The Ryersonian's sneak peak at the Gardens

Join us for our behind-the-scenes look of on-going construction inside Ryerson's newest athletic facility.

Maple Leaf Gardens is now the Peter Gilgan Athletic Centre. This announcement was made earlier today at the site of the old hockey rink.
Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy Homes, has donated $15 million to Ryerson University for the construction of the facility.
Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy Homes, takes the stage. "I'm more comfortable on two wheels than hockey skates" #mapleleafgardenspaigesellisvia twitter on Nov 29, 2011 at 10:45 AM

Ryerson said the total cost of re-development of the Ryerson portion of the Gardens was $60 million. $20 million will come from a levy that students approved in a referendum in 2009, plus a federal government grant of $20 million and now the $15 million donation from Gilgan. There is no word on where the remaining $5 million came from.
Gilgan: "When facility opens in the Spring, it will be a big celebration." No kidding! yfrog.com
by paigesellis on Nov 29, 2011 at 10:49 AM via twitter
This historic landmark, once known as Maple Leaf Gardens, had been hidden for months behind construction boards and scaffolding.
The Gardens first opened in Nov. 1931 as the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Construction took place during the Great depression and cost $1.5 million to build. 
Over its 80-year existence Toronto’s hockey shrine hasn’t just been where the puck hits the ice; it has also hosted big names like Mohammed Ali, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.

In 1989, the Toronto Maple Leafs left the Gardens. The building sat empty, except for a few other sporting events before Maple Leaf and Sports and Entertainment put the building up for sale. 
Loblaw Companies Ltd. bought the landmark in 2006, but it sat empty until November 2009 when the federal government agreed to shell out $20 million to help fund a partnership between Ryerson University and Loblaws to re-develop the gardens.   
So far, the supermarket portion of the gardens is set to officially open on Wednesday.
The university has promised that construction of its portion will be ready in winter 2012 despite initially saying construction would be completed in spring last year.
When the Gardens is finally completed Ryerson’s new facility will include: 
- An NHL-sized skating rink; 
- A four-lane, 200m running track; 
- Basketball and volleyball courts with telescoping bleachers with more than 1,200 seats; 
- Studios, a fitness centre, and a high performance gym; 
- Academic space and more.

To review our live coverage scroll down for moment-by-moment details.

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