A month after adding an expansion team in China, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League will announce the relocation of the Brampton Thunder to Markham on Tuesday, the Star has learned.

The expansion team will be called the Markham Thunder, the same namesake as volleyball and lacrosse clubs in the city.

The Brampton Thunder have played out of the Brampton Memorial Arena in the CWHL since the league’s inception in 2007.

“It’s really sad,” said Don Simmons, who lives two minutes from the Brampton Memorial Arena and has volunteered with the team for seven years as its announcer — something he says he will continue to do after the move.

“I just enjoy it so much. There’s quite a history there. I just hope that they maintain the history of the team. They’re one of the two original teams that have spanned the entire history of women’s hockey in southern Ontario.”

On June 5, the league, which is the top women’s hockey level in the country, announced the addition of a sixth franchise, the Kunlun Red Star, in a bold move to Shenzhen, China.

On Thursday, the league issued a press release promoting the announcement of an “exciting partnership between the CWHL and the City of Markham” at the Thornhill Community Centre on July 11.

The largest of the two ice pads at the Thornhill Community Centre has seating for 1,000 spectators.

There are other options for the team’s new arena though.

It won’t be the first time the CWHL has partnered with Markham. In 2015, Markham hosted the league’s Clarkson Cup playoffs at its 1,800-seat Centennial Arena.

The CWHL opted not to offer comment on the relocation but said Tuesday’s press conference would be a “major moment for the team, players and fans,” in a statement.

The City of Markham did not immediately return request for comment.

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CWHL commissioner Brenda Andress and governor Vicky Sunohara will be on hand for Tuesday’s announcement alongside Markham mayor Frank Scarpiti.

“I’m sad to see Brampton go, but the economy, you’ve got to have people in the seats and it has just never been able to,” Simmons said. “There’s always been something else going on. Hopefully they’ll be able to make a go of it in Markham. They’re certainly enthusiastic about it in Markham.”

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