Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens - TMU Bold Hockey
- Dave Cottenie
- Mar 27
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 31
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14
Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens
60 Carlton St.
Toronto, ON M5B 1J2
Year Opened: 1931
Capacity: 2,538
The Bold Cathedral
There is not much remaining of the famed Original Six hockey arenas from the National Hockey League. Only one remains in use by the NHL team, but one other remains in use in a brilliant rebranding. Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens was built in 1931 and can only be described as a hockey cathedral. Countless major events took place at the “Cashbox on Carlton.” In 1999, the Maple Leafs moved into the brand new Air Canada Centre. The final event at the old gardens was a Toronto Rock, National Lacrosse League Champions Cup Final. Unfortunately, what to do with MLG took quite a while to figure out. Eventually, Ryerson University would purchase the building, along with Loblaws to transform the Gardens into a multipurpose facility including the athletic facilities for the university and a grocery store on the ground level. Rebranded Mattamy Athletic Centre at The Gardens, the facility fully opened in 2012 which included a gym and small arena at the top level. Mattamy Home Ice now features a capacity of over 2,500 and has been the location of a number of events.
Ryerson Institute of Technology was established in 1948 and iced its first hockey team, the Ryerson Rams, the same year. In 2001 the university completed its final rebrand under the Ryerson name as Ryerson University. Amid public pressure, the university rebranded fully as Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 to move away from Egerton Ryerson and his connections to the Canadian Residential School System. Today, the athletic teams at Toronto Metropolitan are known as the TMU Bold. The hockey team has earned seven conference championships, with the most recent being in 1963 and has appeared in the University Cup National Championship tournament in 2022 and 2024. The Bold claim the late John Saunders of ESPN as one of their hockey alumni.
Food & Beverage 3
The concession options at Mattamy Home Ice are not overly unique and the typical arena options are what one would find at a TMU Bold game. Pizza, hot dogs, pretzels and nachos are all available along with popcorn, chips and other light snacks. Coca-cola products are the soft drink of choice at the arena. A surprisingly decent beer selection is also available at Mattamy Home Ice including Molson Canadian, Coors, Blue Moon, Creemore Lager and Heineken. Seltzers are also available.
Atmosphere 5
As part of the heritage site designation, the original front façade of Maple Leaf Gardens on Carlton remains intact. The cream brick has a classic look and the marquee remains almost like it did in the forties, fifties and sixties. The ground level has a Loblaws grocery store on the east side. The west side of the Carlton Street entrance sends fans into the Loblaw Atrium. Smart looking and properly lit, the atrium is welcoming and houses the ticketing windows for the MAC.
With tickets in hand, fans will ascend the escalator to the second level where the recreation facilities and Varsity Court can be found. Two more escalator trips will bring fans to the fourth floor and the entry to Mattamy Home Ice. Throughout the trip to the fourth floor fans can’t help but notice the row of original MLG red seats fastened to the outer wall, high above the atrium. There are also a ton of old pictures illustrating the vast history of the venue. It could take quite a while to get to the seats if stopping to take all of the history in. The hallway at ice level also features some displays that are more TMU centric, displaying some of their own team history and trophies.
Entering the seating bowl will no doubt give fans pause. Immediately the iconic roof of Maple Leaf Gardens commands attention and makes fans feel good that it is still Maple Leaf Gardens. The capacity is just over 2,700 which is perfect for the venue. The ice runs from north to south with the perfect picture coming from the west side. The scoreboards and video boards are at each end of the arena and the decor is bright with blue and gold markings making it truly feel like TMU’s home. Contrary to most other OUA hockey venues there are a few alternate seating options. With the concourses behind the seating bowl, there is plenty of space for standing room. Mattamy Home Ice also offers a few corner suites and the north end of the area features the Alumni Lounge.
With a strong media program at TMU, the game day production is about as professional as it can get. The Bold do a great job of utilizing cameras and the video boards to enhance the experience. The Bold even utilize the logos of the youth hockey teams that play during the intermissions. The music selections and promotions are what would be expected. The Bold’s mascot, Frankie B. Bold, can be found interacting with the crowd for some games.
Neighbourhood 5
Mattamy Athletic Centre at The Gardens is located in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood of Downtown Toronto. One of the top tourist cities in the world, Toronto offers more than one person can take in for one visit. There are a ton of places to eat and drink within steps of Mattamy Athletic Centre. Some include Fran’s, Druxy’s, Pogue Mahone Pub, Golden Diner, and The Bistro.
Toronto is a sports fan’s dream with a ton of other sports options. Mattamy Athletic Centre also hosts TMU Bold basketball. The University of Toronto offers Varsity Blues football, basketball and hockey just a short walk away and York University offers Lions football, basketball and hockey at the north end of the city. There are a plethora of professional sports options as well including the Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts, Toronto Marlies and Toronto Sceptres. Other tourist options in Toronto include Habourfront, CN Tower, Hockey Hall of Fame, Casa Loma, the Theatre District and Eaton Centre. For fans that wish to stay near Mattamy Athletic Centre, the Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown is right beside the arena.
Fans 3
It is difficult to assess USports hockey fans as attendance statistics are infrequently reported and the websites do not gather the information. That being said, TMU Bold have modest support akin to many other schools in the OUA. At the time of writing, TMU averaged 200 fans per game, ranking them 13th in the conference. The previous season, 2023-24, the Bold averaged over 220 fans per game, which ranked them 12th in the conference. Below the top few programs, most schools average between 100 and 300 fans per game. There is plenty of opportunity to grow for TMU with a large facility.
Access 4
Mattamy Athletic Centre is located in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood of Downtown Toronto. It is approximately two km north of the Gardiner Expressway and two km west of Don Valley Parkway. However, traffic in Toronto is significant and getting to the arena by car can be a challenge. There are a number of parking facilities around Mattamy Athletic Centre. Pre-planning and purchasing parking is highly recommended using an app such as ParkWhiz or SpotHero. Do not plan on parking in the garage at Mattamy Athletic Centre as it is reserved for Loblaws patrons. Toronto has a very strong transit system and taking public transit could be the best bet to make the trip to Mattamy Athletic Centre smooth. The College subway station is west of the Gardens and there are street cars that travel Carlton Street. Fans should consult the Toronto Transit Commission website for fares, maps and schedules.
Return on Investment 5
The return on investment for TMU Bold hockey is very strong. Ticket prices for the Bold are $13 each with discounts for alumni and youth. Tickets are all general admission and TMU students are free. The product on the ice is solid and the Bold have been very competitive since moving to Mattamy Home Ice. What puts the return over the top is the opportunity for fans to take in hockey in a legendary hockey venue with plenty of things to peak the historians interest.
Extras 4
An extra mark for TMU hosting the 2024 University Cup National Championship.
An extra mark for the excellent restoration that TMU and Loblaws undertook to maintain and upgrade Maple Leaf Gardens.
An extra mark for the iconic MLG ceiling which has been maintained at Mattamy Athletic Centre.
An extra mark for the rivalry that Toronto Metro shares with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.
Final Thoughts
Taking in a TMU Bold hockey game is so much more than just a typical university hockey game. The opportunity to see a game at Mattamy Home Ice @ Mattamy Athletic Centre at The Gardens is the opportunity to see the remnants of one of the last great venues of the NHL that is still standing. The former Maple Leaf Gardens is not what it once was, but it has been brilliantly restored to a fully functional facility more appropriate for USports hockey.
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