As the major recreational centre in the city, the Trail Arena, AKA the Trail Memorial Centre, AKA Cominco Arena, has attracted three individual bookcrossing zones, this one in the arena itself. The way the release note is worded -
"You might get tired of standing so take a seat and take a look" - we have to assume that
The House with a Clock in Its Walls, released on Wednesday, February 22, 2006, was released in the seating area of the arena.
The centre sits on the north side of Highway 3B on the west bank of the Columbia River in Trail. It houses 2 Skating/hockey rinks (the largest with a seating capacity of 2,537 people), squash courts, racquetball courts, golf swing practice range, hockey club offices, library, gymnasium (seating capacity of 1,000), an 8 sheet curling rink, meeting rooms, the sports "Hall of Memories", conference and convention facilities, shuffleboard, a time capsule and a free Wifi outlet.
The Centre is also home to the Trail Smoke Eaters, twice world hockey champions.
Originally named The Cominco Arena, it was constructed in 1949 to replace Trail's first rink, built in 1911 at the south end of Bay Avenue. Cominco Ltd. donated the land and contributed $500,000 towards construction of the Arena. In 1955, Cominco Ltd. contributed $275,000 towards construction of the Cominco Gymnasium.
The initial building housed an NHL-size ice surface for senior hockey, skating, and lacrosse.
In the summer months, the ice surface was replaced with a wooden floor and used for roller skating and other community events.
In subsequent years the building was expanded, to include an eight-sheet curling rink (complete with a lounge) in 1950; a small ice surface called the "Kid's Rink" in 1953; and a gymnasium (complete with kitchen facilities) in 1955. The Trail Municipal Library was constructed in 1958. The building became known as the Trail Memorial Centre. Racquetball, squash courts and meeting rooms were added in the 1970s.
In November 1999 the Centre celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Trail Memorial Centre is one of the finest recreational facilities among small towns in Canada.
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