Sault Memorial Gardens
Encyclopedia
The Sault Memorial Gardens was the focal point of ice hockey
in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
, for 57 years from 1949 to 2006. It was located in the heart of the downtown district at 169 Queen Street. The Gardens was one of the first Northern Ontario
arenas to have artificial ice, and seated 3,990 spectators.
The arena was built as a war memorial
, and hosted several teams over the years, but was primarily home to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
of the Ontario Hockey League
. The Memorial Gardens was ultimately replaced by the Steelback Centre
, built directly adjacent to where the Gardens once stood. After bankruptcy, Essar Steel
had purchased the naming rights to the facility.
. Plans originally intended the facility to be multi-purpose, including an indoor pool, auditorium, and large outdoor fountains. Cost estimates at the outlook of the project were in the range of $400,000 CAD
.
The official groundbreaking
ceremony took place on September 18, 1946. Work on the massive structure would take two and a half years to complete. Once completed, total costs were approximately $765,000 CAD. The Memorial Gardens officially opened February 20, 1949, with a crowd of 8,500 to mark the official dedication.
architecture style, using straight lines and curved forms. The main entrance and lobby were on the first floor at street level, and the Greyhounds team offices were on the second floor above. Inside the front doors, the lobby featured cast iron gates
through which spectators filed to have their tickets taken. Inside these gates were concessions
and entrances to the seating areas.
The seating area had main concourse around the top of arena, and an aisle around the boards at ice level for movement of spectators. The benches for hockey teams, and penalty box
es were located in these aisles. The seats were all wooden benches, painted light blue.
The Gardens had more rows of seats at the ends of the arena, than along the sides. The concourse and seats along the sides, sloped downwards from the end sections, towards the middle sections. As a result of this there were four full sections in the Gardens in which every single seat was tilted on a diagonal angle. The upper concourse area was very narrow, along the sides, and it was also the standing room area.
. At the base of the tower, inside the building, stands a list among wreaths, bearing the names of those of Sault Ste. Marie's bravest who did not return. The tower is all that remains from the demolished structure of the Gardens.
panels and a bronze
angel
, commemorating the war dead.
The exterior of the south end of the arena had a large Greyhounds logo and a list of all the years that Sault teams have won league championships and the Memorial Cup.
Underneath the stands on the east side, in the corridor beside the Greyhounds dressing room was the "Greyhounds alumni wall." Every Greyhounds alumnus had his named painted on the wall under the year which he graduated from the team. The exact wording at the beginning of the list read:
. David Bolland
of the London Knights
scored the last goal, in game four of the first round playoff series.
The building was officially decommissioned and closed to the public on April 9, 2006 in much the same fashion that it was ceremonially opened. Royal Canadian Legion
members and other dignitaries were on hand to bid farewell to an important piece of Northern Ontario, and Sault Ste. Marie's heritage. Demolition of the building's interior began on April 27, 2006, with final exterior demolition beginning May 27, 2006. At the time of demolition, the Sault Memorial Gardens was the second oldest operational arena in the Ontario Hockey League. Only the Windsor Arena
was older.
All that remains of the former building is the preserved Memorial Tower, and its beacon. The decision not to demolish the tower, shows its importance to local history, and to remember war veterans. The city block that contains the site of the tower, and the arena facility, is now known as Memorial Square.
tournament in 1978 and 1993, as well as the 1979 OHL All-Star Game.
The last big tournament played in the Gardens was the 2003 Canadian midget hockey championships, known as the Air Canada
Cup.
Aside from hockey, the 1990 Labatt Brier, the 1996 Canadian National Gymnastics
Championship were hosted in the Gardens.
Artists that have performed at Memorial Gardens include, Stompin' Tom Connors
, Randy Travis
, Tom Cochrane
, Bob Dylan
, Kenny Rogers
, Alice Cooper
, Billy Ray Cyrus
, Rush
, The Tragically Hip
, Rita MacNeil
, Bryan Adams
, Johnny Cash
, Roy Orbison
& Willie Nelson
, among others.
Other larger performances include WWF Wrestling, Smurfs on Ice, and the PharmAssist Skate the Nation Tour.
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 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
, for 57 years from 1949 to 2006. It was located in the heart of the downtown district at 169 Queen Street. The Gardens was one of the first Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
arenas to have artificial ice, and seated 3,990 spectators.
The arena was built as a war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
, and hosted several teams over the years, but was primarily home to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
. The Memorial Gardens was ultimately replaced by the Steelback Centre
Steelback Centre
The Essar Centre is a 5,000 seat sports and entertainment centre in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It opened on September 29, 2006, replacing the now demolished Sault Memorial Gardens. The new building was constructed directly next door to the former Memorial Gardens and incorporated its most...
, built directly adjacent to where the Gardens once stood. After bankruptcy, Essar Steel
Essar Steel
Essar Steel is one of the leaders in the country and abroad in the steel sector. The company has a number of international centers like the Minnesota Steel LLC, a company located in the USA, Algoma Steel in Canada, Greenfield projects in Vietnam, Steel plant in Indonesia, and Integrated steel plant...
had purchased the naming rights to the facility.
Beginning of an era
On January 7, 1946, the City of Sault Ste. Marie voted to construct a new recreational facility with an arena. It was approved by city residents via questionnaire to replace the then existing Gouin Street ArenaGouin Street Arena
Gouin Street Arena is the predecessor to the Sault Memorial Gardens, Sault Ste. Marie's premier sports complex from 1949-2006. It was built in the early 1900s on Gouin Street between Queen and Bay Streets near East Street. The Arena housed in-season ice surfaces for both ice hockey and curling...
. Plans originally intended the facility to be multi-purpose, including an indoor pool, auditorium, and large outdoor fountains. Cost estimates at the outlook of the project were in the range of $400,000 CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
.
The official groundbreaking
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and...
ceremony took place on September 18, 1946. Work on the massive structure would take two and a half years to complete. Once completed, total costs were approximately $765,000 CAD. The Memorial Gardens officially opened February 20, 1949, with a crowd of 8,500 to mark the official dedication.
About the Gardens
The design of the Gardens' front facade was representative of Streamline ModerneStreamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
architecture style, using straight lines and curved forms. The main entrance and lobby were on the first floor at street level, and the Greyhounds team offices were on the second floor above. Inside the front doors, the lobby featured cast iron gates
Ironwork
Ironwork is any weapon, artwork, utensil or architectural feature made of iron especially used for decoration. There are two main types of ironwork wrought iron and cast iron. While the use of iron dates as far back as 4000BC, it was the Hittites who first knew how to extract it and develop weapons...
through which spectators filed to have their tickets taken. Inside these gates were concessions
Concession stand
A concession stand , snack kiosk or snack bar is the term used to refer to a place where patrons can purchase snacks or food at a cinema, fair, stadium, or other entertainment venue. Some events or venues contract out the right to sell food to third parties...
and entrances to the seating areas.
The seating area had main concourse around the top of arena, and an aisle around the boards at ice level for movement of spectators. The benches for hockey teams, and penalty box
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
es were located in these aisles. The seats were all wooden benches, painted light blue.
The Gardens had more rows of seats at the ends of the arena, than along the sides. The concourse and seats along the sides, sloped downwards from the end sections, towards the middle sections. As a result of this there were four full sections in the Gardens in which every single seat was tilted on a diagonal angle. The upper concourse area was very narrow, along the sides, and it was also the standing room area.
Memorial Tower
The Gardens' most distinctive feature was the Memorial Tower and red-lighted beacon. The beacon was lit on nights the Greyhounds played home games. The tower was also in commemoration of soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At the base of the tower, inside the building, stands a list among wreaths, bearing the names of those of Sault Ste. Marie's bravest who did not return. The tower is all that remains from the demolished structure of the Gardens.
Other features
Inside the Gardens, high above the ice at the south end was a memorial fresco featuring stained glassStained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
panels and a bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
, commemorating the war dead.
The exterior of the south end of the arena had a large Greyhounds logo and a list of all the years that Sault teams have won league championships and the Memorial Cup.
Underneath the stands on the east side, in the corridor beside the Greyhounds dressing room was the "Greyhounds alumni wall." Every Greyhounds alumnus had his named painted on the wall under the year which he graduated from the team. The exact wording at the beginning of the list read:
Structural changes
Since its inauguration in 1949, the building has seen some dramatic changes.- Interior lightingScoop (theater)In stage lighting, an ellipsoidal reflector floodlight , better known as a scoop, is a large, simple lighting fixture with a dome-like reflector, large high-wattage lamp and no lens...
above the ice (1950) - Acrylic glassAcrylic glassPoly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
around the ice replacing chain link fencingChain link fencingA chain-link fence is a type of woven fence usually made from galvanized or LLDPE-coated steel wire...
(1952) - Metal roofMetal roofA metal roof, often referred to as a tin roof, is a roofing system made from metal pieces or tiles. It is a component of the building envelope.-History:...
ing replacing roof shingleRoof shingleRoof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat rectangular shapes laid in rows from the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive higher row overlapping the joints in the row below...
s (1978) - Electrical wiringElectrical wiringElectrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductors used to carry electricity, and associated devices. This article describes general aspects of electrical wiring as used to provide power in buildings and structures, commonly referred to as building wiring. This article is intended to...
brought up to code (1980s) - Heating & Ventilation systemHVACHVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
upgrades (1980s) - ChangeroomChangeroomA changing room, locker room, dressing room or changeroom is a room or area designated for changing one's clothes...
renovations (1980s) - Fire alarm systemFire alarm systemAn automatic fire alarm system is designed to detect the unwanted presence of fire by monitoring environmental changes associated with combustion. In general, a fire alarm system is classified as either automatically actuated, manually actuated, or both...
and Public AddressPublic addressA public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
system upgrades (1990) - Luxury boxes and media gondolasBroadcasting of sports eventsThe broadcasting of sports events is the coverage of sports as a television program, on radio and other broadcasting media. It usually involves one or more sports commentators describing the events as they happen.-United States:...
added (1993) - Exterior refinishing & whitewashWhitewashWhitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a very low-cost type of paint made from slaked lime and chalk . Various other additives are also used...
ing (1997)
End of an era
The last Greyhounds game was played on March 28, 2006, a playoff game versus the London KnightsLondon Knights
The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.-Early days–1968:...
. David Bolland
David Bolland
David Bolland is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. Nicknamed The Rat, Bolland was drafted by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft...
of the London Knights
London Knights
The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League.-Early days–1968:...
scored the last goal, in game four of the first round playoff series.
The building was officially decommissioned and closed to the public on April 9, 2006 in much the same fashion that it was ceremonially opened. Royal Canadian Legion
Royal Canadian Legion
The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial and municipal police, direct relatives of...
members and other dignitaries were on hand to bid farewell to an important piece of Northern Ontario, and Sault Ste. Marie's heritage. Demolition of the building's interior began on April 27, 2006, with final exterior demolition beginning May 27, 2006. At the time of demolition, the Sault Memorial Gardens was the second oldest operational arena in the Ontario Hockey League. Only the Windsor Arena
Windsor Arena
Windsor Arena is an indoor arena located in Windsor, Ontario. Its capacity is approximately 4,400 with standing room. The arena's ice is an asymmetrical by or...
was older.
All that remains of the former building is the preserved Memorial Tower, and its beacon. The decision not to demolish the tower, shows its importance to local history, and to remember war veterans. The city block that contains the site of the tower, and the arena facility, is now known as Memorial Square.
Events
The Memorial Gardens played host to the Memorial CupMemorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
tournament in 1978 and 1993, as well as the 1979 OHL All-Star Game.
The last big tournament played in the Gardens was the 2003 Canadian midget hockey championships, known as the Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
Cup.
Aside from hockey, the 1990 Labatt Brier, the 1996 Canadian National Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
Championship were hosted in the Gardens.
Artists that have performed at Memorial Gardens include, Stompin' Tom Connors
Stompin' Tom Connors
Charles Thomas "Stompin' Tom" Connors, OC is one of Canada's most prolific and well-known country and folk singers.He lives in Wellington County, Ontario.- Early life :...
, Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
, Tom Cochrane
Tom Cochrane
Tom Cochrane, OC Canadian musician and humanitarian, best known for his hit songs "Life Is a Highway", "Lunatic Fringe", "Human Race" and "I Wish You Well". Cochrane fronted the Canadian rock band Red Rider and has won seven Juno Awards...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus
William "Billy" Ray Cyrus is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist, who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon...
, Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as The Hip, is a Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, consisting of Gordon Downie , Paul Langlois , Rob Baker , Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay . Since their formation in 1983 they have released 12 studio albums, two live albums, and 46 singles...
, Rita MacNeil
Rita MacNeil
Rita MacNeil, CM, ONS is a Canadian country and folk singer from the community of Big Pond on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. Her biggest hit, "Flying On Your Own", was a crossover Top 40 hit in 1987 and was covered by Anne Murray the following year, although she has had hits on the country...
, Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
& Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, among others.
Other larger performances include WWF Wrestling, Smurfs on Ice, and the PharmAssist Skate the Nation Tour.
Further reading
- Cuthbert, Chris, and Russel, Scott. The Rink: Stories From Hockey's Home Towns. ISBN 0-670-87550-3.