Barton Street Arena
Encyclopedia
Barton Street Arena, also known as the Hamilton Forum, was the main sports arena
located in downtown Hamilton, Ontario
, on Barton Street
between Sanford Street and Wentworth Street
. It was built in 1910 at what was the east end of City at the time, by Andrew Ross (original owner) who was a local Hamilton businessman.
Originally, the Arena had a seating capacity
of 4,500 and standing room for roughly 500 people. By 1977 it had a seating capacity
of 2800 people. It was torn down in 1977 when the ice-making equipment broke down and the city decided it would be cheaper to demolish the arena than replace the old machinery. Today, there is residential housing on the site.
There were six entrances—three on Barton, and three on Bristol Street. The north side of the arena (the Barton Street side) housed the coat-check and the ladies' washroom. The five dressing rooms were located on the Bristol Street side, as well as a "smoking room", where patrons could enjoy the soothing weed (we assume they meant tobacco
).
The Press Box was also on the south side, above the stands. The building was steam
heated so patrons could watch the game in comfort. The ice surface itself, one of the largest in Canada at 200-feet by 80-feet, was lit by twenty-eight five-hundred-candle-power lights. After the first National Hockey League
game was played in the arena between Hamilton and Montreal Canadiens
; Montreal owner George Kennedy
commented:
"This is a fine arena. It's a lot better than I looked for. The lighting is excellent, the seating fine, and the ice surface the largest in the NHL. I am surely surprised."
It was home arena to the NHL
's Hamilton Tigers, and the OHL
's Hamilton Tiger Cubs
, Hamilton Red Wings
and Hamilton Fincups
. The arena hosted the first game on the 1962 Memorial Cup
. The Hamilton Red Wings won that game 5–2 versus the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
located in downtown Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, on Barton Street
Barton Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Barton Street is an arterial road in the Lower City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It's also the longest street in the city. It starts off at the Western end of town at Locke Street North and is a two-way street that stretches eastward through a number of different and varied communities in the...
between Sanford Street and Wentworth Street
Wentworth Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Wentworth Street, is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at the base of the Niagara Escarpment on Charlton Avenue East just before the CP lines as a two-way street for 2-blocks up past Cumberland Avenue up to Rutherford Avenue where it then switches over to a...
. It was built in 1910 at what was the east end of City at the time, by Andrew Ross (original owner) who was a local Hamilton businessman.
Originally, the Arena had a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 4,500 and standing room for roughly 500 people. By 1977 it had a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 2800 people. It was torn down in 1977 when the ice-making equipment broke down and the city decided it would be cheaper to demolish the arena than replace the old machinery. Today, there is residential housing on the site.
There were six entrances—three on Barton, and three on Bristol Street. The north side of the arena (the Barton Street side) housed the coat-check and the ladies' washroom. The five dressing rooms were located on the Bristol Street side, as well as a "smoking room", where patrons could enjoy the soothing weed (we assume they meant tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
).
The Press Box was also on the south side, above the stands. The building was steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
heated so patrons could watch the game in comfort. The ice surface itself, one of the largest in Canada at 200-feet by 80-feet, was lit by twenty-eight five-hundred-candle-power lights. After the first National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
game was played in the arena between Hamilton and Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
; Montreal owner George Kennedy
George Kennedy (sports promoter)
George Washington Kendall , known professionally as George Kennedy, was a Canadian sports promoter best known as the owner of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team from 1910 to 1921. Kennedy was a wrestler himself and after the end of his wrestling career turned to wrestling promotion...
commented:
"This is a fine arena. It's a lot better than I looked for. The lighting is excellent, the seating fine, and the ice surface the largest in the NHL. I am surely surprised."
It was home arena to the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Hamilton Tigers, and the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
's Hamilton Tiger Cubs
Hamilton Tiger Cubs
The Hamilton Tiger Cubs were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1953 to 1960. The team was based in Hamilton, Ontario.-History:The Hamilton Tiger Cubs were named after the Hamilton Tigers NHL team that played in the 1920s...
, Hamilton Red Wings
Hamilton Red Wings
The Hamilton Red Wings were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1960 to 1974. The team was based in Hamilton, Ontario.-History:...
and Hamilton Fincups
Hamilton Fincups
The Fincups were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for 4 years, from 1974 to 1978. The team played in Hamilton, Ontario for three years, and in St. Catharines, Ontario for one.-History:...
. The arena hosted the first game on the 1962 Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
. The Hamilton Red Wings won that game 5–2 versus the Edmonton Oil Kings.