Yesterday morning, (November 30th 2009) it was officially announced that the former Maple Leafs Gardens would become home to Ryerson Universities athletic facility as well as a Loblaws supermarket. The buidings was originally purchased in 2004 by the Loblaws company but for the past five years the building has sat vacant. The building will undergo $60 million worth of rennovation and is set ot be opened in the spring of 2011 (the image above is an artist's randition of what the complete rennovations will look like) The cost of the new development will be split three ways. $20 million from the federal government, $20 million from Ryerson University students who voted to pay an increase of aprox $126 in tuition to fund the project and a final $20 million from various donations (of which Lowblaws is providing $5 million).
With the news of this new development I am most pleased that the nostalgia behind the Maple Leaf Gardens is being preserved and, in addition, the tradition of hockey will continue to take place. The official plan is to have the grocery store located on the first floor of the building and the second storey to house a new ice rink with seats for up to 5, 000 spectators to watch the Ryerson Ram's hockey team. The top storey will house a volleyball and basketball court.
By keeping the original building in tact and continuning the tradition of athletics in the building, the former Maple Leaf Gardens will remain to be a building full of memories from the past. Those who had the privilage to watch hockey games will always remember the experience(s) they had and the major significance that Hockey has in Canadian Culture.
If it were up to me, I would have the Maple Leaf Gardens become a heritage site and would turn the space into one that would commemerate the events that took place in the building. Another interesting idea would be to turn the building into the new Hockey Hall of Fame.
Information and photo taken from: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/hockey-in-store-for-gardens-as-ryerson-strikes-deal/article1383349/
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