Several years ago, local sports historian James Beamish put together an article exploring the history of the arenas that housed hockey in its early years here in Mississauga. Inspired by my attendance at multiple Mississauga Steelheads games at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre this year, and eagerly awaiting their playoff drive, I found myself thinking back on James’ article on our historic places of play. I reached out to James and he graciously allowed us to share his story – I feel it connects well with our theme for Way Back Wednesday in exploring the stories, and places, from our history here in Mississauga. And as we explore the history of ice rinks on our city, lets cheer on our Mississauga Steelheads as they begin their 2023 playoffs against the North Bay Battalion!
- Matthew Wilkinson

Huron Park and the pace of building continues

In the early 1960s, population growth in the new Town of Mississauga took off with more and more youngsters clamoring to get on the ice. Huron Park Recreation Centre and Arena was opened on January 27, 1967 at a cost of $1.6 million ($11.2 million now) on 55 acres of land south of Dundas Street in Cooksville. Designed by the firm Abram and Ingelson, it was the first multi-use structure of its design built by the Township’s Recreation and Parks Department. In addition to the ice rink, the facility included a soccer pitch, two baseball diamonds, two lacrosse boxes, fitness centre, gymnasium, handball and squash courts and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

In 1968, the TTHL became the Mississauga Hockey League (MHL) and the Malton Arena became the first to be constructed by the new Town. It opened on October 1968 and is now called the Paul Coffey Arena after the three-time Norris Trophy and four-time Stanley Cup winner Edmonton Oiler/Pittsburgh Penguin defenceman who got his start in hockey in the area.

The 1970s – a time of expansion

The 1970s were a time of serious expansion as the City opened a number of new facilities. Clarkson Arena (now part of the Clarkson Community Centre), and home to the Clarkson Hockey Association, opened in April 1970 followed by the Cawthra Twin Rinks in June 1972. The Cawthra Twin Rinks, now part of the Carmen Corbasson Community Centre, has two rinks, one named after Ron Searle, the Ward Councillor at the time of construction and the late Warren Marshall, the 20th President of the MHL and a dedicated minor hockey organizer. The Community Centre was renamed after the late Ward Councillor Carmen Corbasson who passed away suddenly in March 2012. Cawthra is the home of the Lorne Park Hockey Association (LPHA) whose founder, Lyman Chapman, in addition to his organizational skills as Association President for the first 18 years, developed and fabricated one of the first goaltending masks years before Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens and the National Hockey League. Anticipating the need for greater player protection and safety, another LPHA member, Wally Reid, made hockey helmets mandatory for all Lorne Park Players. All other MHL teams quickly followed suit.

The Chic Murray Arena, the home of the Applewood Hockey Association and part of the Burnhamthorpe Community Centre, was named after the former Ward Councillor, Deputy Reeve, Reeve and 2nd Mayor of the Town of Mississauga and opened its doors in 1974. This Association honours the legendary Mississauga man-of-hockey, the late Bill Buss, with the Annual Bill Buss Spring Invitational Tournament now in its 19th year. Bill and his wife Margaret often coached and managed 13 different teams a season among their other many sports contributions to area youth.

1977 saw the opening of two additional facilities, the Meadowvale Four Rinks and Mississauga Valley Arena. Meadowvale Four Rinks is the home of the Meadowvale Hockey Association (MHA). Formed in 1976, the MHA was the first MHL association to adopt the STOP (Safety Towards Other Players) program. STOP originated in Windsor in 1999 and is now mandatory for many hockey leagues around the world. Mississauga Valley is the home of the Cooksville Hockey Association (CHA). Founded by Jack Belleghem, Albert Belford, Jim Newman, Gordon Harris, Charlie Copeland, Carson Crothers and Jim Kingsbury, the CHA was one of the founding organizations of the then TTHL. A former Cooksville Hockey Association President and local area dentist, Dr. Art Wood, created hockey history with the invention of the first mouth guard for minor hockey players, mandatory by 1961 throughout the League.

The 1980s and 90s

Only one new arena was opened in the 1980s, the Erin Mills Twin Arena. It is home to the largest association in the MHL, the Erindale Hockey Association (EHA). Celebrating its 69th season of operations this year, the EHA has almost 1,400 registered players on more than 85 teams.

The 1990s saw Tomken Twin Arena opened in 1990, followed by the Iceland Arena in 1996.

The Paramount Fine Foods Centre (formerly the Hershey Centre), owned by the City of Mississauga, opened in October 1998 at a cost of $22 million ($29.6 million today). Built by PCL Constructors Canada Inc. with a capacity of 5,400 seated (5,600 with standing room), it is the home of the OHL Mississauga Steelheads. It is also the home rink for the Credit Valley Minor Hockey Association (CVMHA), established in 2005. This Association had its antecedents in the Malton Minor Hockey Association (MMHA), founded in 1949, through the efforts of several Malton area minor hockey organizers such as Alex MacPherson, Ron MacNeil, Don Williams and Jack Weech. Its last president, Ivan Elliot was instrumental in the emergence of the CVHA from the MMHA.

The Paramount Community Rinks and Paramount SportsZone (formerly the Hershey Community Rinks and Hershey SportsZone) rounded out the City’s hockey stadia, opening in 2003.

Remembering the builders

Scattered through this piece are the highlighted names of just some of the hundreds of organizers, volunteers, community builders and supporters who have enriched Mississauga by their contributions to the development of Hockey in our communities. The Mississauga Steelheads and area hockey fans owe these people our collective thanks and gratitude for the sports legacy they have left behind. The Steelheads are proud to be associated with the Mississauga Hockey League and this great City. The Club looks forward to adding to that heritage and history by building on the links between hockey and communities across the former Toronto Township, and the City of Mississauga, this season and going forward.

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Building Hockey in Mississauga - Part 2

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