New Brunswick·NewSaint John city council originally approved construction of an indoor and outdoor ball hockey complex in a west side neighbourhood but the company changed its plans after considering complaints from residents about potential noise issues.Site of $4-million complex moved to industrial park after noise concerns raised in residential neighbourhoodMark Leger · CBC News · Posted: Nov 30, 2025 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 30 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Kids in Saint John along with officials from the city and Quebec-based company, Knapper, gathered to announce the location of a new ball hockey complex for the region. (Graham Thompson/CBC)A $4-million ball hockey complex is being built in an industrial park on the east side of Saint John — two years after it was approved for construction in a residential neighbourhood on the city’s west side.In October of 2023, city council voted to approve a location on Manawagonish Road on the west side, despite objections from some nearby residents worried about excessive noise as the complex was slated to include an outdoor and indoor playing surface. Even though Quebec-based company, Knapper, had received the go ahead from council, the team returned to its Montreal-area offices concerned about the area residents, and changed their minds about locating the complex, which would also include a small pub, on Manawagonish Road.“We came back to the office and just thought about it and said, ‘Even though we got the vote …Knapper is a respected company, and wants to be respected by the people,'” said Patrick Bazinet, the president of Knapper Partners Investment Fund. “So we decided to look for [another site].”Patrick Bazinet, president of the Knapper Partners Investment Fund, said the $4-million ball hockey complex will be the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada. (Graham Thompson/CBC)Earlier this week, the company was back in Saint John to announce the construction of Knapper Center Saint John in the McAllister Industrial Park, far away from any of the city’s residential neighbourhoods.The new site also fits the company’s growth plans, which could include a third playing surface.Knapper has complexes similar to the one slated for Saint John in Quebec, where the game is really popular, but Bazinet said this will be the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada.The complex will serve the local ball hockey community but also host regional tournaments.Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon said the company made the right decision when it moved the location of the ball hockey facility from a residential neighbourhood to an industrial park. (Graham Thompson/CBC)Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon thinks the company officials made the right decision for themselves and the residents who opposed the original site.“I don’t think [company officials] were happy knowing that it wasn’t going to be welcome to a certain extent in that community,” Reardon said. “I think this is a better space too, so I’m happy that it’s come full circle and it’s been more of a fulsome process for them to find the right space.”When Knapper first came to Saint John and company officials were looking for community support, they connected with a longtime leader in the ball hockey community, Gary Crossman.WATCH | Ball hockey facility could eventually include third rink:Why a Quebec company is building a ball hockey facility in a Saint John industrial parkKnapper, a Quebec-based business, plans to open a $4-million dollar ball hockey facility in the spring. Crossman, president of the Saint John Metro Ball Hockey League, was also the head coach of the national men’s team that won the World Master’s championships in Bermuda in mid-November.Crossman, who will be the facility manager, has spent decades playing in old hockey rinks and community centres. He said the new complex will be a draw for the region’s ball hockey community.“We thought playing at the Boys and Girls Club was pretty special,” Crossman said. “Now we’ll be playing at a $4-million building and it’s going to be like, wow, amazing. It’s a long time coming.”Gary Crossman, president of the Saint John Metro Ball Hockey League, said the new building will be a draw for the region’s ball hockey community. (Graham Thompson/CBC)Crossman said the game is popular in the province, with more than 1,500 players in the Saint John area. He also said four of the members on the men’s 35 and up masters team were from New Brunswick.“It’s going to bring players together, families together from all over New Brunswick,” he said. “That’s what we’re excited about, it’s not just Saint John. There’ll be people traveling from all over the province and the Maritimes to play in this facility.”Serving the ball hockey community is the company’s priority, but the building will be available for other uses as well, such as pickleball during the winter months when people can’t play outdoors.The Knapper ball hockey centre is being constructed in an industrial park on the east side of Saint John. (Graham Thompson/CBC)Ball hockey games generally take place in the evenings on weekdays, so the schedules won’t overlap for the most part.“In general, pickleball players are a bit older than the ball hockey players,” Bazinet said. “Many of them are retired so they can come and play during the week, in the afternoon or in the morning.” The building will also be available for rent for soccer or baseball teams that need indoor practice space during the winter.The arena is under construction and scheduled to open in the spring. It will employ up to 40 people in full-time and part-time roles.In the future, the company also plans to open ball hockey complexes in Moncton and Fredericton.ABOUT THE AUTHORMark Leger is a reporter based in Saint John. Send him story ideas to: mark.leger@cbc.ca
Quebec company opening N.B.s first ball hockey complex in Saint John
