New facility marks major step in FHC’s infrastructure strategy
Canada’s first dedicated Hockey5s Centre is coming to Ottawa, marking a major infrastructure milestone for Field Hockey Canada (FHC). Announced in partnership with the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the new centre will feature a Polytan Hockey5s pitch donated through the FIH’s More Places to Play initiative.
Access to appropriate facilities remains one of the most significant barriers to participation and growth of field hockey in Canada. In alignment with the Government of Canada’s recent commitment to invest in sport infrastructure, FHC recognizes that creating more places to play is critical to expanding opportunities for athletes and communities across the country.
Developed in collaboration between FIH, FHC, the Pan American Hockey Federation (PAHF), the City of Ottawa and local community partners, this facilities project comes at a time of renewed momentum to build sustainable spaces for Canadians to play.
Local leadership Unlocks International Support
With strong school leagues, growing club participation and the success of FHC’s Stick Together initiative, Ottawa has established itself as one of Canada’s emerging centres for field hockey development. That collective effort is what attracted the international investment from FIH and PAHF.
Long before the international investment became available, the local community had already established a clear vision. Community leaders had developed ambitious plans, the City of Ottawa had embraced the concept, and local fundraising efforts had started to bring the project to life. When the opportunity emerged through the FIH’s More Places to Play initiative, Ottawa was ready.
The project is a powerful example of the transformational system alignment that FHC has been working to foster across the Canadian field hockey community. Partners across every level of the sport system were able to get behind a common objective and serve as a model for future development. With the City of Ottawa, community leaders, the Nepean Nighthawks, Field Hockey Ontario and FHC working together, international support could be unlocked and transformed into lasting community infrastructure.
Sandeep Chopra of the Nepean Nighthawks, a community leader for the Ottawa Field Hockey Centre project, said the announcement reflects years of local effort.
“We are thrilled that the FIH has recognized the value of our programs, something that would not have been possible without the Stick Together seed funding received from Field Hockey Canada. This project represents years of planning, community support and shared commitment, and will create incredible opportunities for young people, schools and clubs throughout our region. We are deeply grateful to all of the partners who have helped bring this vision to life.”
Strengthening relationships across government partners, clubs, schools, provincial organizations and international partners is a key component to FHC’s infrastructure strategy and approach to creating more places to play across Canada.
A Format Built for the Next Generation
The introduction of a Hockey5s facility in Ottawa also directly supports FHC’s current participation strategy, which promotes adapted versions of the game to increase accessibility, remove barriers to participation and introduce new people to the sport. Hockey5s has been designed specifically to make field hockey more accessible, exciting and easier to introduce into new communities.
Played on a smaller surface with just five players per side, Hockey5s features fast-paced 20-minute matches, perimeter boards that keep the ball in play, more scoring opportunities and an energetic festival atmosphere. Hockey5s can be played in places traditional field hockey cannot, including school playgrounds, tennis courts, multi-sport courts and other community spaces.
For Canada in particular, the format offers enormous potential. The smaller-sided game creates opportunities for more children and families to experience field hockey while providing a natural bridge into the traditional 11-a-side game. With its fast pace and use of boards, Hockey5s includes elements familiar to Canadian sport culture, making it a promising new way to introduce more Canadians to hockey on a field.
“When we look at the future of sport in Canada and the growing popularity of smaller formats of international team sports, the opportunity presented by Hockey5s is incredibly exciting,” said Susan Ahrens, Chief Executive Officer of Field Hockey Canada.
“There are clear parallels between Hockey5s and our country’s passion for ice hockey. It’s fast, dynamic, exciting and accessible. We believe this format can introduce an entirely new generation of Canadians to our sport while creating stronger pathways into clubs and ultimately our national teams. We need to make field hockey cool for the next generation, and Hockey5s is a wonderful way to do exactly that.”
Tayyab Ikram, FIH President, also welcomed the announcement, saying:
“Growing hockey starts with creating opportunities for young people to play. We are proud to provide this Hockey5s pitch to Field Hockey Canada as part of FIH’s Empowerment and Engagement Strategy, particularly its ‘More Places to Play’ pillar, reinforcing our commitment to making hockey more accessible and inclusive. We hope this pitch becomes a hub for young athletes, schools and local communities, inspiring more people to discover Hockey5s, develop their skills and build a lifelong connection with our sport.”
More Places to Play Across Canada
The Ottawa Hockey5s centre is the first major proof point in FHC’s broader national infrastructure strategy. As Susan Ahrens outlines in her From the Desk of the CEO article, FHC is already working with partners across the country to strengthen field hockey’s physical infrastructure, from legacy facility renewal in Toronto to new community-led developments in Surrey.
FHC plans to accelerate this work with the establishment of a Facilities and Infrastructure Working Group that continues to map out future facility needs across all formats of the game, including 11-a-side, Hockey5s, indoor and beach hockey. The goal is to ensure that infrastructure development is driven by local need, strong partnerships and sustainable participation growth.
The Ottawa project shows what is possible when community leadership, municipal support, provincial alignment, national coordination and international investment come together. It is an example of what can be achieved when we collaborate to create more places to play and expand access to sport. FHC invites clubs, universities, municipalities, Indigenous communities, provincial organizations and community partners to join this national effort.
Partners in Sport
