The Montreal Arena, also known as Westmount Arena, was an indoor arena located in Westmount, Quebec, Canada on the corner of St. Catherine Street and Wood Avenue. It was likely one of the first arenas designed expressly for hockey, opening in 1898. It was the primary site of amateur and professional ice hockey in Montreal until 1918.
Opened on December 31, 1898, it held 10,000 people, 4300 seated. It held a refreshment buffet and smoking rooms, with rugs available for rental to sit on.[1] It is likely the third arena designed expressly for ice hockey, after the St. Nicholas Rink in New York City, and the Dey's Skating Rink in Ottawa, which both opened in 1896.
The ice rink ends were not squared off but rounded off. The ends were somewhat semi-circular, possibly the first design of its kind. A puck could be shot along the outside rim, slide along the corners, pass behind the goal and come out the other side. That type of shot is common in hockey today and is called "rimmed around." The rounded-corners design spread to other arenas. In 1902, after Ottawa's Dey Rink was demolished due to a storm, it was rebuilt with rounded ends to match the Montreal Arena.[2] The fence along the ice surface was increased in height to 4 feet (1.2 m), an increase from the Victoria Skating Rink's one foot high boards.[3] The first artificial ice-making plant in Montreal was installed in the Arena in 1915.[4]
The owners of the Montreal Arena, the Canadian Arena Company, later built the Arena Gardens in Toronto, and operated the Toronto NHL franchise in 1917–18. Principals of the Arena Company, such as William Northey, would later be involved in the building of the Montreal Forum and the founding of the Montreal Maroons.
The Montreal Canadiens won their first (pre-NHL) Stanley Cup in this building on March 30, 1916 against the Portland Rosebuds.
Fire
Ruins of Montreal Arena
A fire started in the ice-making plant causing the arena to burn down on January 2, 1918. It began mid-day, when the only people in the building were the superintendent James McKeene and his family, who were eating in their apartment on the north side of the structure; all escaped safely but they lost most of their belongings, as well as a car stored in the annex.[5] Damage was estimated at $150,000, including the uniforms and sticks of the Wanderers and Canadiens, with only a third covered by insurance.[5] The blaze led the Montreal Wanderers, already on shaky grounds, to disband within days and the Canadiens to move back to Jubilee Arena, which itself would be destroyed by fire, the next year.[5] In 1924, the new Montreal Forum was built one block to the east.
Today
A condominium building currently sits on the site. Previously a warehouse had been on the site after the fire that destroyed the arena.
In 1907, it was the site of one of hockey's first player brawls. On January 12, 1907, the game between the heated rivals Ottawa Hockey Club and the Montreal Wanderers degenerated into a free for all. Ottawa players Charles Spittal, Alf Smith and Harry Smith each knocked out a Montreal player cold and received game misconducts. Cecil Blachford, Ernest Johnson and Hod Stuart all required hospital treatment. Despite the injuries, the Wanderers won the game 4–2. The ECAHA convened a week later to consider discipline for the Ottawa players and when no agreement was found, league president McRobie resigned. When Ottawa returned for a January 26 against the Montreal Victorias, Spittal and the Smiths were arrested for assault, each eventually paying $20 fines.[6]
The newly formed NHL played its first game in the Arena on December 19, 1917, with the Wanderers earning a 10-9 win over the newly established Toronto Arenas.[5] A French language newspaper ad re-discovered in 2017 established that the Montreal game started at 8:15 pm, ahead of another game that same night in Ottawa scheduled to begin at 8:30 pm.[7] Wanderers defenceman Dave Ritchie scored the league's first goal early in the game.[7]
The building was also used for exhibition space. Horse shows, car shows, motor-boat displays, concerts, and bazaars were held. New York's Metropolitan Opera performed at the arena, as well as singers such as Melba, Caruso, Calve and Albani.[8]
See also
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Hockey: Canada's Royal Winter Game/The Arena Rink in Montreal
^ abcdPrewitt, Alex (February 11, 2017). "The most famous fire in hockey history: The day the Montreal Arena burned down". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
^Stubbs, Dave (January 12, 2007). . Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012.
^ abBoswell, Randy (April 16, 2017). "Solving the mystery of the NHL's 1st game". CBC News. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
montreal, arena, also, known, westmount, arena, indoor, arena, located, westmount, quebec, canada, corner, catherine, street, wood, avenue, likely, first, arenas, designed, expressly, hockey, opening, 1898, primary, site, amateur, professional, hockey, montrea. The Montreal Arena also known as Westmount Arena was an indoor arena located in Westmount Quebec Canada on the corner of St Catherine Street and Wood Avenue It was likely one of the first arenas designed expressly for hockey opening in 1898 It was the primary site of amateur and professional ice hockey in Montreal until 1918 Montreal ArenaWestmount ArenaLocationSt Catherine Street and Wood Avenue WestmountOwnerCanadian Arena CompanyCapacity4 30010 000 temporary SurfaceNatural ice 1898 Artificial 1915 ConstructionBroke ground1898 124 years ago 1898 OpenedDecember 31 1898 124 years ago 1898 12 31 Closed1918 104 years ago 1918 Demolished1918 104 years ago 1918 TenantsMontreal Canadiens NHA NHL 1911 1918 Montreal Wanderers NHA NHL 1904 1909 1911 1918 Contents 1 Description 1 1 Fire 1 2 Today 2 Usage 3 See also 4 ReferencesDescription EditOpened on December 31 1898 it held 10 000 people 4300 seated It held a refreshment buffet and smoking rooms with rugs available for rental to sit on 1 It is likely the third arena designed expressly for ice hockey after the St Nicholas Rink in New York City and the Dey s Skating Rink in Ottawa which both opened in 1896 The ice rink ends were not squared off but rounded off The ends were somewhat semi circular possibly the first design of its kind A puck could be shot along the outside rim slide along the corners pass behind the goal and come out the other side That type of shot is common in hockey today and is called rimmed around The rounded corners design spread to other arenas In 1902 after Ottawa s Dey Rink was demolished due to a storm it was rebuilt with rounded ends to match the Montreal Arena 2 The fence along the ice surface was increased in height to 4 feet 1 2 m an increase from the Victoria Skating Rink s one foot high boards 3 The first artificial ice making plant in Montreal was installed in the Arena in 1915 4 The owners of the Montreal Arena the Canadian Arena Company later built the Arena Gardens in Toronto and operated the Toronto NHL franchise in 1917 18 Principals of the Arena Company such as William Northey would later be involved in the building of the Montreal Forum and the founding of the Montreal Maroons The Montreal Canadiens won their first pre NHL Stanley Cup in this building on March 30 1916 against the Portland Rosebuds Fire Edit Ruins of Montreal Arena A fire started in the ice making plant causing the arena to burn down on January 2 1918 It began mid day when the only people in the building were the superintendent James McKeene and his family who were eating in their apartment on the north side of the structure all escaped safely but they lost most of their belongings as well as a car stored in the annex 5 Damage was estimated at 150 000 including the uniforms and sticks of the Wanderers and Canadiens with only a third covered by insurance 5 The blaze led the Montreal Wanderers already on shaky grounds to disband within days and the Canadiens to move back to Jubilee Arena which itself would be destroyed by fire the next year 5 In 1924 the new Montreal Forum was built one block to the east Today Edit A condominium building currently sits on the site Previously a warehouse had been on the site after the fire that destroyed the arena Usage EditAt first it hosted the Montreal senior men s amateur hockey teams of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada including the Montreal Shamrock and Victoria hockey clubs The Wanderers would start play there in 1904 Later it served as the home rink for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League from 1911 until 1918 In 1907 it was the site of one of hockey s first player brawls On January 12 1907 the game between the heated rivals Ottawa Hockey Club and the Montreal Wanderers degenerated into a free for all Ottawa players Charles Spittal Alf Smith and Harry Smith each knocked out a Montreal player cold and received game misconducts Cecil Blachford Ernest Johnson and Hod Stuart all required hospital treatment Despite the injuries the Wanderers won the game 4 2 The ECAHA convened a week later to consider discipline for the Ottawa players and when no agreement was found league president McRobie resigned When Ottawa returned for a January 26 against the Montreal Victorias Spittal and the Smiths were arrested for assault each eventually paying 20 fines 6 The newly formed NHL played its first game in the Arena on December 19 1917 with the Wanderers earning a 10 9 win over the newly established Toronto Arenas 5 A French language newspaper ad re discovered in 2017 established that the Montreal game started at 8 15 pm ahead of another game that same night in Ottawa scheduled to begin at 8 30 pm 7 Wanderers defenceman Dave Ritchie scored the league s first goal early in the game 7 The building was also used for exhibition space Horse shows car shows motor boat displays concerts and bazaars were held New York s Metropolitan Opera performed at the arena as well as singers such as Melba Caruso Calve and Albani 8 See also Edit Wikisource has original text related to this article Hockey Canada s Royal Winter Game The Arena Rink in Montreal William NortheyReferences EditKitchen Paul 2008 Win Tie or Wrangle Manotick Ontario Penumbra Press ISBN 978 1 897323 46 5 Vigneault Michel 1997 Montreal Ice Hockey Rinks 1875 1917 Hockey Research Journal Vol 3 Notes Coleman Charles 1966 Trail of the Stanley Cup vol 1 1893 1926 inc Kitchen 2008 p 112 Vigneault 1997 p 8 Vigneault 1997 p 10 a b c d Prewitt Alex February 11 2017 The most famous fire in hockey history The day the Montreal Arena burned down Sports Illustrated Retrieved February 9 2017 Stubbs Dave January 12 2007 It was butchery not sport in Westmount Montreal Gazette Archived from the original on October 24 2012 a b Boswell Randy April 16 2017 Solving the mystery of the NHL s 1st game CBC News Retrieved April 16 2017 Vigneault 1997 pp 8 9 Preceded byJubilee Arena Home of theMontreal Canadiens1911 1918 Succeeded byJubilee ArenaPreceded byfirst arena Home of theMontreal Wanderers1904 1909 Succeeded byJubilee ArenaPreceded byJubilee Arena Home of theMontreal Wanderers1911 1918 Succeeded bylast arenaCoordinates 45 29 15 N 73 35 12 W 45 487629 N 73 586651 W 45 487629 73 586651 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Montreal Arena amp oldid 1120926599, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
