Bracebridge Memorial Arena officially closes

Residents in the town of Bracebridge said farewell to its Memorial Arena on Saturday, as it closed permanently.

The Arena has been in use since it was first built in 1949, and over the 75 years, thousands of athletes have used the rink.

On Saturday, residents skated alongside Mayor Rick Maloney for one last skate on the Arena’s ice before the building's scheduled demolition.

“For 75 years, this building has served our community, I tell you, and arenas are the heartbeat of small-town Ontario; this building has served our community well," said Maloney.

Since its construction, Memorial Arena has been home to local hockey teams, figure skating, public skating, and special events; however, the town says the building has aged significantly, and a new arena is necessary.

“We tried to maintain it for as many years as we could, the community loves the arena, but I believe they will love the other one even more," said Archie Brie, the councillor for Draper Ward.

The town will soon turn the page to the brand new 78-million-dollar Muskoka Lumber Community Centre on Salmon Avenue, with the planned site expected to include an NHL-sized rink and several amenities.

“A large library with modern spaces, such as maker spaces and courting studios, and then the Proline Fieldhouse, which includes two NBA-sized basketball courts and six pickleball courts," said Cindy O’Regan, Director of recreation and facility services at the Town of Bracebridge.

The new 113,000-square-foot facility will also be the new home of the Bracebridge Sports Hall of Fame.

“People are curious, why can’t we keep both arenas, and the old infrastructure is aged, and we need to move on," said O'Regan.

Town officials say the old Memorial Arena will start getting demolished around the same time as the opening of the new Muskoka Lumber Community Centre, which is still on schedule for mid-August.