EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated to correct the spelling of George Waselenchuk’s name.
The Edmonton Oilers called the Northlands Coliseum home for more than four decades, and one longtime employee has seen many of the team’s greatest moments firsthand.
George Waselenchuk got a job right out of high school as a parking attendant at the Coliseum 32 years ago. He eventually worked his way into the building, and is now the rink operator at Northlands.
Waselenchuk isn’t the only person in his family to work at the Coliseum. His mother spent some time with him in the box office.
“One time, the Toronto Maple Leafs were in town and back then, the players used to have to go to the box office to sign for their tickets,” Waselenchuk said, recalling he grabbed a pennant and had it signed by some Leafs players.
Waselenchuk doesn’t remember who was playing the first time he took the zamboni to the ice, but he does recall being extremely nervous.
“I think my legs were shaking when I was driving,” he says with a laugh.
There was an unwritten rule at the Coliseum not to chat with the players, according to Waselenchuk. But he notes Oilers like Kelly Buchberger, Ryan Smyth and Georges Laraque were natural talkers whom he shared some conversations with.
One of Waselenchuk’s favourite moments was cleaning the ice for the Oilers during the team’s 2006 playoff run when they made it to the Stanley Cup finals. He recalls many thought the team wouldn’t even make it that far into the post-season, but the fans’ energy during those games felt “louder than any concert I’ve ever gone to.”
The City of Edmonton takes over the Coliseum on Jan. 1, and the plan is to close the building. However, the future of the rink is uncertain, with potential options including redevelopment or demolishing the arena.
Waselenchuk feels the building still has a lot of life left in it, noting the boilers and rooftop units are only 10 years old. He supported Hockey Canada’s suggestion to build a two-floor, four-rink facility, but the proposal was shut down by city council.
Waselenchuk says there’s always a high demand for ice time in minor hockey, and many people have called seeking time on Coliseum ice in the final months before its closure.
With the Coliseum’s final days counting down, Waselenchuk, who was also the venue’s operations manager during its last three years, says he’ll miss the atmosphere of the building on game day.
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