Maple Leaf Gardens stood at 60 Carlton Street in Toronto, Ontario, as the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League from its opening on November 12, 1931, through the final NHL game played there on February 13, 1999. Designed by architects Ross and Macdonald at a cost of approximately C$1.5 million, the arena was built in roughly five months during the depths of the Great Depression — a feat driven by the vision of Leafs owner Conn Smythe, who paid tradespeople partly in Maple Leafs stock.
Across 67 seasons of NHL hockey and decades as one of the continent’s premier entertainment venues, the Gardens hosted 11 Stanley Cup championships, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Muhammad Ali, and Winston Churchill before being reborn as a university athletic centre and grocery store. The building still stands today, and you can walk through it — this guide covers its full history, how its capacity changed over the decades, and exactly how to plan a visit.
Quick Answer
Maple Leaf Gardens is a National Historic Site at 60 Carlton Street in Toronto that served as the Toronto Maple Leafs’ home arena from 1931 to 1999, seeing 11 Stanley Cup wins and legendary concerts by Elvis and the Beatles. It seated as many as roughly 16,300 fans for hockey at its 1968-81 peak.
The building was never demolished: it was converted into the Mattamy Athletic Centre for Toronto Metropolitan University (upper levels) and a Loblaws flagship supermarket (lower levels), and it remains open to the public today for self-guided tours.
A Palace Built in Five Months
Maple Leaf Gardens was an engineering marvel of its era. Construction began in June 1931 and was completed by November of the same year — an extraordinary pace made possible only through unconventional financing that included paying workers partly in Maple Leafs stock, since banks and construction firms were reluctant to fully finance a hockey arena during the Depression.
On opening night, November 12, 1931, an over-capacity crowd of roughly 13,000 fans — about 12,473 seated plus standing room — watched the Leafs fall 2-1 to the Chicago Black Hawks. The arena’s design integrated the seating bowl with load-bearing exterior walls, a distinctive architectural feature that later complicated renovation plans and contributed to the decision to preserve the building rather than tear it down.
The Gardens also made hockey history almost immediately: it hosted the first unofficial NHL All-Star Game in 1934, a benefit for injured Maple Leafs forward Ace Bailey, then welcomed the first official annual NHL All-Star Game in 1947.
How Capacity Grew Over the Decades
Maple Leaf Gardens’ seating count changed repeatedly as owners chased more revenue and new amenities. It opened in 1931 with about 12,473 seats, then grew in stages: roughly 12,586 by 1940, about 13,718 by 1960 after a new private club was added, and 15,461 by 1966 following new mezzanine galleries.
Capacity peaked at approximately 16,316 seats from 1968 through 1981, the largest the arena ever held. It settled around 16,182 through the 1980s before 1990s renovations trimmed it to roughly 15,726 for the arena’s final NHL seasons in the late 1990s.
Since the 2012 conversion, the venue’s hockey rink — now inside the Mattamy Athletic Centre — seats about 2,539 for Toronto Metropolitan University Bold games and community hockey, a fraction of its NHL-era scale but still built using original Maple Leaf Gardens seats.
More Than a Hockey Rink
Maple Leaf Gardens earned nicknames like “the Carlton Street Cashbox” and “the Church of Hockey” because it was never solely a sports venue — it was one of Canada’s great entertainment stages. Elvis Presley played two shows there on April 2, 1957, his first-ever concerts outside the United States. The Beatles performed at the Gardens on all three of their North American tours (1964, 1965, and 1966), making it the only venue they played every time they toured the continent. Frank Sinatra, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Bob Dylan, and Luciano Pavarotti also appeared on its stage.
The building hosted major non-musical history too. Winston Churchill addressed a Toronto audience there in March 1932, professional wrestling debuted at the Gardens on November 19, 1931, and Muhammad Ali defended his heavyweight title against George Chuvalo there on March 29, 1966 — a bout controversial enough that Leafs owner Conn Smythe resigned from the board in protest, saying organizers had “put cash ahead of class.” The arena also staged Game 2 of the landmark 1972 Canada-USSR Summit Series, a defining moment in international hockey that captivated a generation of Canadian fans.
From Hockey Shrine to Grocery Store
When the Leafs departed for what’s now Scotiabank Arena in 1999, the city of Toronto chose adaptation over demolition. Loblaw Companies purchased the building in 2004, and a major redevelopment — with federal and provincial heritage support — converted the lower levels into a Loblaws flagship supermarket, which opened in November 2011. The upper bowl reopened as the Mattamy Athletic Centre for Toronto Metropolitan University (then Ryerson University) in September 2012, complete with a new hockey rink, basketball court, and fitness facilities.
The building’s heritage status helped shape that outcome. Maple Leaf Gardens was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1991 and named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2007, recognizing it as one of hockey’s great shrines and one of the country’s foremost venues for concerts, rallies, and championship sport. Inside today’s Loblaws, shoppers can still see the arena’s centre-ice marking preserved in the floor and original seats mounted on the wall in the shape of a maple leaf.
Planning Your Visit Today
Maple Leaf Gardens is no longer an NHL arena, but the building at 60 Carlton Street (entrance around the corner at 50 Carlton Street, near Church Street) is open to the public and worth visiting for the history alone. As a Toronto Metropolitan University recreation facility, the Mattamy Athletic Centre generally runs on the university’s building schedule — weekdays from roughly 6:30 a.m. until 10 or 11 p.m. depending on the season, and weekends from about 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. — with walk-in access to view the renovated arena bowl and historic markers during those hours, though access can be limited on event days.
A free downloadable self-guided tour sheet points out historic photos, artifacts, and markers throughout the space, and a virtual tour is available online for anyone who can’t visit in person. Guided group tours can sometimes be arranged for parties of 10 or more by contacting the centre directly. There’s no admission charge to walk through the public areas of the building itself.
The site sits in downtown Toronto near the College subway station, with street parking and nearby paid lots in the area; the Mattamy Athletic Centre’s own parking and drop-off page has current details for anyone driving in. Because hours, tour availability, and event schedules change with the university calendar, always confirm the latest details on the official Mattamy Athletic Centre website before you go.
Maple Leaf Gardens FAQs
Is Maple Leaf Gardens still standing?
Yes. The building at 60 Carlton Street in Toronto was never demolished. It was converted in 2011-2012 into a Loblaws supermarket on the lower levels and the Mattamy Athletic Centre, home to Toronto Metropolitan University’s Bold hockey and basketball teams, on the upper levels.
What was Maple Leaf Gardens’ seating capacity?
Capacity changed many times over the years, from about 12,473 seats when it opened in 1931 to a peak of roughly 16,316 seats between 1968 and 1981. It settled around 15,726 seats for its final NHL seasons in the 1990s. The hockey rink inside today’s Mattamy Athletic Centre seats about 2,539.
Can you tour Maple Leaf Gardens today?
Yes. The Mattamy Athletic Centre welcomes walk-in visitors during regular hours and offers a free self-guided tour sheet plus an online virtual tour. Group tours for 10 or more people can sometimes be arranged directly with the centre.
How many Stanley Cups did the Maple Leafs win at Maple Leaf Gardens?
The Toronto Maple Leafs won 11 Stanley Cup championships during their 67 seasons at Maple Leaf Gardens, from 1931 to 1999.
What is Maple Leaf Gardens’ address?
The historic building is located at 60 Carlton Street in downtown Toronto, at the corner of Carlton and Church Streets; the Mattamy Athletic Centre’s public entrance is nearby at 50 Carlton Street.
Why did the Maple Leafs leave Maple Leaf Gardens?
The Leafs moved to a larger, more modern arena — now known as Scotiabank Arena — in February 1999, seeking greater revenue from luxury suites and more seating than the aging Gardens could provide.
Is Maple Leaf Gardens a National Historic Site?
Yes. It was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1991 and named a National Historic Site of Canada in 2007, in recognition of its role in hockey history and as a major concert and event venue.
Get More from Maple Leaf Gardens
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Maple Leaf Gardens, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.