Niagara Falls City Council has given the go-ahead to redevelop the Chippawa Willoughby Memorial ArenaDesign-Build Services for Chippawa Willoughby Memorial Arena and Library Redevelopment ProjectStatusAwardValue$50MLocation9000 Sodom Rd, Niagara Falls ONSectorPublic – CityTypeClubhouse / Community Centers · RenovationData as of July 21, 2026View Project Page → property into a modern, multi-use community centre.
“The project is the result of more than two years of planning, technical analysis and community engagement with residents, user groups and stakeholders. The approved design reflects community feedback by expanding recreation opportunities while preserving the existing arena through adaptive reuse,” stated a news release announcing the project.
Located in the Chippawa community, the new facility will include a new NHL-sized ice pad, conversion of the existing pad to an indoor turf field and the addition of a gymnasium and public library.
“The existing Chippawa Willoughby Memorial Arena is 53 years old. The building size is 33,450 square feet. It contains a single ice pad that is smaller than NHL standards, along with undersized dressing rooms that are not accessible, a community room and public washrooms. While it has been an important community facility for decades, the building is limited in its ability to accommodate modern recreation needs and requires significant renewal,” said Rob McDonald, Chippawa project manager of engagement and programming with the City of Niagara Falls.
The new facility is designed to be an approximately 97,000-square-foot, multi-use recreation and community hub featuring:
- A new NHL-sized arena with dressing rooms, spectator amenities and support spaces.
- A new public library with accessible spaces for reading, children’s programming, digital resources and community gathering.
- The conversion of the existing arena into an indoor turf facility, providing year-round programming for soccer, baseball, football, cricket, lacrosse, track and community events.
- A new high school-sized gymnasium to expand capacity for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and other indoor sports, community programming and special events.
- Flexible multi-purpose rooms for meetings, youth programming, seniors’ activities and a variety of recreational uses.
According to the news release, the $59.5 million project will be funded through a combination of a $10 million provincial grant, city reserves, proceeds from the sale of surplus municipal lands and long-term financing.
“This balanced funding approach minimizes the impact on taxpayers while allowing the city to deliver a significant community investment,” said McDonald.
In the wake of council approval, the project team will continue detailed design and pre-construction activities through the progressive design-build process.
The City of Niagara Falls has engaged Ball Construction and Perkins&Will Architects to complete the process for the project.
“Sustainability is a key project objective. The facility will incorporate modern building systems designed to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance long-term operational performance. Measures under evaluation include high-performance building envelopes, energy-efficient lighting, advanced HVAC systems, water conservation, sustainable site design and climate resilience strategies,” a report to council noted.
For the build, a phased development approach will be taken, meaning the original facility will continue to be operational for users and programming with ice while the new infrastructure is developed.
“The project will be delivered in two phases to allow the City of Niagara Falls to continue to operate the existing arena for the two years while the new arena, library and gymnasium are being constructed. Once the first phase is complete, the existing arena will be converted into an indoor turf field,” explained McDonald.
Construction is set to begin in spring 2027 and be completed by the fall of 2029.
Keyword phrase: Niagara Falls community centre
Meta description: Niagara Falls backs a $59.5M Niagara Falls community centre redevelopment with a new arena, library, gym and indoor turf field.
