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The Sault Memorial Gardens is a 3,990-seat multi-purpose Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canada . It was officially opened 20 February, 1949 . It is home to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Ice Hockey team. The city is currently building the Sault Ste. Marie Sports And Entertainment Centre directly next door, which will open in the fall of 2006. Demolition for the existing structure began on 27 April, 2006. During its last OHL game on 28 March, 2006, the last OHL goal in the Memorial Gardens was scored by the London Knights' David Bolland , an overtime winner in the 2006 playoffs in which the Greyhounds lost 5-4 (the Knights won the series 4-0). HISTORY A New Facility On 7 January, 1946, the City of Sault Ste. Marie voted to construct a new recreational facility. 18 September, 1946 saw the official sod-turning ceremony and work on the massive structure, which would take two and-a-half years to complete, began. The building was approved by residents of the city via a questionnaire, and it replaced the then existing Gouin Street Arena . The plans originally intended the facility to be multi-purpose, including an indoor pool, auditorium, and large outdoor fountains. Cost estimates at the outlook of the project were in the range of $400,000 (CDN), but once completed, the costs were approximately $765,000 in total. Officially opened 20 February, 1949, the Memorial Gardens saw a crowd of 8 500 to mark the occasion. The event included guest speakers, bands, local musical talent and the official dedication of the facility. The Sault Memorial Gardens is located at 169 Queen St., in the heart of Sault Ste. Marie's downtown district. Its structure is representative of the Moderne style of architecture of the 1940s. It is 350 x 155 feet overall. It was the first Northern Ontario arena to have artificial ice. Dedication The Sault Memorial Gardens was one of a number of memorials built in the years after World War II. Its sole purpose was to provide the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie with a recreational facility while allowing the memory of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to live in the minds of the present. The Gardens' most distinctive feature, the memorial beacon, beams over the city, and is lit on Greyhound game nights in commemoration of soldiers who did not return from World War II . At the base of the tower, inside the building, stands a list among wreaths, bearing the names of those of Sault Ste. Marie's bravest who did not return. Throughout the years the building, specifically the beacon, has reinforced its image on Sault Ste. Marie culture and its importance is emphasized by a 2005 city council decision to keep the beacon freestanding as a part of the new Sports and Entertainment Centre, thus ensuring that as the city moves on to a new era, those of the past are not forgotten. Events The Memorial Gardens has been mainly associated with the OHL's Soo Greyhounds however, the building has also played host to numerous events such as the 1990 Labatt Brier , the 1996 Canadian National Gymnastic Championships and numerous circuses, concerts and events. The Memorial Gardens has also hosted major hockey events such as the 1978 (in conjunction with Sudbury, Ont.) and 1993 Memorial Cup s, the 1979 OHL All-Star Game, and the 2003 Air Canada Cup . Many of hockey's greats laced up their skates in the building, including Wayne Gretzky , Ron Francis , John Vanbiesbrouck , Craig Hartsburg , Adam Foote , Paul Coffey , and more recently Dan Cloutier , Ray Emery , Joe Thornton , and Jeff Carter . Other acts to have played the Memorial Gardens venue include:
Legends and Stories =Gretzky's 99 The Memorial Gardens is the first rink to see Gretzky wear the number '99'. When Gretzky arrived in Sault Ste. Marie, his preferred number 9 (the number of his idol, Gordie Howe ) was already in use by linemate Brian Gualazzi . Gretzky briefly donned the number 14 as a Greyhound until general manager Angelo Bumbacco suggested that he wear 99, and thus today's famous representation of 'the Great One' was born. Gretzky's 99 is retired in the rafters, along with Francis' 10, Hartsburg's 4, and Vanbiesbrouck's 1. =The Lindros Conflict In the 1989 OHL Draft, the Soo Greyhounds selected Eric Lindros . Lindros protested, claiming that he would prefer to play closer to his hometown, and refused to report to Sault Ste. Marie. The Greyhounds worked out a trade that saw Lindros' rights traded to the Oshawa Generals in return for a package of players and picks that included Ralph Intranuovo and helped form the powerhouse team of the early 90s that saw three Memorial Cup appearances (which included the defeat of the Eric Lindros Oshawa Generals in the 1991 OHL Championship ), and one championship on home ice. =1993 Memorial Cup The building hosted the 1993 Memorial Cup tournament after the Greyhounds won a Super Series 4 games to 0 versus the Peterborough Petes . The entry marked the third straight for the Greyhounds, and was the second time the building played host to the Memorial Cup Championship, and the first time it hosted it exclusively. The Soo Greyhounds defeated the Peterborough Petes 4-2 in the Memorial Cup final in what the Sault Star deemed as the most memorable game played in the Memorial Gardens from a list of ten others. The building was packed to beyond capacity and after the home team was victorious, the building turned into a massive party centre that spilled out onto Queen St.. The End of an Era The building was officially decommissioned and closed to the public on 9 April, 2006 in much the same fashion that it was ceremonially opened. Royal Canadian Legion members and other dignitaries were on hand to bid farewell to an important piece of Northern Ontario, and Sault Ste. Marie's heritage. City staff removed salvageable materials from the building and placed them in storage. Many familiar things from the building may be seen in the new structure. The final (Facility Operator), Dalton Beaudet and Lucas Bedell (Attendants). The building's perimeter began the demolition process on 27 April , 2006 . The deconstruction of the actual structure began on 1 May , 2006 . STRUCTURAL CHANGES Since its inauguration in 1949, the building has seen some dramatic changes. Changes included: floodlights (1950), glass (replacing the link fencing that lined the boards; 1952), new roofing (1978), major electrical work; upgrading of heat & ventilation systems; dressing room renovations (1980s), major fire alarm and P.A. system upgrades (1990), the addition of private boxes and media stations (1993), and exterior refinishing (1997). RECOMMENDED READING
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