Wentworth Sports Complex to fully reopen in the fall — without any ice surfaces

After a late September fire that caused millions of dollars in damage, the Wentworth Sports Complex in Hamilton's west end is reopening – but will no longer be an arena.

The facility's owners – HamOnt Sports Limited, which also owns Soccer World – emailed clients on Wednesday saying the facility is opening for some day camps this summer, and will open fully in the fall "completely rebuilt and better than ever."

It says the complex will have two larger fields with spectator seating; a new baseball area with batting cages; and a multi-court gym for pickleball, badminton, basketball and volleyball. There will continue to be a restaurant on-site.

"Turning the rinks into fields was a heart-wrenching decision we wish we never had to make," says the email. "But the fire and devastating smoke damage that closed Wentworth on September 30th caused extensive damage that proved insurmountable.

"This will not be Wentworth's first transformation. The facility started out as a curling rink in 1968 that turned into a hockey arena in 1970s before adding fields in 2002. Now, it will be home to much-needed indoor courts allowing us to welcome new athletes to Wentworth."

Fire melted Zamboni to the floor

The fire happened in the early hours of Sept. 30, and was caused by a spark caused from "major" renovations that were happening at the time, its owners said.

"A spark from the contractor's work smoldered and ignited," stated a release they issued at the time. "The fire spread to the Zamboni and destroyed a garage, tool room and the roof over some hockey change rooms."

The Hamilton Fire Department reported that the facility suffered "heavy fire damage" in parts and "significant" smoke damage throughout. 

At the time, owner Duncan Macintosh said the fire severely damaged a 1,200 square foot section of the building and melted the Zamboni to the floor.