Bill Copeland Sports Centre Burnaby: Visitor Guide

Bill Copeland Sports Centre is a City of Burnaby multipurpose arena at 3676 Kensington Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5B 4Z6. Its NHL-sized ice rink hosts hockey, lacrosse, tournaments and special events, with seating for 1,984.

The City describes skating lessons, public skating and other ice sports as fall-and-winter activities. In spring and summer, its listed offerings include after-school sports programs, lacrosse and summer camps.

Toonie Skate admission includes skate and helmet rental, subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis. The skate shop also rents hockey and figure skates for a fee and provides helmets at no charge during lessons and drop-in skates.

For event organizers, the arena floor measures 1,579.3 sq. m. and can expand to 1,997.4 sq. m.; maximum event capacity is 3,500, including 1,984 permanent seats. The Lakeview Room measures 84 sq. m., with room for 35 people seated or 40 in theatre-style seating.

Drop-in skating schedules appear on the City’s daily activities page. Select an activity and location to find sessions, and check the schedule for current availability. For select skating activities, Burnaby residents can reserve spots online or by phone 48 hours in advance.

Skating lesson registration opens 30 days before the lesson start date at 10 am for Burnaby residents, and 27 days before at 10 am for non-residents. If a group of 15 or more plans to attend public or Toonie skating, give the arena program coordinator at least 5 days’ notice; call 604-297-4521 for details.

A CSA-approved hockey helmet is required for all skate lessons and for children 12 years and under. A person aged 16 or older must accompany children aged 7 or younger on the ice or floor, with no more than 3 children per accompanying person.

Bill Copeland Sports Centre is about a 13-minute drive from Vancouver Backpacker House - 10 min walk to Metrotown skytrain station. Metrotown station is about 11 minutes on foot or 3 minutes by car from the hotel; Royal Oak station is about 13 minutes on foot or 3 minutes by car.

For a public-transit route to the arena, use TransLink’s Trip Planner. It provides route schedules, real-time Next Bus departures and transit alerts, so you can check the details for your trip before setting out.

Parking at the centre is free. Additional parking is behind the building on the east side across Sperling Avenue. The south parking lot at the back of the arena, along Sperling Avenue, has 6 designated accessible parking stalls.

The City lists public building hours as Monday–Sunday, 7:00 am–9:00 pm. The last paid admission is 30 minutes before closing, and everyone must leave at closing time.

The arena office has different hours: Tuesday 9 am–1 pm, Wednesday 9 am–8 pm and Friday 9 am–4 pm; it is closed Monday and Thursday. Check the official site before you go, especially for current schedules and facility details.

The main entrance is barrier-free, and the facility provides accessible rink participation and viewing, plus elevator access to the second floor. Accessible washrooms are available on each floor, and all dressing rooms have accessible showers.

During the fall and winter season, ice sledges, skating assists and ice scooters are available for people with disabilities. For questions about programs or facility access, call the arena at 604-297-4521.

Christine Sinclair Community Centre is across the street. Both it and Bill Copeland Sports Centre are part of Burnaby Lake Sports Complex, whose outdoor fields support activities including soccer, field hockey, field lacrosse, football, rugby, cricket, tennis, archery and model aeroplane flying.

If another event is on your itinerary, use this guide to getting to Swangard Stadium for venue-specific planning. For a nearby green space, see the guide to parking at Central Park in Burnaby.