Forest Hill Memorial Arena.
488-1800
I will never forget that phone number. How could I?
For me phoning that number back in the fall of 1972 would be the beginning of my arena ice hockey playing days. Sure I was already playing ice hockey on neighborhood outdoor rinks like Ranee Field, but I had never played hockey inside an arena. I had never experienced putting on my hockey equipment in a heated dressing room with showers and a rink chalkboard.
I was twelve years old when I first phoned Forest Hill Memorial Arena to book my first ice rental. I was already pretty familiar with the arena because on numerous occasions I would attend the weekly Sunday evening pleasure skate on the smaller ice pad. The larger rink was used for hockey and the odd time I would see figure skaters twirling around, but not very often.
On many Sunday nights during the winter months a group of friends and I would go skating. The group would usually include some of the teenage girls from our Kingdom Hall so needless to say my attendance was pretty regular. Well, as regular as possible since my mother would often use the Sunday evening skate as part of my grounding punishment.
I would be missing those Sunday skates.
While skating I would often stop at the boards and watch the kids playing hockey over on the larger rink. I could only wish to play hockey in an arena like them. Some of my older friends often talked about renting the ice, but none of them ever did. If I was ever going to play hockey inside an arena, then it would be up to me to take the initiative and make it happen.
I will never forget that phone number. How could I?
For me phoning that number back in the fall of 1972 would be the beginning of my arena ice hockey playing days. Sure I was already playing ice hockey on neighborhood outdoor rinks like Ranee Field, but I had never played hockey inside an arena. I had never experienced putting on my hockey equipment in a heated dressing room with showers and a rink chalkboard.
I was twelve years old when I first phoned Forest Hill Memorial Arena to book my first ice rental. I was already pretty familiar with the arena because on numerous occasions I would attend the weekly Sunday evening pleasure skate on the smaller ice pad. The larger rink was used for hockey and the odd time I would see figure skaters twirling around, but not very often.
On many Sunday nights during the winter months a group of friends and I would go skating. The group would usually include some of the teenage girls from our Kingdom Hall so needless to say my attendance was pretty regular. Well, as regular as possible since my mother would often use the Sunday evening skate as part of my grounding punishment.
I would be missing those Sunday skates.
While skating I would often stop at the boards and watch the kids playing hockey over on the larger rink. I could only wish to play hockey in an arena like them. Some of my older friends often talked about renting the ice, but none of them ever did. If I was ever going to play hockey inside an arena, then it would be up to me to take the initiative and make it happen.
I would have to rent the ice.
I figured that the best time to even think about renting ice would be during the Christmas school break. It might be possible to rent ice very early on a weekday morning and if I could then hopefully I would get enough guys to commit to play. I would need both guys who were off school like me and some of the older guys who might want to play before going to work.
Ice rentals on the weekends were booked solid for the complete season plus renting weekend ice was more expensive. I figured that a weekday morning would be my best chance of getting affordable ice.
When I first phoned Forest Hill I asked to speak to the manager and I tried very hard to use my big boy voice.
“This is the manager, what can I do for you?” the man who answered said.
Within five minutes I was the owner of a one hour ice rental on the small rink at 8 am. It was on a Thursday morning during the upcoming Christmas break which was still a couple months away. It cost me $35 and I immediately rode 4 km's on my bike to pay the ten buck deposit and get my receipt.
Wow! I was now going to make what we had talked about for so long finally become a reality. Our weekly road hockey game would now be moving from the pavement on to the ice. From wearing boots to wearing skates and from shooting a ball to shooting a puck. All the guys I asked agreed to play right away. I had my two goalies, but way too many players especially for the smaller ice surface. I just assumed that some of the guys would drop out before the big day arrived. I was wrong and I had even more friends who wanted to play. I felt bad turning some friends away, but I already had too many players.
“If a spot opens up, I will let you know,” I told them.
The anticipation grew until the big day finally arrived. It was a beautiful cold sunny morning and I vividly remember the frosted icy large windows allowing sunlight to flood the complete rink. It was very bright in the rink on that morning and although the arena lights were on they were not needed. We would be playing in the sunlight just like we did at Ranee Field.
We were the first ice rental on that day as we all got changed together in the same big dressing room. We never used the rink chalkboard before walking out on to the beautifully cleaned rink. I will never forget that first walk. I felt like a rookie Leaf player walking out onto the Maple Leaf Gardens ice for the very first time.
A couple guys forgot to take off their skate guards and they immediately wiped out. There were no player benches on the small rink and we had to stand while waiting our shift at the two rink entrances. There were over twenty skaters and it was mass confusion to say the least with a couple guys having never played ice hockey before. It was their first time ever skating with a hockey stick in their hands. They wore very little equipment and I remember a couple of them were wearing ski gloves. A couple older guys wore glasses that just kept fogging up for the whole hour. They could not see anything because of the freezing indoor temperature instantly fogging up their lenses.
I lost track but I think well over twenty goals were scored on that morning. The goalies were not that good, but I was grateful that they were there. It was not very good hockey, but it would have been a lot worse without the two goalies. We all had so much fun and the hour just flew by very quickly. An hour at our Kingdom Hall never flew by as quickly, nor was it ever as much fun.
After the game everyone paid me two bucks and I paid off the remaining $25 I owed. My first ice rental had been a huge success. I was just twelve years old and I had organized my first arena ice hockey game. Although, I must admit I was a bit too eager to get guys to play. For a few guys the game would be just a novelty and they never played ice hockey again.
It would be many years later before I would find myself playing at Forest Hill Arena once again. I was now in my twenties playing on the large rink with my NWAA buddies on Saturday nights at midnight. A few times I would stop briefly at the boards and glance over at the small rink.
I would smile while reminiscing for a brief moment about the mass confusion that I had once created in the bright sunlight just a decade earlier. We sure had a lot of fun playing on that little rink.
By the way if you want to rent ice today you will need to add the area code when phoning the now named, Larry Grossman Forest Hill Memorial Arena.
(416) 488-1800
I figured that the best time to even think about renting ice would be during the Christmas school break. It might be possible to rent ice very early on a weekday morning and if I could then hopefully I would get enough guys to commit to play. I would need both guys who were off school like me and some of the older guys who might want to play before going to work.
Ice rentals on the weekends were booked solid for the complete season plus renting weekend ice was more expensive. I figured that a weekday morning would be my best chance of getting affordable ice.
When I first phoned Forest Hill I asked to speak to the manager and I tried very hard to use my big boy voice.
“This is the manager, what can I do for you?” the man who answered said.
Within five minutes I was the owner of a one hour ice rental on the small rink at 8 am. It was on a Thursday morning during the upcoming Christmas break which was still a couple months away. It cost me $35 and I immediately rode 4 km's on my bike to pay the ten buck deposit and get my receipt.
Wow! I was now going to make what we had talked about for so long finally become a reality. Our weekly road hockey game would now be moving from the pavement on to the ice. From wearing boots to wearing skates and from shooting a ball to shooting a puck. All the guys I asked agreed to play right away. I had my two goalies, but way too many players especially for the smaller ice surface. I just assumed that some of the guys would drop out before the big day arrived. I was wrong and I had even more friends who wanted to play. I felt bad turning some friends away, but I already had too many players.
“If a spot opens up, I will let you know,” I told them.
The anticipation grew until the big day finally arrived. It was a beautiful cold sunny morning and I vividly remember the frosted icy large windows allowing sunlight to flood the complete rink. It was very bright in the rink on that morning and although the arena lights were on they were not needed. We would be playing in the sunlight just like we did at Ranee Field.
We were the first ice rental on that day as we all got changed together in the same big dressing room. We never used the rink chalkboard before walking out on to the beautifully cleaned rink. I will never forget that first walk. I felt like a rookie Leaf player walking out onto the Maple Leaf Gardens ice for the very first time.
A couple guys forgot to take off their skate guards and they immediately wiped out. There were no player benches on the small rink and we had to stand while waiting our shift at the two rink entrances. There were over twenty skaters and it was mass confusion to say the least with a couple guys having never played ice hockey before. It was their first time ever skating with a hockey stick in their hands. They wore very little equipment and I remember a couple of them were wearing ski gloves. A couple older guys wore glasses that just kept fogging up for the whole hour. They could not see anything because of the freezing indoor temperature instantly fogging up their lenses.
I lost track but I think well over twenty goals were scored on that morning. The goalies were not that good, but I was grateful that they were there. It was not very good hockey, but it would have been a lot worse without the two goalies. We all had so much fun and the hour just flew by very quickly. An hour at our Kingdom Hall never flew by as quickly, nor was it ever as much fun.
After the game everyone paid me two bucks and I paid off the remaining $25 I owed. My first ice rental had been a huge success. I was just twelve years old and I had organized my first arena ice hockey game. Although, I must admit I was a bit too eager to get guys to play. For a few guys the game would be just a novelty and they never played ice hockey again.
Over the next few years a few more ice rentals would follow. I always rented the small rink at Forest Hill Arena on a weekday during winter school breaks. I became much more selective in the friends I invited to play. I always had two goalies and everyone wore full hockey gear. Fewer goals were scored and the games got a lot more competitive.
Eventually, I stopped going to the Kingdom Hall and I stopped renting the ice at Forest Hill Arena altogether. I started playing hockey at a higher calibre with other groups throughout the city. I also quit going to the Sunday night skates as I became more fixated on other girls who skated at another rink on Friday nights.
Eventually, I stopped going to the Kingdom Hall and I stopped renting the ice at Forest Hill Arena altogether. I started playing hockey at a higher calibre with other groups throughout the city. I also quit going to the Sunday night skates as I became more fixated on other girls who skated at another rink on Friday nights.
It would be many years later before I would find myself playing at Forest Hill Arena once again. I was now in my twenties playing on the large rink with my NWAA buddies on Saturday nights at midnight. A few times I would stop briefly at the boards and glance over at the small rink.
I would smile while reminiscing for a brief moment about the mass confusion that I had once created in the bright sunlight just a decade earlier. We sure had a lot of fun playing on that little rink.
By the way if you want to rent ice today you will need to add the area code when phoning the now named, Larry Grossman Forest Hill Memorial Arena.
(416) 488-1800
