Looking back on 10 years at the Mattamy Athletic Centre
Ten years ago, the Mattamy Athletic Centre grand opening included a concert (pictured) and a free skate on the hockey rink where the Maple Leafs once played. Photo credit: Norm Betts
It was September 2012 when the university officially opened the Mattamy Athletic Centre (external link) (MAC), having taken over the hallowed grounds of Maple Leaf Gardens. The building, which previously housed the Toronto Maple Leafs for 67 years until 1999, was renovated into a state-of-the-art facility for varsity athletes, students and community members.
It has an NHL-sized ice rink, a multi-purpose court for basketball and volleyball, a fitness centre, as well as a studio and high-performance gym.
From September 6-9, 2012, the university held a grand opening weekend that featured a parade, a free skate for the community, varsity volleyball, basketball and hockey games, as well as a concert featuring Big Sean, Marianas Trench and Fefe Dobson.
Since the MAC opened 10 years ago, it has become an integral part of campus life. The facilities are used for intramural sports, student recreational club participation, varsity team practices and games and community skates. The space also hosts exams and convocation ceremonies every year.
The building hosted the Pan American Games basketball and wheelchair basket- ball in 2015, Invictus Games events in 2017, speaking events for Michelle Obama and Al Gore in 2017 and 2018 and the U SPORTS women’s basketball final eight and national championship in 2019.
The MAC was made possible thanks to the combined contributions of TMU students (through fees), the Government of Canada, $5 million from Loblaw, and $15 million from Peter Gilgan, the founder and CEO of Mattamy Homes.
To celebrate this milestone anniversary of the MAC, the university’s Athletics and Recreation department (external link, opens in new window) will be rolling out a series of events this coming fall.
By: Jessica Leach, a public relations and communications specialist at Toronto Metropolitan University.
This story first appeared in the summer 2022 issue of Toronto Met University Magazine (opens in new window) .