North Bay Arena Rink

North Bay Arena Rink. . , North Bay has a long and storied hockey history and, over the years, a number of rinks and arenas have served the needs of citizens. The North Bay Arena Rink stood near this site at the corner of Main Street West and Murray Street. Today it would be on the corner lot between Main Street West and the railroad tracks , where the hardware store and lumber yard now stand. The rink opened to great fanfare in January of 1907. It was thought to be the finest of its kind in Northern Ontario. The "modern" rink featured dressing rooms, a refreshment booth, curling surfaces and a viewing gallery above the ice. The North Bay Arena Rink was destroyed by fire on May 14th, 1928. The raging fire drew over one thousand spectators as the North Bay fire department, CPR brigade and local volunteers fought furiously to dampen flames which threatened a nearby lumberyard. , Before the construction of the North Bay Arena Rink, the Palace Skating Rink had been a popular meeting spot. Also known as "The Central" and "The Fee and Mackey", the Palace was built around 1892 at the corner of Ferguson and Worthington Streets. The Palace was used mainly for recreational skating and curling. The rink was not regulation length for hockey and as the popularity of the sport developed, the demand for a larger ice surface grew. , Following the North Bay Arena Rink fire, residents waited eight years for a covered ice surface until the construction of the North Bay Arena in 1936. This arena was located at the corner of King and Ferguson Street in Wallace Park, a popular outdoor sports field complete with grandstand. The facility was financed through public subscription and shares to the tune of $25,000. Artificial ice was installed around 1948. The arena was renamed Memorial Gardens following the Second World War. Not to be confused with the current Memorial Gardens on Chippewa Street, it was often referred to as the King Street Arena. The arena, along with the softball and football fields, were demolished to make way for a shopping plaza in the 1960's. , (Credits: Bruce A. Craig, Ken Craig, W.K.P. Kennedy), [photo captions] , . North Bay Arena Rink at Main Street West and Murray Street. , . Rink interior. , . Share Certificate. , . Wallace Park Rink. , . North Bay maps.