Prince Of Wales Rink
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The Prince of Wales' Skating Rink, later known as The Prince's Rink and then The Arena, was a domed wooden structure ice arena located on Factory Lane in
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. The city spans and is the easternmost city in North America ...
, Canada, that operated for over 42 years. It was named in honour of
Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...
, the Prince of Wales and the eldest son of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...
. The historic Prince's Rink was a major center for skating, hockey, boxing, wrestling and other sports. The Arena hosted the first thirty-eight St. John's senior hockey league championships ( Boyle Trophy) and the first seven all-Newfoundland hockey championships ( Herder Memorial Trophy) before the building was destroyed by fire on November 28, 1941.


Construction

On December 11, 1898 the foundation for the rink was laid near the old Newfoundland Railway terminus at Fort William on the west side of Factory Lane between Plymouth Road and Forest Road (sandwich between curling rink and Queen's College) on land previously owned by the Reid Newfoundland Railway. The cornerstone was laid on December 15. Robert G. Reid Sr. deeded the land in exchange for shares of equal value in the new rink management company. The Rink followed the size and design of the Montagnard Rink built in 1898 at Montreal. Two Reid Railway engineers, Fred Angel and W.H. Murray, drew up the plans for the new rink. The wooden structure was built by Campbell and Company and Horwood Lumber Company and was completed in less than two months. Planks recovered from a ship wreck were steamed, curved and bolted to form the dome roof.


Opening

The rink opened for skating on Saturday January 28, 1899 with 200 in attendance.


First Hockey Game

The first hockey match played on the new rink's ice surface was a game arranged by the newly founded city hockey league between Canadians and native Newfoundlanders (City Team) at 7:30pm on Wednesday February 1, 1899 before a large number of spectators. The first goal scored in Newfoundland's first indoor hockey rink was credited to the City team after the Canadians accidentally scored on their own net. The stronger Canadian team would score twice on the Newfoundlanders and won the game 2-1. Mr. James P. Fox was the referee for this first hockey game.


Ownership

In the summer of 1933 the owners stated that the 30-year-old rink would not open the following winter and subsequently put the rink up for sale. The Guards Athletic Association of St. John's purchased the rink and hired Arthur Johnson as manager. In 1937 a new company, the Arena Rink Company Limited, was formed and took ownership of the rink and retained Arthur Johnson as manager. The major shareholders were two influential St. John's Businessmen,
Chesley Crosbie Chesley Arthur "Ches" Crosbie (November 4, 1905 – December 26, 1962) was a Newfoundland businessman and politician. Early life Crosbie belonged to a prominent St. John's family involved in hotels, fish exporting, insurance, shipping and manufac ...
and Chesley A. Pippy. They changed the name of the rink to 'the Arena'.


Newfoundland's First Artificial Ice

The Arena Rink Company installed an ice-making plant shortly after taking ownership to lengthen the hockey and skating season. In August 1937 Newfoundland's first artificial ice surface was tested.


Rink Managers

Over the 42 years of operation there were five rink managers: James P. Fox (1899), Frank Donnelly, Charles Bulley, P. E. 'Neddy' Outerbridge, Arthur Johnson (1933-1941)


November 1941 Fire

On Friday November 28, 1941 the Arena was catering to a private skating party that included military personnel.The Daily News November 28, 1941, p.3 At 7:20 pm fire broke out in the boiler room and very quickly the wooden structure was completely engulfed in flames. A spectacular blaze lit the city on a night with a mandatory wartime blackout. The primary ice arena in St. John's and the adjacent curling rink burned to the ground.


Site Today

The site of the former rink is now an office tower at 10 Fort William Place.


References

{{Reflist


External links


- Map of Fort William Area where rink was located

- Photograph of rink located to the right of the Hotel Newfoundland
Former ice hockey venues in Newfoundland and Labrador Sports venues in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador Defunct indoor ice hockey venues in Canada Defunct indoor arenas in Canada Sports venues completed in 1899 1890s establishments in Newfoundland 1899 establishments in North America 1899 establishments in the British Empire 1940s disestablishments in Newfoundland 1941 disestablishments in North America 1941 disestablishments in the British Empire Sports venues demolished in 1941