Mount Royal Arena
Encyclopedia
The Mount Royal Arena was an indoor arena located in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
at the corner of Mount Royal and St. Urbain Street. It was home of the National Hockey League
(NHL) Montreal Canadiens
from 1920 to 1926, before moving to the then two year old Montreal Forum
. It had a capacity of 6,000 seated, 10,000 when including standing room. It was a natural ice rink without machines to mechanically freeze the ice.
It opened partly unfinished on January 10, 1920 for a game between the Canadiens and Toronto, won by Montreal 14-7. A week later, parts of a balcony broke before a game with Ottawa, and police stopped sales at 6,500. The rink had been built quickly to house the Canadiens who had lost their arena, Jubilee Arena
to fire in 1919.
The Canadiens eventually moved from the arena because of its uneven natural ice surface. The team wanted a mechanically-frozen ice surface, but never was able to get one in this rink, as owner Thomas Duggan
concentrated on getting American franchises into the NHL rather than fulfilling his statements that he would install ice-making equipment in the arena.
After the Canadiens left, the arena was converted into an auditorium, later into a commercial building. While an auditorium, Enrico Caruso sang there and Norman Bethune
once gave an important speech to rally his supporters. On February 29, 2000, it was destroyed by fire
. A Provigo
supermarket now stands on the arena's former site..
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, 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...
at the corner of Mount Royal and St. Urbain Street. It was home of the 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...
(NHL) 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 ...
from 1920 to 1926, before moving to the then two year old Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
. It had a capacity of 6,000 seated, 10,000 when including standing room. It was a natural ice rink without machines to mechanically freeze the ice.
It opened partly unfinished on January 10, 1920 for a game between the Canadiens and Toronto, won by Montreal 14-7. A week later, parts of a balcony broke before a game with Ottawa, and police stopped sales at 6,500. The rink had been built quickly to house the Canadiens who had lost their arena, Jubilee Arena
Jubilee Arena
The Jubilee Arena also known as Jubilee Rink was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was located at the corner of St. Catherine Street East and Moreau Street...
to fire in 1919.
The Canadiens eventually moved from the arena because of its uneven natural ice surface. The team wanted a mechanically-frozen ice surface, but never was able to get one in this rink, as owner Thomas Duggan
Thomas Duggan
Thomas Joseph Duggan was a sports promoter with interests in horse racing, hockey, dog racing and arena management...
concentrated on getting American franchises into the NHL rather than fulfilling his statements that he would install ice-making equipment in the arena.
After the Canadiens left, the arena was converted into an auditorium, later into a commercial building. While an auditorium, Enrico Caruso sang there and Norman Bethune
Norman Bethune
Henry Norman Bethune was a Canadian physician and medical innovator. Bethune is best known for his service in war time medical units during the Spanish Civil War and with the Communist Eighth Route Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War...
once gave an important speech to rally his supporters. On February 29, 2000, it was destroyed by fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
. A Provigo
Provigo
Provigo is a grocery retailer based in Quebec, Canada, consisting of over 300 stores and franchises throughout the province. A majority of the stores are located in the Montreal area. It is owned by Loblaw Companies Limited. Provigo is similar to Ontario's Your Independent Grocer/Zehrs banners, as...
supermarket now stands on the arena's former site..