[MTLskyline]

http://broadband.tsn.ca/tsn/?vid=3578

It is a real shame what has happened to such a storied hockey building. It still looks respectable on the outside, but I had no idea it was in such a state of decay inside... Even being a Habs fan I hate to see it like this.

At least the potential Loblaws project (if it ever does happen) can't be any worse than what was done to the Montreal Forum (which was in a similar state of decay before renovations).. The Forum has essentially become a shopping mall...
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/4818/globalforumjc5.jpg

After the Habs left, the neighbourhood nearby went downhill, and is now filled with boarded up windows, and empty restaurants..

The Original 6 teams should have fixed up their buildings, and found a way to add more seats rather than building new arenas entirely. I'm sure there is an engineer out there who could have managed this. The arena would obviously have needed to be closed, so perhaps the Leafs could have spent a year or two in Hamilton, and the Habs could have spent a year or two in Quebec City (after the Nordiques left). Maybe not a perfect scenario, but at least two great hockey buildings would have been saved.

[WHISTLERINMUSKOKA]

I actually don’t mind that they are converting this into a practical space inside, as long as the outside is maintained. Unlike the Forum, the Gardens location is in the Gay/Lesbian Village where hockey has never really played much a roll on the fiscal well being of the district. One of the constructive things I can think of is the redevelopment of surface lots into highrises. I’ve not seen the inside of the Gardens since I was last there for a game, now I’ll have a chance to go there again.

[zerokarma]

They really should have just kept it an arena and let minor and juniors play there. Better yet they could have moved the Hockey Hall of Fame there, they would have a lot more space and would be a better location then the crap hole it currently is in.

[habsfan]

The arena would obviously have needed to be closed, so perhaps the Leafs could have spent a year or two in Hamilton, and the Habs could have spent a year or two in Quebec City (after the Nordiques left).

I'll pretend you never said those blasphmous words. The Habs moved to Q.C.???NEVER!!!!

True that it's sad what they did to the Forum, but that's progress. Plus location wise, the Bell centre is in a WAYYYYYYYY better location!

Unfortunate that they couldn't think of something better to do with both historic buildings!

[Taller Better]

I'm of mixed feelings about this building, because it is in my neighbourhood and I am not particularily a big hockey fan. In my opinion it is mostly ugly from street level, but I understand the historical importance of the building. The best thing it could possibly be used for is hockey, but all the hockey fans eagerly packed up and moved south, and now want this to be kept in mothballs as a shrine or a supermarket. I guess I don't have great memories of the suburban hockey crowd descending upon the gay village 21 years ago, and thus don't really feel any tugging at my heartstrings for it (it was an uneasy, uncomfortable culture clash often resulting in insulting name calling or even bashings). I say, if it cannot be kept for hockey, keep most of the facade, pull down the bulk of it and build something that is real and part of the community instead of trying to dream up pointless uses for this building that have "failure" stamped all over them.. Look at the awful mess in Montreal that was constructed in the original Forum. However, I would be open to ideas for re-using the space, but as it is now it is a dirty eyesore. Something HAS to be done.

[Sacamano]

"In my opinion it is mostly ugly from street level"

therefore fits well into the area (don't quite know how the Best Western's blank wall facing Jarvis ever got approved)

[Taller Better]

"In my opinion it is mostly ugly from street level"

therefore fits well into the area (don't quite know how the Best Western's blank wall facing Jarvis ever got approved)


MLG is a primo spot for a development, and it would be amazing to have a first rate and daring proposal come forward. The supermarket is just not doing it for me, and the idea of converting a giant ice barn into condos is not working either. The Best Western is hideous, but I don't believe that area always has to be so.

[SD]

The Melnyk propsoal that would've seen a small arena along with some other uses and condos was the best one...the Leafs should've just done something similar to it and let the Marlies play there.

[WHISTLERINMUSKOKA]

deleted, must have been drunk when I posted that.

[big W]

Unfortunate that they couldn't think of something better to do with both historic buildings!


Yes I cried the first time I went to Montreal and did not see the forum in its glory. Yes I am an Oilers fan first but the Habs are second in my books (hey the family are Habs fans so its rubs off on me as well). Here was a holy site of hockey and it was being desicrated in my eyes. Needless to say the Bell Centre is a significantly better arena and location. The issue is the same in Toronto with the Gardens. It is a hole when compared with the ACC. Yet from a nostalga perspective it would have been nice to keep the old building, but in the name of progress it had to be done. I feel it will be the same here in Edmonton once we get the new arena. Talk is it will be downtown so it will be similar in that better area and building, but there is something to be said about the building that the cups were won in etc. However if we can somehow turn the building into some sort of museum for the Oilers with a sports lounge (maybe a Gretzkys) dedicated to all things Oilers etc then we can save Rexall and maybe build a tonne of condos above and around it in the parking lots etc. So why could this not be done in Toronto where the demand for condos is on a much greater scale?

[OrientExpress]

A real Canadian Super store wouldn't be to bad would it.

It can even have it's very own section to sell Leafs merchandise.

[sl64]

As long as the outer facades are preserved, I couldn't care less what they put inside. If they try to "spruce up" the exterior like they did with the Forum, though, it would be a travesty. Let's hope Loblaws has some sense.

[OrientExpress]

Right!

[SSLL]

I think it is planned to be a RCSS

[icescraper]

Its too bad we got the dump near London. Now I can't provide any suggestions of what to do with it. - ice


( let the hate mail begin.)

[O-Town Hockey]

~

[MolsonExport]

http://broadband.tsn.ca/tsn/?vid=3578

It is a real shame what has happened to such a storied hockey building. It still looks respectable on the outside, but I had no idea it was in such a state of decay inside... Even being a Habs fan I hate to see it like this.

At least the potential Loblaws project (if it ever does happen) can't be any worse than what was done to the Montreal Forum (which was in a similar state of decay before renovations).. The Forum has essentially become a shopping mall...
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/4818/globalforumjc5.jpg

After the Habs left, the neighbourhood nearby went downhill, and is now filled with boarded up windows, and empty restaurants..

The Original 6 teams should have fixed up their buildings, and found a way to add more seats rather than building new arenas entirely. I'm sure there is an engineer out there who could have managed this. The arena would obviously have needed to be closed, so perhaps the Leafs could have spent a year or two in Hamilton, and the Habs could have spent a year or two in Quebec City (after the Nordiques left). Maybe not a perfect scenario, but at least two great hockey buildings would have been saved.

Yeah, as a native Montrealer and lifetime Habs fan, I hate what they did to the forum. Stinky poo-poo bad.

[bluenoser]

Loblaw unveils new business plan, will revamp Maple Leaf Gardens (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2007/02/21/loblaw.html)

Revamping hockey shrine

After years of speculation, the company also made the formal announcement to investors that it will develop a grocery store in downtown Toronto's famed Maple Leaf Gardens.

"This is an icon, just like Loblaws is an icon. I think it represents a huge evolution of what's happening to Loblaws, as well as what's happening in Toronto," said Galen Weston Sr.

The arena has been empty since the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey club moved to the Air Canada Centre in 1999.

Weston Jr. said the company will begin to clean up the building this summer, with plans to reopen the doors in 22 months.

[DHLawrence]

I'm with Zerokarma--move the Hockey Hall of Fame into it. It's pretty much the only Original Six arena left; what better place to use? I'm sure something else could go into the Bank of Montreal building.

[Sebastien Gauthier]

I think Toronto should make an effort to preserve the old ML Garden. That's part of your city history and that's a true landmark. At least Darryl Sittler is trying to preserve it. Don't make the same mistake we did in Montreal. What they did to Le Forum in Montreal is trully disgusting. There was so much history in that building. And now they're fighting to save the Ben's Deli restaurant, go figure but didn't do anything for Le Forum.This building (Le Forum) meant so much to the whole nation of Quebec. That was the home of the flying frenchmen and of my favorite player as a kid Larry Robinson also known as Big Bird. Le Forum was trully the hockey mecca, that was nicknamed the temple by Habs fans. I can still hear Claude Mouton's voice announcing Guy Lafleur goals. We tore it apart to make room for a movie theatre (shame on us).

While it was unvoidable to move in a more modern arena, we could have used Le Forum for junior hockey instead of Maurice-Richard arena. Moving the Hall of Fame into the Garden is an excellent idea.

[BlondieK]

I agree with some of the other postees.

MLG should have remained an area and been used for the Marlies and/or Ryerson University which has a major space deficit. Apparently Ryerson doesn't have a lot of varsity teams like many other universities because they don't have anywhere to play - football for example. Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer that there is more to universtiy than sports, but keeping MLG as an area could have served many purposes includnig those of nearby Ryerson.

I dislike walking past MLG as it looks quite unattractive from street level. Not that a re-development of the site would necessarily fix this, but at least the ugliness would be serving some kind of purpose. A good mixed-used facility would have been nice to see - I guess it's not too late and I should keep holding my breath!

[DC83]

MLSE are evil & money hungry and will never allow anything Entertainment related to ever come out of MLG, sadly.

If ANYTHING, it should be/have been home to the St Mike's Majors with Concerts/Conventions in the off-time. But b/c MLSE had a clause saying anyone who buys this property is not allowed to use it for any type of Entertainment purposes.

What else could be it? Oh, a Grocery Store? That's awesome! Can't wait to sit in Mat Sundin's statue's lap when I go to grab some milk & eggs. How lame.

Toronto -- Get rid of MLSE! They're ruining your City's heritage AND your precious Maple Leafs!

[DHLawrence]

Well, you'll have to wait a little while (possibly forever) to sit in that lap while buying groceries, because Loblaw's has decided not to convert MLG to a superstore.

Does the 'no entertainment' clause include a museum? I still say use it to house the Hockey Hall of Fame, and I don't think I'm alone.

[notmyfriends]

I personally like the HHoF's current location.