Edmonton Gardens
Encyclopedia
The Edmonton Gardens was the first indoor hockey arena built in Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
. It was originally built as Edmonton Stock Pavilion in 1913, and held 5,200 spectators after its 1966 renovations.
It was home to the World Hockey Association
's Edmonton Oilers
from 1972 to 1974. The Oilers moved to the brand new Northlands Coliseum after the 1973–74 season. In addition to the Oilers, the Edmonton Oil Kings, Edmonton Eskimos hockey team, and Edmonton Flyers
played their home games at Edmonton Gardens. It held a wide verity of events including hockey, curling, basketball, boxing, figure skating, circuses, rodeos, bingos, car shows, conventions, horse shows, and bull sales.
The arena was built at the fairgrounds so that it could be away from the city, and be used as a livestock pavilion alongside the stables and horse race track. The Northlands Park
race track still exists on the exhibition grounds. The opening ceremonies were held on Christmas Day 1913, exactly 19 years after Edmonton's first hockey game, in the form of a hockey game between two Stanley Cup
finalists, the Edmonton Eskimos and the Edmonton Dominions, over 2,000 fans attended. Their previous arena, Thistle Rink, had just burnt down that year. The Dominion's forward Russell "Barney" Stanley
would become a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
, and the arena would be home to other Stanley Cup finalist teams, Memorial Cup
teams, and three Memorial Cups. It was the only home of the Edmonton Flyers (1939–51).
The Gardens got the nickname "The Cow Barn" from attendants emphasizing its use as an agriculture exhibition, and its notoriety of bad sight lines and uncomfortable seats. The girders that were also in the way of spectators, dripped water onto the ice surface that created mounds during play. By the 1960s it started receiving criticism as being a fire hazard, a $60,000 improvement in 1963 did not improve its safety, seven Edmonton Fire Department firemen were stationed there during events. With media increasingly calling it dirty, obsolete, and rickety, an April 15, 1966 Edmonton Journal
article called Edmonton Gardens "a disaster waiting to happen. The old house with its obsolete lighting fixtures, oily wooden floors, and sordid washrooms is an eyesore to hockey fans." The following month, the city Fire Chief condemned it, and ordered it closed, as a fire hazard. That summer saw a $670,000 renovation that gutted the interior, and replaced the steel girders with eight inch columns at 45°. The wooden bleachers were replaced with a fireproof concrete grandstand, and reduced the seating capacity to 5,200.
The Oilers and Oil Kings moved across 118 Avenue
to the Northlands Coliseum, now Rexall Place
in 1974. Work demolishing the Gardens began January 20, 1982, but disproved the moniker "accident waiting to happen." “First they stuffed it with 50 kilograms of dynamite, then they used a bulldozer, but still the grand old lady of Edmonton sports wouldn’t budge,” one story reported. “Gardens won’t go boom,” the headline read, recounting two days of the crew drilling holes into the walls and supports, and then cramming in 320 sticks of dynamite. An Edmonton Journal article on February 25, 1982 read "Gardens 2 TNT 0. A second try at demolishing what’s left of the Edmonton Gardens ended with a wham, a puff of dust and peals of laughter. The building stood in mock defiance amid hoots of glee from the gallery (of onlookers).” Northlands Park
decided to finish the demolition with a wrecking ball. Another arena, Hall D of the Edmonton EXPO Centre, currently occupies the site.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was originally built as Edmonton Stock Pavilion in 1913, and held 5,200 spectators after its 1966 renovations.
It was home to the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
's Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
from 1972 to 1974. The Oilers moved to the brand new Northlands Coliseum after the 1973–74 season. In addition to the Oilers, the Edmonton Oil Kings, Edmonton Eskimos hockey team, and Edmonton Flyers
Edmonton Flyers
The Edmonton Flyers are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1940 until 1963, playing in various senior and minor professional leagues during that time...
played their home games at Edmonton Gardens. It held a wide verity of events including hockey, curling, basketball, boxing, figure skating, circuses, rodeos, bingos, car shows, conventions, horse shows, and bull sales.
The arena was built at the fairgrounds so that it could be away from the city, and be used as a livestock pavilion alongside the stables and horse race track. The Northlands Park
Northlands Park
Northlands Park is the "Alberta A circuit" horse racing track at Northlands in Edmonton, Alberta. The horse racing season generally consists of a spring harness meet from February/March, a Thoroughbred meet from May/June to September/October and a fall harness meet to mid-December. Northlands Park...
race track still exists on the exhibition grounds. The opening ceremonies were held on Christmas Day 1913, exactly 19 years after Edmonton's first hockey game, in the form of a hockey game between two Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
finalists, the Edmonton Eskimos and the Edmonton Dominions, over 2,000 fans attended. Their previous arena, Thistle Rink, had just burnt down that year. The Dominion's forward Russell "Barney" Stanley
Barney Stanley
Russell "Barney" Stanley was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and the Calgary Tigers, Regina Capitals and Edmonton Eskimos of the Western Canada Hockey League...
would become a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
, and the arena would be home to other Stanley Cup finalist teams, 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...
teams, and three Memorial Cups. It was the only home of the Edmonton Flyers (1939–51).
The Gardens got the nickname "The Cow Barn" from attendants emphasizing its use as an agriculture exhibition, and its notoriety of bad sight lines and uncomfortable seats. The girders that were also in the way of spectators, dripped water onto the ice surface that created mounds during play. By the 1960s it started receiving criticism as being a fire hazard, a $60,000 improvement in 1963 did not improve its safety, seven Edmonton Fire Department firemen were stationed there during events. With media increasingly calling it dirty, obsolete, and rickety, an April 15, 1966 Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
The Edmonton Journal is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.-History:The Journal was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as a rival to Alberta's first newspaper, the 23-year-old...
article called Edmonton Gardens "a disaster waiting to happen. The old house with its obsolete lighting fixtures, oily wooden floors, and sordid washrooms is an eyesore to hockey fans." The following month, the city Fire Chief condemned it, and ordered it closed, as a fire hazard. That summer saw a $670,000 renovation that gutted the interior, and replaced the steel girders with eight inch columns at 45°. The wooden bleachers were replaced with a fireproof concrete grandstand, and reduced the seating capacity to 5,200.
The Oilers and Oil Kings moved across 118 Avenue
118 Avenue, Edmonton
118 Avenue is the designated name of two major arterial roads in central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, separated by the Edmonton City Centre Airport. The west side services both an industrial area, and a residential area, while the east 118 Avenue, originally Alberta Avenue, is one of the oldest...
to the Northlands Coliseum, now Rexall Place
Rexall Place
Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands. It is currently the home to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL...
in 1974. Work demolishing the Gardens began January 20, 1982, but disproved the moniker "accident waiting to happen." “First they stuffed it with 50 kilograms of dynamite, then they used a bulldozer, but still the grand old lady of Edmonton sports wouldn’t budge,” one story reported. “Gardens won’t go boom,” the headline read, recounting two days of the crew drilling holes into the walls and supports, and then cramming in 320 sticks of dynamite. An Edmonton Journal article on February 25, 1982 read "Gardens 2 TNT 0. A second try at demolishing what’s left of the Edmonton Gardens ended with a wham, a puff of dust and peals of laughter. The building stood in mock defiance amid hoots of glee from the gallery (of onlookers).” Northlands Park
Northlands
Northlands is a non-profit, volunteer organization in Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded in 1879, before the official incorporation of the city of Edmonton, or the province of Alberta....
decided to finish the demolition with a wrecking ball. Another arena, Hall D of the Edmonton EXPO Centre, currently occupies the site.