Or something like that.<\/p>\n
Anyway, the news this week that the local NHLers have been talking to the City of Vancouver about adding on to Britannia Rink<\/a> caught the ear of Pete Fry, the Vancouver councillor who has also announced he will be standing for mayor in this fall\u2019s election.<\/p>\n Reached Friday, Fry said if a deal is reached between the city and the Canucks, the result would add excitement to the community. Fry has represented the Green Party on council since 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAs somebody who is in the catchment, who has advocated for the renewal of the community facilities at Britannia, and who has worked with some of the vulnerable populations in this neighbourhood, this has always been a big priority for me,\u201d he said of renewing the Britannia complex, which includes an elementary school, a secondary school, a community centre, a pool, other community services, and also the ice rink.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what I\u2019ve seen of this proposal under an (non-disclosure agreement) \u2014 and it\u2019s early days \u2014 my understanding of what is potentially coming is going to be a benefit. It\u2019s not really going to intrude upon the existing ice facility. It\u2019s going to be a value-add,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n Fry couldn\u2019t comment any further on what might be under discussion, and the city and the team remain guarded about details of what the discussions might be, but given past pronouncements by the Canucks around what they would be interested in doing, it\u2019s not hard to speculate.<\/p>\n Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin waits to speak during media day on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025.<\/p>\n GM Patrik Allvin, for instance, mused last year that the team may just push to build some extra space adjacent or connected to an existing structure, of up to 25,000 square feet. Notably, if you look at the parking lot to the west of the Britannia rink, there is a stub at the end that is about 7,000 to 8,000 square feet. If it could be built up three or four storeys, you would quickly get to the Canucks\u2019 desired floor plan.<\/p>\n If they built such a structure, it wouldn\u2019t include a new sheet of ice, but would have plenty of space for improved dressing rooms to be used by the players, as well as treatment and workout areas. The Canucks would also want to have office space as well.<\/p>\n Presumably, the team would also build spaces for community use.<\/p>\n The rink\u2019s ice plant and sheet has already been upgraded and is apparently up to snuff for an NHL team, so there is no work needed to be done there. In the long run, as the Britannia complex gets redeveloped, you would hope a way could be found to build a second sheet of ice, as the city itself has long been in need of new ice rinks added to the inventory.<\/p>\n The total amount of ice available in Vancouver has essentially remained stagnant over the past half-century, despite having been in the NHL since 1970. Other cities in the region have added rinks of their own, both in public recreation centres and through private facilities.<\/p>\n The other question \u2014 which will remained unanswered likely until an announcement is made, if a deal is struck \u2014 is whether the Canucks use of the ice for practices would take away from what the community has been using.<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ed5793bc22498bab9893c300094cb4de.jpeg\"\/)
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