Canucks Consider PNE Agrodome as Potential Practice Facility
The Vancouver Canucks may be eyeing a return to the PNE Agrodome as a potential training location. While the idea is under consideration, the PNE, which operates the Agrodome, has emphasized that further discussions — especially regarding financial benefits — would be necessary before moving forward.
Canucks supporters can now add the PNE Agrodome to the growing list of sites the team is exploring for a permanent practice facility. Located in Hastings Park, the historic rink is already set to serve as the training base for Vancouver’s new Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) team, which will play home games at the adjacent Pacific Coliseum — a former Canucks venue.
A PNE spokesperson, Laura Ballance, confirmed that the organization has had preliminary talks with the Canucks about using the Agrodome. However, she noted the discussions are still at an early stage and any partnership would require more detailed planning, particularly regarding how it would generate revenue for the PNE and benefit the broader community.
The Canucks previously used the Agrodome as a training facility, most recently during the 2007–08 season. Currently, they are the only NHL franchise without a separate training facility from their main arena. Although Rogers Arena houses their current setup, it lacks the dedicated space most NHL teams enjoy — including medical, meeting, and workout areas alongside a full practice rink. When Rogers Arena is booked for events like concerts, the Canucks lose access to their own facilities, creating logistical challenges.
In their ongoing search, Canucks leadership — including Michael Doyle, Jim Rutherford, Patrik Allvin, and Dax Aquilini — recently visited several other potential sites. These include the Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre in Burnaby, which opened last year and has room for expansion, and the aging Britannia Community Centre in Vancouver, which requires significant upgrades.
The team is also reported to have considered various other locations such as the University of British Columbia (a long-time fallback for ice rentals), Simon Fraser University (Aquilini’s alma mater), the Richmond Olympic Oval, and Burnaby Lake Sports Complex — now renamed the Christine Sinclair Community Centre — which is undergoing redevelopment to include an ice rink and pool, expected by 2028.
General Manager Patrik Allvin has previously stated that the Canucks are looking for around 20,000 square feet for a new or renovated facility that would be exclusively theirs.
The idea of establishing a dedicated practice facility has been around since at least 2010, when the team ended its partnership with Burnaby 8-Rinks (now Scotia Barn). Despite their wealthy ownership and experience in property development, the Canucks’ inability to secure such a facility over the past 15 years remains puzzling to many in the local sports community.
Previously, the Canucks had discussed moving their AHL affiliate to the Coliseum before settling on the Abbotsford Centre, where they now also manage the venue. The Coliseum last hosted the Canucks in 1995 and was later home to the WHL’s Vancouver Giants until 2016.
Built in 1963, the Agrodome has a rich history, hosting events such as pro wrestling, roller hockey, indoor soccer, and the high school boys’ provincial basketball championships — which moved to the Langley Events Centre in 2010. It’s also known in pop culture for its appearance in Rocky IV, portraying a Russian arena during the film’s climactic fight.
Traditionally, the Agrodome hosts equestrian events during the Pacific National Exhibition in August, although these were cancelled in 2024 due to infrastructure updates. Renovations to both the Agrodome and Coliseum are now in progress in preparation for the PWHL’s upcoming inaugural season.
