Mattamy Athletic Centre

Mattamy Athletic Centre. Located in the Garden District of Downtown Toronto, this multi-purpose sports and recreation facility is housed within the historic shell of the former Maple Leaf Gardens. Owned and operated by Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), it serves as the home venue for the university's U Sports athletic teams, known as the TMU Bold. The centre's redevelopment, which preserved the original Art Deco façade and iconic rooftop greenhouse, transformed the legendary NHL arena into a state-of-the-art community and academic athletic complex.

History

The site's history is deeply intertwined with the story of ice hockey in Canada. Originally constructed in 1931 for Conn Smythe and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the building operated for 68 years as the famed Maple Leaf Gardens, hosting Stanley Cup championships, the 1972 Summit Series, and concerts by legends like The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Following the departure of the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Scotiabank Arena (then Air Canada Centre) in 1999, the building was purchased by Loblaw Companies and converted into a Loblaws grocery store and Joe Fresh retail space on its main floor. In a landmark partnership, Ryerson University, the City of Toronto, and Loblaw Companies collaborated on a redevelopment plan. The upper portions of the historic structure were converted into the athletic centre, which opened in 2012 after a C$60 million renovation led by architects Turner Fleischer and Gow Hastings Architects, preserving its National Historic Site designation.

Facilities

The centre features a multi-level layout anchored by a NHL-sized ice rink, named the Mattamy Home Ice, which replicates the original Maple Leaf Gardens ice surface dimensions and incorporates recycled seating from the Chicago Stadium. A convertible sport court sits atop the ice pad for basketball and volleyball. Additional facilities include a fitness centre, a sports medicine clinic, a high-performance training centre, and multiple studios for dance and martial arts. The historic rooftop greenhouse, once used to grow flowers for arena events, was restored and now serves as a unique event space. The design carefully integrates modern amenities within the original steel truss roof structure and preserved brickwork.

Events

Beyond varsity sports, the venue hosts a diverse array of events, capitalizing on its historic aura and central location. It has been a site for U Sports national championships, including the University Cup and the U Sports Women's Basketball Championship. The centre regularly stages major events like the Canadian Figure Skating Championships, the NBA G League showcase games, and the Harlem Globetrotters tour. It also serves as a venue for large-scale academic convocations for Toronto Metropolitan University, major concerts, corporate functions, and televised events for networks like TSN and Sportsnet.

Tenants

The primary tenant is the athletic department of Toronto Metropolitan University, with the arena serving as the home for the TMU Bold men's and women's ice hockey and basketball teams within Ontario University Athletics. The Toronto Furies of the former Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) played there from 2012 until the league's dissolution in 2019. The facility is also the home training base for Cricket Canada's national teams. Community access is a key component, with ice time allocated for local youth hockey leagues, figure skating clubs, and public skating sessions administered by the City of Toronto.

Transportation and access

The centre is exceptionally well-served by public transit, being located at the corner of Carlton Street and Church Street. It is directly accessible from College (TTC) station on the Yonge–University line of the Toronto subway and is a short walk from Dundas station. Numerous Toronto Transit Commission streetcar routes, including the 505 Dundas and 506 Carlton, stop nearby. For those driving, limited paid parking is available in the Loblaws underground garage and several surrounding lots, though patrons are strongly encouraged to use transit given the building's dense Downtown Toronto setting.

Category:Sports venues in Toronto Category:Toronto Metropolitan University