The article mentions that the open air interior contained 3000 roller skaters wich could be seen from the exterior through the many windows. You entered the large entrance similar to a theatre entrance, went up to the first floor giving access to the 12 foot wide roller skating rink wich surrounded the open air winter skating rink on the ground floor. The illustration shows a glass wall separating the roller skating rink from the open air ice skating rink on the ground level below. Obviously there was no modern artificial ice rinks in those days. The facility also could accommodate many other activities such as curling and a circus.
The total cost of the Forum was $300,000, a small fortune in those days, the cost of an average bungalow today.
Guy
5 comments:
I Remember reading about the old roller skating open air building,but the Forum as a Rink for Hockey, was taken over from the Montreal Maroons,.. I think I have some photo's somewhwere that we may have posted on the old site years ago. I will try to find them. Neat to see those old newspapers.
Construction
The Montreal Forum under construction in 1924.The idea to build the Forum in 1923 is credited to Sir Edward Beattie, president of the Canadian Pacific railway. At the suggestion of Senator Donat Raymond, William Northey developed a plan for a 12,500 seat capacity rink. Plans were scaled back for financial reasons to a rink of 9,300 seats. Even at the reduced size, the rink could not immediately find financing. The Forum would eventually be financed by H. L. Timmins. The site selected was the site of a roller skating rink named the Forum, and the name was kept. The site had previously been the site of an outdoor ice hockey rink, used by Frank and Lester Patrick, Art Ross and Russell Bowie
So the original place was known as the Forum,and was an open air rink,then they buildt the Forum (indoor rink for hockey) on that property ,.A Lot of History on that corner for sure.......... HF&RV
I wonder what was on that lot prior to 1908, was it an empty lot, perhaps the Notman collection may have the answer. It would seem strange to see that corner without a building.
Guy
I wonder if the land was owned by the Grey Nuns,.as they owned a lot of land in that area,particularly along Maisoneuve right behind the Forum ??? Perhaps a Lovell's directory ( if they had them then) cxould give us some information,....... HF&RV
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