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Vancouver Canucks management spotted checking out potential practice facility in Burnaby

Rob Williams
Rob Williams
|
Jun 4 2025, 7:33 pm
Vancouver Canucks management spotted checking out potential practice facility in Burnaby
@ryan_bains/X

It appears the Vancouver Canucks’ never-ending search for a practice facility took them to Burnaby today.

Thanks to Ryan Bains for tipping us off on this one, as Jim Rutherford, Patrik Allvin, Michael Doyle, and Dax Aquilini were spotted touring Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre.

CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal has confirmed that Canucks management was indeed checking it out as a potential practice facility this morning.

The $54-million facility opened to the public in April 2024, with two NHL-sized ice rinks. It’s located at 7789 18th St. in Burnaby, walking distance to Edmonds SkyTrain Station. Each rink contains seating for about 200 spectators, plus a viewing area behind concealed glass on the second level.

The 92,000 sq ft building also has a skate shop, a concession, meeting and multi-purpose rooms, and an outdoor rooftop patio.

rosemary brown arena ice rink burnaby

It’s a beautiful new facility (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The practice facility issue has become a punchline for fans and media, and even Rutherford during his last press conference. The Canucks are the only team in the NHL without a plan to at least build a practice facility, and it clearly was a sticking point with Rick Tocchet.

The Canucks currently practice at Rogers Arena, but are forced to skate at UBC when concerts or other events take over their home rink.

Expensive Vancouver real estate costs have been cited as a major stumbling block for the Canucks, who have tried to partner with existing rinks without success. It’s been over four years since a deal fell through to put a Canucks practice facility at the Plaza of Nations, and rumours that they would build at SFU seemingly went nowhere.

It has been three years since Rutherford told the media that building a practice rink was a “priority” that had been “gaining momentum.”

“Getting down to two, maybe three different sites,” he said at the time. “Very close to making a decision on the site.”

Yet, still we wait.

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