The Golder Report: The Heritage Value of Memorial Arena

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Memorial Arena was closed on December 9, 2010 due to the failure of its rink floor.

On January 24, 2011, the Belleville City Council approved the creation of the Memorial Arena Subcommittee,

a subcommittee of the Mayor’s Implementation Team, whose mandate was

“To provide recommendations to City Council on potential creative future uses of the Memorial Arena

that are representative of its present condition, design and configuration and,

that appropriately leverages its strategic downtown Belleville location and cultural capital.”

City Council approved $65,000 in its 2011 budget for various studies and assessments of Memorial Arena,

including $6,756.88 to Golder Associates for a cultural heritage value assessment completed in November 2011. 

Although received by city staff in November 2011,

the Golder Report was never submitted to City Council, and was only discovered in August 2018.

 The November 2011 Golder Report states on page 7, 

"Although hockey is an important facet of contemporary Canadian culture, 

there is  a lack of material on the history of hockey arenas and related  structures." 

In March 2012 Paul Joseph Frater published his study of historic Canadian hockey arenas,

"The Conservation of Canadian Hockey Arenas."

 Over 20% of Canada's historic buildings have already been demolished.  

 Canada's Federal, Provincial and Territorial  governments recognize

 the contribution historic places make to communities.  

The Canadian Register of Historic Places  provides a single source of information

about all historic places recognized for their heritage value

at the local, provincial, territorial and national levels throughout Canada. 

 The Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada is the benchmark

for Canadian heritage conservation practice, offering guidance for sound decision-making

when planning for, intervening on and using historic places.

This document establishes a consistent set of conservation principles and guidelines

useful to anyone interested in conserving Canada's historic places.