The Ryersonian's sneak peek 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.
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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The future of Maple Leaf Gardens: The Peter Gilgan Athletic Centre
by aemedrek via twitter edited by Calvin To 11/29/2011 3:43:06 PM -
Correction to spelling. Peter Gilgan Athletic Centre at the Gardens. #mapleleafgardensby paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 3:43:26 PM -
Now known as the Peter Gilgan athletic centre #mapleleafgardensby Adrian Cheung via twitter 11/29/2011 3:43:45 PM -
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Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy Homes, takes the stage. "I'm more comfortable on two wheels than hockey skates" #mapleleafgardensby paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 3:45:33 PM
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Gilgan: "we have nostalgia for the past, but looking forward to future for the building." Side note: Leafs played here for almost 7 decades!by paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 3:46:43 PM
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RT @ZuraidahCTV: #MattamyHomes donating 15-mill to build new #Ryerson Athletic Ctr at old #MapleLeafGardensby tifutifers via twitter 11/29/2011 3:49:54 PM -
Not a fan of the name selection by Ryerson for #mapleleafgardensby Ryan McKenna via twitter 11/29/2011 3:50:14 PM -
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Tie Domi's here. #mapleleafgardensby James Bradshaw via twitter 11/29/2011 3:54:10 PM -
Ryerson Rams Volleyball team captain takes the stage. Must be shaking in her steel-toe bootsby paigesellis via twitter edited by Calvin To 11/29/2011 3:54:17 PM
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not the biggest fan of the new Gardens name. R they going to incorporate "Maple Leaf Gardens" into it at all? @Ryersonian #mapleleafgardensby kaleigh_marie_ via twitter 11/29/2011 3:54:20 PM -
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Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy Homes, takes the stage. "I'm more comfortable on two wheels than hockey skates" #mapleleafgardensby paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 3:57:37 PM
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Ceremonial Faceoff about to begin. #mapleleafgardensby paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 3:58:30 PM
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Puck dropped.. For the third time!#mapleleafgardensby paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 3:59:55 PM
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RT @Hanigsberg: Peter Gilgan Athletic Centre announced via @theryersonian t.co #Ryerson #MapleLeafGardensby LourozMercader via twitter 11/29/2011 4:12:19 PM -
Peter Gilgan Athletic Centre announced via @theryersonian t.co #Ryerson #MapleLeafGardensby Hanigsberg via twitter 11/29/2011 4:12:25 PM -
@paigesellis Um, did you just interview Tie Domi? Jealous.by Erinjamesabra via twitter 11/29/2011 4:12:44 PM -
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by Evan_Weinberg via Instagr.am 11/29/2011 4:14:26 PM -
Always thought Domi was a small guy - he's at least a few inches taller than I am#mapleleafgardensby Adrian Cheung via twitter 11/29/2011 4:17:37 PM
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Still trying to figure out why a HKY player couldn't speak about #mapleleafgardens and a v'ball player can @theryersonian #wrongplayingfieldby Ryan McKenna via twitter 11/29/2011 4:18:39 PM
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@Erinjamesabra yes. Yes I did.by paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 4:20:37 PM
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HALFTIME! A quick recap of what we know so far. We know it'll be called the Peter Gilgan Athletic Centre, named after Peter Gilgan, CEO of Mattamy Homes. He donated $15 million for construction of this facility. The centre will open in five months. Hockey celebrity Tie Domi is there along with one of the owners of Loblaws, Galen Weston.
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Whirlwind of interviews, including one with Tie Domi! #mapleleafgardensby paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 4:28:24 PM
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@theryersonian is the whole building being renamed or just the athletic centre within? #mapleleafgardensby robertmmparker via twitter 11/29/2011 4:30:01 PM -
Colleagues @paigesellis @aemedrek @type_writer interviewed childhood hero Tie Domi at #mapleleafgardens. Wishing I was assigned the story!by Erinjamesabra via twitter 11/29/2011 4:32:26 PM
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I don't care bout anything else... I just want to play hockey at #mapleleafgardens already! #ramsby Melissa Wronzberg via twitter 11/29/2011 4:40:02 PM -
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Just asked Mr. Gilgan how he felt about us calling it "Gilgan Gardens" He laughed and said he liked the alliteration #mapleleafgardensby paigesellis via twitter 11/29/2011 4:52:17 PM
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