Maple Leaf Gardens facts for kids
|
“The Carlton Street Cashbox”
”The Church of Hockey” MLG ”The Shrine” |
|
 |
|
 Maple Leaf Gardens
Location in Toronto
Maple Leaf Gardens
Location in Ontario
Maple Leaf Gardens
Location in Canada
|
|
| Address | 60 Carlton Street |
|---|---|
| Location | Toronto, Ontario |
| Coordinates | 43°39′44″N 79°22′49″W / 43.66222°N 79.38028°W |
| Public transit | College Station 506 Carlton |
| Owner | Ryerson University Loblaw Companies Ltd. (2004–Present) Former owner Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. (1931–2004) |
| Operator | Ryerson University Loblaw Companies Ltd. (2004–Present) Former Operator Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. (1931–2004) |
| Capacity | Ice hockey: 12,473 (1931–1940), 12,586 (1940–1960)1, 13,718 (1960–1966)2, 15,461 (1966–1968)3, 16,316 (1968–1981)4, 16,182 (1981–1991)5, 15,642 (1991–1992), 15,720 (1992–1993), 15,728 (1993–1994), 15,646 (1994–1996)6, 15,726 (1996–2012), 3,850 (2012–present) 114,550 with standing room 214,650 with standing room 316,161 with standing room 416,485 with standing room 516,382 with standing room 615,746 with standing room |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 30, 1931 |
| Opened | November 12, 1931 |
| Construction cost | C$1.5 million ($25.9 million in 2021 dollars ) |
| Architect | Ross and Macdonald |
| General contractor | Thomson Brothers Construction |
| Tenants | |
| Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) (1931–1999) Toronto Huskies (BAA) (1946–1947) Toronto Marlboros (OHL) (1931–1989) Toronto Tecumsehs (ILL) (1932) Toronto Maple Leafs (ILL) (1932) Toronto Maple Leafs (NLA) (1968) Toronto Toros (WHA) (1974–1976) Buffalo Braves (NBA) (1971–1975) Toronto Tomahawks (NLL) (1974) Toronto Blizzard (NASL) (1980–1982 indoor) Toronto Shooting Stars (NPSL) (1996–1997) Toronto Raptors (NBA) (1997–1999) Toronto St. Michael's Majors (OHL) (1997–2000) Toronto Rock (NLL) (1999–2000) Mattamy Athletic Centre Ryerson Rams (U Sports) (2012–present) Toronto Shooting Stars (CLax) (2013) Toronto Predators (GMHL) (2013–present) Toronto Ultra (CDL) (2020–present) |
|
| Website | |
| Mattamy Athletic Centre | |
| Designated: | 2007 |
| Designated: | 1991 |
Maple Leaf Gardens is a famous building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It's located at the corner of Carlton Street and Church Street. This building was first built to be a huge arena for ice hockey games.
Over the years, it has changed a lot. Today, Maple Leaf Gardens is a multi-purpose building. The lower floors have a Loblaws grocery store. The top floor has an arena for Ryerson University, which is called the Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens.
Maple Leaf Gardens is known as one of the "cathedrals" of hockey. It was the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team from 1931 to 1999. While playing at the Gardens, the Leafs won the Stanley Cup 11 times between 1932 and 1967. The very first National Hockey League All-Star Game was held here in 1947.
Many other sports teams also played at the Gardens. These included the Toronto Huskies basketball team (1946–1947) and the Toronto Toros hockey team (1974–1976). Even the Toronto Raptors basketball team played some games here from 1997 to 1999.
Beyond sports, Maple Leaf Gardens hosted many big events. Elvis Presley performed here in 1957. In 1972, it hosted Game 2 of the famous Summit Series between Team Canada and the USSR. Canada won that game 4–1.
Contents
The History of Maple Leaf Gardens
Building the Famous Arena
The Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team used to play at the Arena Gardens. This arena was built in 1912 and could hold 7,500 fans. By 1930, the Leafs' manager, Conn Smythe, felt it was too small. He wanted to build a much bigger and more impressive arena.
They bought land at Carlton and Church Streets for $350,000. The new arena was designed by the company Ross and Macdonald. It was planned to hold 12,473 people for games, plus more standing room.
.png)
To pay for the building, Smythe created a company called Maple Leaf Gardens Limited (MLGL). This company would own both the arena and the Maple Leafs team. Shares in MLGL were sold to the public for $10 each.
Construction started on June 1, 1931. It was an amazing achievement because the Gardens was built in just five months and two weeks! The total cost was about $1.5 million.
Early Years: 1931–1960
Maple Leaf Gardens officially opened on November 12, 1931. The first game saw the Maple Leafs lose 2–1 to the Chicago Blackhawks. Even so, the Leafs went on to win their first Stanley Cup that very season.
The Gardens quickly became a place for many different events.
- The first professional wrestling show was held in November 1931.
- Boxing matches were also very popular.
- Winston Churchill, a famous leader, gave a speech here in 1932.
- During World War II, rallies were held to support the war effort.
On November 1, 1946, Maple Leaf Gardens hosted the first game in the history of the Basketball Association of America (BAA). This league later became the NBA. The Toronto Huskies played against the New York Knicks.
In 1947, Conn Smythe became the main owner of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. He borrowed money to take control of the company.
The Gardens also hosted many cultural events.
- Opera performances began in 1936.
- The first rock and roll concert was in 1956, featuring Bill Haley & His Comets.
- Elvis Presley played his first concerts outside the United States here in 1957.
Changes and New Ownership: 1961–1971
In 1961, Conn Smythe sold most of his shares to a group that included his son, Stafford Smythe, along with Harold Ballard and John Bassett. The new owners made some changes to the Gardens.
- They added 962 new seats in 1962.
- A private club, The Hot Stove Club, was added in 1963.
- More seats were added in 1965, 1966, and 1967. By 1968, the arena could hold 16,485 people for hockey.
The Maple Leafs were incredibly popular. Every game from 1946 to 1999 was completely sold out! This is why the arena was often called the "Carlton Street Cashbox."
On November 8, 1963, Maple Leaf Gardens became the first NHL arena to have separate penalty boxes. The famous band The Beatles played at the Gardens during all three of their North American tours (1964, 1965, and 1966). It was the only place they played on each tour.
In 1966, a new scoreboard with a digital clock was installed. This replaced the older analog clock.
In 1971, Harold Ballard became the majority owner of the building and the Leafs.
The Ballard Era: 1972–1990
During the time Harold Ballard owned the Gardens, it continued to host many big events.
- On July 7, 1974, a major professional wrestling tournament called World Cup Wrestling was held here.
- Many famous music artists performed at the Gardens.
- Bob Dylan played two shows in 1975.
- Bob Marley and The Wailers performed in 1978 and 1979.
- ABBA played their last North American concert here in 1979.
- The Who performed what was thought to be their last concert in 1982.
- Rush, a Canadian rock band, recorded a live video here.
- In 1988, the Human Rights Now! Benefit Concert featured Bruce Springsteen, Sting, and Peter Gabriel.
- Pearl Jam played a concert in 1996.
Even though the Leafs' performance on the ice sometimes struggled, every game was still sold out. In 1979, the old radio broadcast booth, where Foster Hewitt famously called games, was removed. In 1982, a new scoreboard with a color screen was installed.
The World Hockey Association (WHA) tried to bring a team to Toronto. The Toronto Toros played at the Gardens for two seasons (1974–1976). However, the owner, Harold Ballard, made it very difficult for them to play there. He charged high fees and even removed the cushions from their bench! Because of these problems, the Toros eventually moved to another city.
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment: 1991–2003
Harold Ballard passed away in 1990. A new ownership group, led by Steve Stavro, took over. In 1994, Stavro and his partners became the new owners of the Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens.
This company later became Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE). They also bought the Toronto Raptors basketball team in 1998.
By the 1990s, Maple Leaf Gardens was considered too old and small. It didn't have enough luxury suites to make money like newer arenas. MLSE decided to build a new, modern arena.
The Air Canada Centre (now Scotiabank Arena) was being built for the Raptors. When MLSE bought the Raptors, they decided to make the new arena suitable for both hockey and basketball.
The Raptors played their last game at the Gardens on February 9, 1999. A few days later, on February 13, 1999, the Toronto Maple Leafs played their final game at Maple Leaf Gardens. They lost 6–2 to the Chicago Blackhawks. It was an emotional night for fans.
The Toronto Rock lacrosse team played at the Gardens for the 1999 and 2000 seasons. They won the championship both times, making them the last championship team to play in the building. After 2000, Maple Leaf Gardens was mostly empty for about ten years.
New Life for the Gardens: 2004–Present
_(3294778069).jpg)
MLSE did not want to sell Maple Leaf Gardens to anyone who would use it as a competing arena. Many ideas were suggested, like turning it into an entertainment complex. However, these plans were stopped when it was discovered that the old seating structure actually helped hold up the building's outer walls! If the seats were removed, the walls might collapse.
In 2004, Loblaw Companies, a large Canadian grocery chain, bought the Gardens for $12 million. They planned to turn the inside into a Real Canadian Superstore grocery store with parking. People were worried that this would ruin the building's history. But others pointed out that the building was falling apart and needed a new purpose to be saved.
The Gardens was even used for filming! In 2004, boxing scenes for the movie Cinderella Man were shot there.
In 2009, Loblaws announced they were talking with Ryerson University about sharing the building. The government also agreed to help with funding. The plan was to turn the arena into a Loblaws grocery store on the lower floors and a new sports facility for Ryerson University on the upper levels. This new facility would include a fitness center, courts, and an NHL-sized ice hockey rink.
Construction began in 2009. The new Loblaws store opened on November 30, 2011. It kept many parts of the old Gardens, like original seats and a red dot on the floor marking where center ice used to be.
Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens
.jpg)
On November 29, 2011, Ryerson University announced a large donation from Peter Gilgan of Mattamy Homes. Because of this generous gift, the new athletic complex was named Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens. The ice rink inside is called Mattamy Home Ice.
The athletic center was finished in the summer of 2012. The ice rink became the new home for the Ryerson Rams hockey team. Their first game there was on September 9, 2012. The arena is now home to Ryerson's hockey, basketball, and volleyball teams.
The Canadian Lacrosse League also brought a team, the Toronto Shooting Stars, to the Mattamy Athletic Centre in 2013. This brought lacrosse back to the Gardens after 13 years.
The arena has hosted many other events since it reopened:
- A charity hockey game during the 2012–13 NHL lockout.
- The 2013 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election.
- Curling events and university sports championships.
- Exhibition games for the Canada men's national junior ice hockey team.
- It was a venue for the 2015 Pan American Games and 2015 Parapan American Games, hosting basketball and wheelchair sports.
- It also hosted events for the 2017 Invictus Games.
On February 13, 2018, the Toronto Maple Leafs held an open practice at the arena. This was the first official Leafs event in the building since their last game there in 1999.
Since 2012, the Mattamy Athletic Centre has hosted several national university championships for basketball and volleyball.
Why Maple Leaf Gardens is Special
.jpg)
Maple Leaf Gardens was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2007. This means it's a very important place in Canadian history.
It was recognized because:
- It's one of the most famous places in hockey history.
- It was the biggest arena in Canada when it was built.
- It hosted many large events, like boxing matches, concerts, political gatherings, and religious services.
- The Gardens holds a special place in Canadian culture. Many famous people and events happened here, from The Beatles to Team Canada playing the Soviets.
The City of Toronto also named the arena a heritage property in 1991, protecting its historical value.
Other Teams Who Played Here
Maple Leaf Gardens was home to many other sports teams over the years:
- Toronto Lions (1931–1939)
- Toronto Marlboros (1931–1989)
- Toronto Young Rangers (1937–1948)
- Toronto Huskies (1946–1947)
- New York Rangers (1950 Stanley Cup Finals)
- Toronto Knob Hill Farms (1962–1963)
- Buffalo Braves (1971–1975)
- Ottawa Nationals (1972–1973 playoffs)
- Toronto Toros (1974–1976)
- Toronto Tomahawks (1974)
- Toronto Blizzard (1980–1982 indoor)
- Toronto Raptors (1997–1999)
- Toronto Shooting Stars (1996–1997)
- Toronto St. Michael's Majors (1997–2000)
- Toronto Rock (1999–2000)
- Toronto Predators (2013-present)
See also
In Spanish: Maple Leaf Gardens para niños
