Hockey History

Flights of Fancy – Hockey Arena Dreams and Proposals in Hamilton

Over the years, the city of Hamilton has entertained many proposals from private interests in building a state-of-the-art arena for playing hockey.

Several of these proposals were years in the making, and others came close to actual building, but all have sparked debate among Hamiltonians, its local governments, and those making the proposals.

One of the earliest plans for a new arena was a combined facility that would feature a rink.
In a Hamilton Herald story of November 9, 1935 entitled “Chamber Chief Outlines plan on City Centre,” a combined community hall, hockey arena, and art gallery was presented by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and its head Russell T. Kelley. Although initial meetings were held, this went no farther than the discussion stage.

The King and Melrose Site, Part 1

This is a 1944 proposal for a 6,000-seat arena at King Street and Melrose Avenue

For more than 10 years, Hamiltonians watched with interest as several groups did battle over a grand proposal to build a massive facility at the corner of King Street and Melrose Avenue.
Starting early in 1940, the Hamilton Parks Board entered the discussion of a $200,000 arena to be built at this intersection.

The Hamilton Junior Chamber of Commerce said admission tickets would pay for the new arena. (Click to see a full-size pdf)

The Hamilton Real Estate Board warned of longtime payments if the King and Melrose facility was built. (Click to see a full-size pdf)

The Parks Board named a special committee for a feasibility study, and one of the committee members was Samuel Manson, who at the time cited the success of such a facility in other communities.

“They’re encouraging sports overseas and we should do so here,” Manson is quoted as saying in the Globe and Mail. “If we’re going to just listen to the war news we’ll get the ‘jitters’ so let’s have a little pleasure, too, to keep us in line.”

The Globe and Mail report also noted that about 1000 Hamiltonians traveled to Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens every Saturday night, with Manson adding that if Hamilton had a respectable arena it would bring fans into town and patronize the local hockey talent. The new building would also give local figure skaters and badminton players a place to compete.
Nothing occurred for the next few years.

Arena versus hospital and a war memorial

By 1944 the King and Melrose site surfaced again, with the Hamilton Board to study plans for a post-war arena, including one proposal of a 6000-seat arena.

In late 1944 there was talk about incorporating a new arena into a war memorial at a cost of about $1.5 million.

Mayor Sam Lawrence and Controller Nora Frances Henderson were opposed to hitting the citizens with the costs of this project, and felt the new hospital proposal with its $2.6 million price tag was more important.

There were many who felt a war memorial-arena complex was not a good combination, and took away from the dignity of those who gave their lives in battle.

Letters written in the Spectator at the time demonstrate how the building of an arena in the guise of a war memorial was undignified.

“It is unfortunate that the word ‘memorial’ is linked with the arena project,” F.E. Pepper wrote in the paper. “Many of us feel that Hamilton needs a new arena, but we don’t want to make money on our memorial.”

Another quote from the December 1944 Spectator:

“I do not consider a sports arena a suitable memorial to the men who have given and will give their lives fighting for us,” stated J.P. Bell, who went on to suggest the city build four smaller neighborhood rinks.

New proposal, same location

In 1946, the most ambitious proposal for a Hamilton hockey arena was put forth. Still at the corner of King and Melrose, this 10,000-seat arena was also part of a plan to acquire a National Hockey League farm club.

After four years of debate and discussion, by 1950 the facility cost was up to $2,750,000, but was to include not only a rink but an auditorium, gymnasium, and retail stores. It was to be known as the Hamilton Civic Centre.

The 8,000-seat arena proposed by the Hamilton Junior Chamber of Commerce received opposition when put forward in 1950. It was turned down.

Advocated by the Hamilton Junior Chamber of Commerce, the proposal received a great deal of opposition, especially from the Hamilton Real Estate Board, who took out newspaper space warning of longtime payments to Hamilton citizens.

“All the taxes on 850 such homes every year for 20 years would not pay for the arena,” it was noted. “It is not a ‘pay for itself arena’ as is claimed.”

On the other side of the bylaw vote, the Junior Chamber of Commerce noted that the arena would be paid for by the admission tickets bought for events.

“Once built, an arena stands on its own feet,” said the Junior Chamber of Commerce. “Yes, the new arena will be busy, and it will be paid for by the people who attend it – the fairest way of all.”

Even with a reduction in size, dropping the auditorium and gymnasium from the project, along with the cost $1 million, and backing from Mayor Lloyd Jackson, who said the Barton Arena and Armouries were not suitable for large gatherings, the proposal died with the plebiscite vote in December of 1950.

All images from Hamilton Spectator Collection of Hamilton Public Library

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