On Monday, February 17, the 50th Anniversary of the Darlington Sports Centre (DSC) in Hampton was marked with an afternoon of Family Day activities, bringing the community together to honour generations of memories and create new ones.
To kick off the event and inspire fans, members of the Clarington Flames Girls U13 hockey team showed off their stick and puck skills, according to the statement. With practices at DSC, the arena symbolizes a place where their love for hockey grows and their bonds with their community deepen, reflecting the legacy of teams who also played at the arena in years past.
“We’ve had fifty years of goals, sweat, and cheers at the Darlington Sports Centre! This place isn’t just a building; it’s the heart of Hampton. It’s where young kids have grown, athletes have trained, and friendships have flourished,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster.
Mayor Foster and council members then joined the team on the ice to commemorate the occasion and reflect on the history of the facility, which first opened on February 8, 1975, according to event records. Families were invited to join in the fun with a public skate, the statement said.
The team was presented with Clarington’s Most Valuable Player mini-sticks as the next generation of sports stars.
Families skated together and took part in an afternoon filled with fun.
With more fun in the warming area, kids enjoyed face painting, a colouring station, and cookies with hot chocolate. The next generation of sports stars—Clarington’s Most Valuable Players—spun the prize wheel and were thrilled to win mini-sticks, along with other fun giveaways.
After a half century, Darlington Sports Centre is proud to represent a community gathering space where games are won and lost, but the bonds of teamwork and friendship last a lifetime.
Historic records of the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening Darlington Sports Centre on February 8, 1975, courtesy of the Clarington Library, Museums and Archives.