Despite a deal reached to keep the ice at the 76-year-old Weston Lions Arena, no details have been announced in months, and no major work has been done at the facility, leaving the community frustrated and uncertain about its future.
Hockey Instructor Says Arena 'Not Saved'
Lucas Miller, a hockey instructor who became a public advocate for the arena, said the praise he receives for rescuing the rink is now "bittersweet." He told the Toronto Sun, "Unless the rink is opened (in) September 2026, there's no such thing as saved. It's not saved. How is it saved?"
Miller noted that when he organizes for the fall, work typically begins in March. The Weston Lions Club, the former operator, no longer holds the lease to the city-owned arena, which has a $15-million repair backlog. The arena has been closed since April 1.
Miller said he was told there would be an announcement by May and got the impression ice would be available this fall. A March statement from Councillor Frances Nunziata promised a "renewed ice pad" with details in the second quarter of 2024. "What's the holdup?" Miller asked. "It doesn't make sense. Do they want it to rot so then it's just irreparable? I don't know... The frustrating part is there's been no information. There's been no communication at all, and now we're at the end of June."
City, Province, and MLSE in Negotiations
A statement from the City of Toronto's parks and recreation division said negotiations with the province and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment "to revitalize the Weston Lions Arena into an MLSE Launchpad location" are ongoing. Neither MLSE nor Premier Doug Ford's office agreed to comment.
Documents obtained by the Sun via a freedom-of-information request reveal that when the community was warned hockey's days were numbered, MLSE had told city hall that keeping ice at the facility could cost more than $50 million. An email summary of a July 2025 meeting shows that figure was provided by Lisa Wiele, managing director for MLSE Launchpad. Also present were Nunziata and Harley Valentine, a partner with developer Castlepoint Numa.
The summary, prepared by Marilyn McCrea, a consultant for Nunziata who also serves on the Weston Village BIA board and was until recently listed as a community liaison for Castlepoint Numa, stated: "Lisa explained that ice is not likely due to the extremely high financial investment required – estimated at upwards of $50M."
Developer Ties and Conflicts of Interest
Castlepoint Numa, Nunziata's office, and the Weston Village BIA have ignored requests for comment. The role of Valentine's firm in the project is unclear, though it has two condo developments near the arena. Valentine appears to have been a campaign donor to Nunziata, giving $1,200 in 2022, while another Castlepoint Numa partner donated $1,000.
Daniel Di Giorgio, who made the freedom-of-information request and has registered as a council candidate in Nunziata's ward, alleged that McCrea's work for both Valentine and Nunziata constitutes a "conflict." He said, "The largest and most egregious offense, I would argue, was letting a private interest group dictate how things transpired there."
Di Giorgio also questioned the information the city was working with, noting that the Lions Club wasn't brought on board right away. A year ago, documents show city hall believed the rink was underused. A parks and rec director wrote in April 2025 that they had heard the Lions were open to "reimagining" the space after "struggling with uptake of programs (and) registrations." About an hour later, the director wrote back to Nunziata's staffer, saying they'd "hold off" on looping in the Lions.
Community Impact and Demand for Ice Time
Miller called the remark about the arena's supposed lack of uptake "false information." He said there's nowhere near enough ice time in Toronto, and the Weston rink typically had more than 60 hours booked a week. Hundreds of skaters and hockey players, including plenty of kids, have nowhere to go with the arena closed. Without that ice pad, teams, leagues, and livelihoods may fall apart.
"I don't know if you've ever been to Weston, but I'm talking jammed," Miller said. "It was jammed last year: 60-plus hours, Friday nights with the York Toros organization, the atmosphere, the family feel – I still can't even believe that the rink is no more at this point."
