Langley Events Centre

Coordinates: 49°8′45″N 122°39′58″W / 49.14583°N 122.66611°W / 49.14583; -122.66611
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Langley Events Centre
BCMML
) (2019–present)
Langley Events Centre before the 2011 BC Boys AAA High School Basketball Championship

The Langley Events Centre is a 322,312-square-foot (29,943.8 m2) multipurpose facility in the Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada. The LEC debuted in April 2009, hosting the 2009 BC Gymnastics Championships. It boasts an arena bowl with a 5,276 capacity for sports, including 24 individual suites. The LEC also showcases a triple Gymnasium with a capacity of 2,200 spectators under its centre court configuration. The venue's second building houses the Field House, a dry floor arena, as well as a double gymnasium with a capacity of 1,000 spectators. Other highlights of the facility include a Banquet Hall with an 800-person capacity, an indoor walking track, meeting rooms, and the Willoughby Community Centre, while includes a fitness facility, outdoor playground and various grass and turf fields. The LEC is home to the Langley Gymnastics Foundation, a non-profit organization offering gymnastics programming for recreational and competitive athletes.

History

The Langley Events Centre, the largest sports and recreation project in Langley's history to date, opened its doors after more than two years of construction. Plans were unveiled on December 18, 2006, for what was then a $45 million multi-use facility. Costs ultimately rose to $56 million, partially funded by the Township, the province, and private builders.[1] The first event hosted at the LEC was the 2009 BC Gymnastics Championships.[2]

Teams

Vancouver Stealth

The

General Motors Place. The Stealth played in Langley from 2013 to 2018, until the team was purchased by Canucks Sports and Entertainment and moved to Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver. In the following season, the team was rebranded to become the Vancouver Warriors
.

Langley Rivermen

The LEC was home to the

Chilliwack Chiefs. In 2016, the Rivermen relocated to the George Preston Recreation Centre, due to the WHL's Vancouver Giants moving from the Pacific Coliseum to the LEC.[5]

Langley Thunder

The LEC hosts two Langley Thunder lacrosse teams, the Langley Thunder Western Lacrosse Association team and the Langley Thunder BC Junior A Lacrosse League team.[6]

Trinity Western University Athletics

Five Trinity Western Spartans sports teams[7] play at the Langley Events Centre: basketball (men's and women's), volleyball (men's and women's), and hockey (men's). The LEC replaced David E. Enarson Gymnasium as the home of the Spartans.[8]

BC Titans

The BC Titans[9] of the International Basketball League (IBL) called the LEC home from 2009-2010. Team management opted not to participate in the IBL for the 2011 season.[10]

Vancouver Giants

The Vancouver Giants of the WHL have started play with the beginning of the 2016–2017 season at the Langley Events Centre. They had previously played at the Pacific Coliseum.[11]

Vancouver Bandits

On September 23, 2021 – The Fraser Valley Bandits announced that the club has chosen Langley Events Centre (LEC) as its home for the upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season, which begins May 2022.[12]

Vancouver FC

On April 13, 2022, the

Willoughby Community Park Stadium, adjacent to the Events Centre.[13]

Notable events

Other notes

The LEC is home to a number of groups and organizations, including Tourism Langley and the Langley Sports Medicine Clinic.

References

  1. ^ "LEC Opening Nears".
  2. ^ "2009 BC Gymnastics Championships".
  3. ^ "Vancouver Stealth - Home". www.stealthlax.com.
  4. ^ "Homepage".
  5. ^ "Updated: A Giant move for Langley - Maple Ridge News". www.mapleridgenews.com. 2016-05-02. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  6. ^ "Home - Langley Thunder". www.langleythunder.com.
  7. ^ TWU Spartans
  8. ^ TWU basketball's historic day: Saying goodbye to the David E Archived 2012-07-07 at archive.today
  9. ^ BC Titans Website Archived 2010-03-17 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ BC Titans Drop Out of IBL Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Bye bye big city, hello suburbs: Vancouver Giants leaving for Langley - CBC News".
  12. ^ Fraser Valley Bandits
  13. ^ "SixFive Sports reveals Langley, BC location for Vancouver 2023 CPL team". canpl.ca. April 13, 2022.

External links