Prospera Place, Kelowna, Guide du visiteur et quoi faire à proximité

Prospera Place is the main indoor arena in downtown Kelowna, British Columbia, on Water Street close to the Okanagan Lake waterfront. It is best known as the home rink of the Kelowna Rockets junior hockey team and as the city's main venue for big concerts and events.

The story behind it

Prospera Place is the kind of building a city builds to give itself a gathering point. Kelowna grew from an orchard and lakeside town into the largest city in the Okanagan, and a central arena gave its hockey team, touring acts and community events a proper home in the middle of downtown rather than on the edge of town.

Its best-known tenant is the Kelowna Rockets, who play in the Western Hockey League, one of the major junior leagues in Canada. On a game night the streets around the arena fill with local families and fans, which tells you a lot about how much the team matters here.

What to look for

• The large arena building itself, which stands out on Water Street among the lower buildings of the downtown core.
• Posters and signs on the exterior announcing upcoming games and concerts, a quick way to see what is on in Kelowna.
• Fans in Rockets jerseys heading in on game days, which gives the area a lively, local feel.
• The short walk toward the lake, where downtown streets open onto the Okanagan waterfront and its views.

Tips for your visit

• You can see the outside of the arena freely from the street. Going inside normally means buying a ticket to a game or event, so check the current event calendar before you plan.
• Allow 10 to 20 minutes for the building itself, and more if you combine it with the waterfront and nearby streets.
• Game and concert evenings are the most atmospheric, but expect crowds and busier parking, so walking in from elsewhere downtown is easier.
• The lakefront, restaurants and shops of downtown Kelowna are all within walking distance, so it fits easily into a wider stroll.

See it on a quest

If you would rather see Prospera Place as part of a longer walk than as a single photo stop, try Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Kelowna. You reach the arena on foot as one stop on a route through downtown, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle in what is in front of you. It suits anyone who likes a murder mystery theme. You can start whenever you like with no guide and no group to join, and one ticket covers the whole group.