The Grand Falls Stadium was originally opened on November 22, 1948, and it was renamed the Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium on March 21, 1991. It is located on Jones Street in the town of Grand Falls-Windsor. The building houses the first artificial ice arena in our province. The first event in the stadium was a children's carnival.
The Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium got its name from a well known local hockey personality, Joe R. Byrne. Mr. Byrne arrived in Grand Falls on December 10, 1949 to assist the Grand Falls Athletic Association in their hockey programs. From 1949 to 1951 he was head coach and player with the Grand Falls All-Star Senior hockey team. As well, he organized and directed High School and Minor Hockey in the community. Most people knew him as The Silver Fox. The Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium is run by the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor Parks and Recreation Department. A number of people work there for different events and tournaments such as: Invitational 4A Hockey Tournaments, Sparkling Blades Ice Show, Thruway BOAT Show, Moscow Circus, and the annual Craft and Trade Show.
The Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium used to be home to the Grand Falls Andcos, and now it is the home of the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts, now playing in the Labatt West Senior Hockey League. Ms. Warr told us that when she was going to St.Catherine's High School, she and her friends practically lived at the stadium when the Jones Shield hockey games were being played. A former mill manager named Sir Vincent Jones donated the Jones Shield, a trophy in the shape of a shield, in 1934 for competition between Grand Falls Academy and Notre Dame Academy which became St. Michael's in 1957. He started a rivalry that lasted until 1998 when the two denominational schools amalgamated and the Jones Shield was retired. Notre Dame Academy won the first Jones Shield Tournament, and Grand Falls Academy won the last one.
In August 2003, renovation work began on the 4.2 million dollar project to bring the building up to date. Local companies were awarded those contracts. It received a new front entrance, lobby, dressing rooms and new seats. The project was completed in June 2004, and the first official event was the 2004 Exploits Valley High Graduation Ceremonies, which was held on June 25, 2004. This year the Opening Ceremonies for the Centennial Celebrations, and the musical production Out of the Forest depicting the town's history, written and directed by Ged Blackmore, were held there. It was only fitting that these Centennial events took place there, because the Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium could tell its own story if it could talk. And what a story it could tell!
Matthew Snow (2004-2005)