You can probably head to any region in Canada and one of the cities will be home to a Centennial Arena. These rinks aren't all named the same by coincidence, they are actually monuments to the dedication Canadian communities have to hockey.

When Canada celebrated its Centennial in 1967 (100 years of being a country) regions and organizations across the country were encouraged to hold events or to build a legacy, like a park, library or pool, in celebration of this milestone. The celebrations were to last the entire year and the legacies were a part of the "Centennial Project", funded by grants from various levels of government.

Some provinces got creative, like Ontario's "A Place to Stand (Ontari-ari-ario)" tune that was a Centennial Project, and others held events, like concerts and sporting tournaments.

However, it's rather clear that hockey was (as it is today) at the heart of many communities across Canada. There are over 130,000 results when I search for a "centennial arena" in Canada; from the Etobicoke Centennial Arena, to the Minto Centennial Arena Ice Skating Rink, across to the Centennial Arena Skating Rink in White Rock, around to the Watrous Centennial Arena in Saskatchewan, and over to the Brantford Civic Centre - coast to coast, Canadians love their hockey.

Although the rinks may now be old and outdated, this tradition, that started with a boost from the government to celebrate Canada's birthday, lives on today through all of those that have had the chance to skate on that "centennial" ice.

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