Mutual Street Rink
Encyclopedia
The Mutual Street Rink also known as the Caledonian Rink was a curling and skating rink located on Mutual Street in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It was the primary site of the sport of ice hockey
in Toronto from the 1880s
until 1912 when it was replaced by the Arena Gardens. In the 1880s, it was considered Toronto's largest auditorium.
The rink was like other ice hockey rinks at the time, a large unheated building with a concrete floor, which was flooded with water in wintertime to create a natural ice rink
. At the time of construction, the seating area was a raised floor surrounding the ice. In the summer-time, the building was used as an auditorium. Its approximate size can be judged by the attendance at church gatherings in the 1880s, which with temporary seating allowed 4,000 to 5,000 to attend. In the 1880s, it was Toronto's largest auditorium.
and curling
. In 1888, the Caledonian Hockey Club was formed and the rink was first used for ice hockey. As the popularity of ice hockey grew, the rink became the primary site of ice hockey in Toronto. 1892 and later Ontario ice hockey championship were played at the rink. Toronto's first professional ice hockey team, the Toronto Professional Hockey Club
, began play there in 1906.
When ice was not present, the building was used for other purposes. In June 1886, a large choral festival of over 1,000 performers, 100-piece orchestra, children's choir, plus soloists was held at the rink. Church gatherings in the 1880s attracted up to 4,000 persons. In 1906, the rink building was the site of one of the first displays of motor cars in Toronto. Over $400,000 worth of automobiles were shown.
By the 1910s
, the seating capacity
of the rink for hockey was not sufficient, and the Arena Gardens complex was built on the Mutual Street site. In 1937, the Arena Gardens was renamed the Mutual Street Arena. In 1962, curling would return to the site, when curling sheets were installed at the Arena, which was no longer used for ice hockey. The Arena, by then known as 'The Terrace', was demolished in 1989.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was the primary site of the sport of ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
in Toronto from the 1880s
1880s
The 1880s was the decade that spanned from January 1, 1880 to December 31, 1889. They occurred at the core period of the Second Industrial Revolution. Most Western countries experienced a large economic boom, due to the mass production of railroads and other more convenient methods of travel...
until 1912 when it was replaced by the Arena Gardens. In the 1880s, it was considered Toronto's largest auditorium.
Building
The building was opened in December 1875 under the name of the "Caledonian Skating & Curling Rink". The Caledonian Society was a club which celebrated Scottish games, had excursions and celebrated Robert Burns Day.The rink was like other ice hockey rinks at the time, a large unheated building with a concrete floor, which was flooded with water in wintertime to create a natural ice rink
Rink
Rink may refer to:* Ice rink, used for ice skating* Ice hockey rink*Curling rink, used to refer to both a curling team and the playing surface*a roller rink, used for roller skating or roller hockey...
. At the time of construction, the seating area was a raised floor surrounding the ice. In the summer-time, the building was used as an auditorium. Its approximate size can be judged by the attendance at church gatherings in the 1880s, which with temporary seating allowed 4,000 to 5,000 to attend. In the 1880s, it was Toronto's largest auditorium.
Usage
Two sports were the initial users of the rink, Ice skatingIce skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
and curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
. In 1888, the Caledonian Hockey Club was formed and the rink was first used for ice hockey. As the popularity of ice hockey grew, the rink became the primary site of ice hockey in Toronto. 1892 and later Ontario ice hockey championship were played at the rink. Toronto's first professional ice hockey team, the Toronto Professional Hockey Club
Toronto Professional Hockey Club
The Toronto Professional Hockey Club was Toronto's first professional ice hockey team, founded in 1906. The team played the 1906–07 season in exhibition games against other professional teams. In 1908, they were founding members of Canada's first fully professional ice hockey league the Ontario...
, began play there in 1906.
When ice was not present, the building was used for other purposes. In June 1886, a large choral festival of over 1,000 performers, 100-piece orchestra, children's choir, plus soloists was held at the rink. Church gatherings in the 1880s attracted up to 4,000 persons. In 1906, the rink building was the site of one of the first displays of motor cars in Toronto. Over $400,000 worth of automobiles were shown.
By the 1910s
1910s
File:1910s montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Model T Ford is introduced and becomes widespread; The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic causes the deaths of nearly 1,500 people and attracts global and historical attention; Title bar: All the events below are part of World War I ; French Army lookout...
, the seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of the rink for hockey was not sufficient, and the Arena Gardens complex was built on the Mutual Street site. In 1937, the Arena Gardens was renamed the Mutual Street Arena. In 1962, curling would return to the site, when curling sheets were installed at the Arena, which was no longer used for ice hockey. The Arena, by then known as 'The Terrace', was demolished in 1989.