Maple Leaf Gardens Memories

[quackerj]

Hi everyone,

I am Urban Studies student at York University. I am currently writing a research paper on Maple Leaf Gardens.

I was hoping you guys could share what you remember and about your experiences at the Gardens.

As well, if you have any comparative thoughts on the Air Canada Centre you are welcome to share those too. Please specify if you do.

If anyone is interested in taking part in more in depth interviews please contact me at [email protected]

Thanks,

Brandon

Click to read more...

 

[Killion]

C'mon guys, help him out. Ive never forgiven MLSE for treating the Grand Olde Lady so shabbily when it ran off to chase its own tail with the NBA, the ACC & real estate developments. Going to the Gardens was like going to Church or special bordering on a solemn occassion. The hollow & generic modern day arenas' cant even begin to hold a candle to places like the Gardens, the Forum or the old Chicago Stadium. So much was lost, including huge swaths of a teams personality & of course its history in the mad rush to shutter & forget about these places, rather than retro-fit & up-grade the facilities, all of which shouldve been done IMHO.

 

[Confucius]

The trough man, scarred me for life, just looking at the thing. So psyched me out there was noway I was going to p in it. Even at the age of 10? I thought it was the most backward invention ever made by mankind. River of pee just flowing along, so gross. Almost as bad as the stench.

Some memomries posted at the site below
http://http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/02/10-things-i-miss-about-maple-leaf.html

 

[Gilles Meloche]

The trough man, scarred me for life, just looking at the thing. So psyched me out there was noway I was going to p in it. Even at the age of 10? I thought it was the most backward invention ever made by mankind. River of pee just flowing along, so gross. Almost as bad as the stench.

Some memomries posted at the site below
http://http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/02/10-things-i-miss-about-maple-leaf.html

Lol that is what I came here to post. The trough in the washroom was so unbelievably disgusting. I remember every time I went to a game there somebody in the greys would yell out "Booooobbbbbyyyy Huuuuuuullll" once a night. My dad would always get the first row in the blue section above the net (long before the mesh netting were installed). The games at Maple Leaf Gardens were filled with "fans" and not the corporate suits you have now. There was never an empty seat....even the "standing room only" tickets were sold out. Harold Ballard had his own box seat and always sat beside King Clancy at the games. Walking the stairs going up to the grey section was like climbing Kilimanjaro. You could see a Marlie game in the afternoon and the Leaf game at night for a great price. My buddies and I did that often once I reached high school. Great memories.

 

[Big Phil]

While I never set foot in the forum I can say that nothing beats a game in old MLG. That old lady had character that I have yet to see in the 11 combined years at the ACC. It was loud, and they could have done some renovating and installed urinals and stuff like that. It is an utter embarassment to see empty seats at the beginning of each period to start. The suits don't give a crap about hockey, never have. At the MLG everybody seemed to care more because you could feel the character and atmosphere of the place. Yes, the seats were small, but renovation would have been the trick. And if not, you know, they could have built the ACC with a little more character and less of a cookie cutter feel to it.

 

[quackerj]

Thank you everyone for your input