Toronto City Council Approves $7 Million Overhaul for Moss Park Arena
Only a year after Toronto city council's drama was put on ice, Moss Park Arena is set for a total refresh. Councillors are expected to consider $300,000 in funding for the ice rink, located at Queen and Sherbourne Streets, as one of three hockey-related items at this week's city council meeting.
That money, paid out from the city's Section 37 pool of funding, would be just a portion of the $7 million that the city has earmarked to bring the crumbling downtown arena up to modern standards, according to Karin Fritzlar, who chairs the board overseeing the arena. Fritzlar expressed that she and other board members are really, really pleased with the city's support.
The arena had actually been on the list for a state-of-good-repair project for quite some time, and thankfully all stars sort of aligned and we were able to take a look at everything that was required, she told the Toronto Sun.
Renovation Details and Past Controversies
The Sun has previously reported on issues at the arena, including disrepair and an attempt last year by local city councillor Chris Moise to fire the board's members and replace them with what appeared to be campaign donors. Moise's office has been contacted for comment on the new arena funding.
However, Fritzlar noted ahead of the council vote that it has been a real pleasure working with Moise's team. It's been a really great, genuine working relationship with the councillor and his office. I will say that. We've got a really strong partnership happening, she added.
The funding will enable renovations beyond basic needs, covering new amenities and aesthetic improvements. Highlights include:
- A new sound system and scoreboard
- Better washrooms
- A new refrigeration facility
- Electric Zambonis
The arena will be closed for about a year for the work, which will overlap with changes to the adjacent John Innes Community Centre.
Council's Push for Maple Leafs Outdoor Game
Meanwhile, city council quickly approved a proposal for a big outdoor spectacle starring the Toronto Maple Leafs. Deputy Mayor Paul Ainslie brought forward the endorsement, which requests that the NHL consider Toronto for an outdoor game and that senior bureaucrats engage with the league and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
The game could take place at the Rogers Centre with the roof open, providing a magnificent view of the CN Tower and Toronto's city skyline — creating an unforgettable backdrop for fans and global broadcasts or another iconic outdoor stadium, Ainslie wrote to Mayor Olivia Chow's executive committee.
He framed the outdoor game as a way to celebrate 100 years since the hockey club took on the Maple Leafs name. However, feasibility concerns exist, such as the Rogers Centre's artificial turf lacking a drainage system for precipitation and potential ice falling from the CN Tower, which caused issues in the past.
New Plaque for Arena Gardens
Also in Moise's ward, city council was to consider a new plaque to recognize the Arena Gardens, the first home ice for the Leafs, commemorating the club's 100th anniversary. The arena opened in 1912, predating NHL hockey, and was torn down in 1989.
In his book A Great Game, former prime minister Stephen Harper described the Arena Gardens as quite a palace by pre-war standards, with seating for over 7,000 and the first artificial ice rink in Eastern Canada. While the Arena Gardens is now remembered as the inadequate old place eclipsed by Conn Smythe's Maple Leaf Gardens, it was one of the continent's top facilities in its day, Harper wrote.
A Heritage Toronto plaque was installed on Mutual Street at the site in 2013, but clarification on the new plaque's impact was not provided by Heritage Toronto.
