in Hamilton, there is a little shrine to one of their favourite hockey sons. Dave Andreychuk was a star for the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs, among other teams. In his final season in the NHL, he helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win their first Stanley Cup.
Andreychuk is a product of his hometown Hamilton hockey system, and the Mountain Arena now also bears his name. A hockey hub for the “Mountain,” the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena was built in 1966 and boasts a capacity of 2,500. Renovations have been completed on the arena over the years, including replacing the old wooden seats with plastic stadium seats salvaged from Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, former home of the Toronto Argonauts and Toronto Blue Jays. One of the additions includes a figure skating rink.
The Junior B level of hockey in Ontario has a presence in Hamilton. The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League has the Hamilton Kilty B’s, a traditional Hamilton hockey name, as part of the league. The arena was also the home of the Hamilton Fincups and Hamilton Steelhawks of the OHL and Hamilton Red Wings of the OJHL.
The Red Wings began as a Junior B team in 1973 and played as the Kilty B’s from 1977 to 2002. The current Kilty B’s organization began as the Junior C, Stoney Creek Warriors. They earned four titles and moved up to Junior B in 1994 and were renamed the Stoney Creek Spirit.
After returning to the Warriors moniker, they moved to Ancaster in 2013 and then to Hamilton in 2015, just after the departure of the Hamilton Red Wings. The Red Wings franchise held the rights to the historic Kilty B’s brand and was sold to the current owner to bring the buzz back to Hamilton.
Food & Beverage 2
A small snack bar can be found on the south side of the arena, behind the seating bowl. Simple options include chips, chocolate bars, and popcorn. Coca-Cola products are available, as well as a small selection of mainstream domestic beer. Vending machines are also available in the halls at ice level. Concession prices are very good as compared to major sporting venues.
Atmosphere 3
Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena is a throwback from a different time with a few comfort upgrades. It is part of a larger complex with a figure skating ice surface. The main entry for the arena is on the parking lot side behind Hester Street. The exterior is low profile with tan brick with light accents. Both the front and rear have Kilty B’s markings, alerting fans that this is the home of Hamilton’s Junior B squad.
Upon entering the building from the east side, fans enter a small lobby that is a shrine to Dave Andreychuk. The lobby is littered with pictures of Andreychuk from different teams, a collage outlining his journey to the Stanley Cup, and some of his career stats.
Another collage outlines his experience playing youth hockey in Hamilton, and a framed jersey from his number retirement by the Oshawa Generals is also prevalent. Temporary tables welcome fans for purchasing tickets and 50/50 tickets. Fans must ascend the stairs to reach the seating area, which is made up of up to seven rows of older blue stadium seats.
The seats themselves have repurposed seats from the former Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, the former home of the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Argonauts. The repurposing is similar to what was done at Ted Reeve Arena in Toronto and the fields at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ontario. The ice surface runs from east to west, with the best spot for the center ice logo picture on the north side.
The love for Dave Andreychuk continues inside the arena with his honored number 8 from Hamilton Youth Hockey, as well as highlights of his NHL career. The west side of the arena features Kilty B’s logo and the 50th anniversary logo. The arena has a low profile ceiling with trussed support beams across the building, painted black.
In each of the four corners, the top rows still have the original seats, and behind the wooden seats are small replica boards with class, perfect for playing mini-stick hockey on the other side. Above centre ice is the skinniest four-sided score clock ever seen in a hockey rink, designed to minimize pucks hitting scoreboards. The PA system is pretty good, and the announcements are clear to understand.
The gameday production is fairly simple, but not unlike other Junior B teams. The Kilty mascot, Stinger, traverses the crowd and attempts to lead some cheers with the aid of a small drum. Kilty B’s goals are marked with a fog horn, similar to the one used by Andreychuk’s Buffalo Sabres. Simple promotions like a 50/50 draw are part of the game.
Neighbourhood 3
Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena is located in the Greeningdon Neighbourhood on Hamilton’s Mountain. It is south of Central Hamilton. There are a few spots for food and drink in the immediate neighbourhood. Some options include La Spaghett Pasta House, Charlie’s Chopsticks and Garden Kitchen.
There are other sporting options in Hamilton, most notably the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. The McMaster Marauders field football and basketball teams among others and the Hamilton Cardinals of IBL play in the summer months. Hamilton’s main arena, FirstOntario Centre, is closed as of 2024 for a year or two for major renovations. Other tourist options include Upper Chedoke Falls, Royal Botanical Gardens and Canadian Heritage Warplane Museum. Mountain Arena is located in a fairly residential area. Fans wanting to stay near the arena may select the Courtyard Hamilton.
Fans 3
The Hamilton Kilty B’s have shown some improvement in fan support. In the 2023-2024 season the Kilty B’s attracted an average of 470 fans per game. This was an improvement from the previous year and the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs moving to Brantford may be a partial explanation for the increase. The Kiltys ranked 7th in attendance in the 20 team OJHL. Thursdays are typically Kiltys night. However, with a building capacity of 2,500 it will take more than 400 fans to make a positive impact on the atmosphere. The fans in attendance are pretty quiet and reserved, similar to most other Ontario fans.
Access 4
Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena is located in the Greeningdon neighbourhood on the Hamilton Mountain. It is less than 1 km north of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway and east of Highway 403. It is on the north side of Hester Street between Upper James Street and Ronald Shay Avenue. Getting to the arena is not too difficult, however, traffic on Highway 403 near Highway 6 can be busy during the post work hours.
There is plenty of parking onsite that is free. For those fans interested in public transit, there are Hamilton Transit buses that travel Upper James. Fans should consult the Hamilton Transit website for maps, fares and schedules. Getting around the arena comes with the challenges of any older venue and the washrooms are pretty small, although that should not be a big issue given the number of fans in attendance.
Return on Investment 5
The return on investment at a Hamilton Kilty B’s game is very high. Adult tickets go for $10 each, cash at the door. Students and seniors are only $5 and kids under 7 are free. Concession prices are low and parking at the arena is free. The on ice product is strong and fans will have a good time at the game, especially if they like Dave Andreychuk. The history and old school feel of the venue is a bonus.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena as a shrine to this Hamilton hockey product.
An extra mark for the repurposed seats from Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium.
An extra mark for the ownership group rescuing the traditional Hamilton Kilty B’s brand.
Final Thoughts
Taking in some GOJHL hockey at Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena is not only a great opportunity to check out some history at a classic venue, but also getting to see a strong hockey program with a traditional brand. It seems that the Hamilton Kilty B’s may just have the Steel City buzzing!
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