About Leaside Memorial Community Gardens
Leaside Memorial Community Gardens opened its doors almost 60 years ago and has been a focal point of the local community ever since. Open seven days a week and boasting a double-pad ice rink, a curling rink, an indoor swimming pool, and a large auditorium, people living in Leaside and environs gather together at this facility to play hockey, figure skate, swim and socialize.
Playing a major role in awareness raising and community building, our hockey and figure skating programs help improve physical skills, instill discipline, develop social skills, teach patience, and encourage teamwork and cooperation.
Playing a major role in awareness raising and community building, our hockey and figure skating programs help improve physical skills, instill discipline, develop social skills, teach patience, and encourage teamwork and cooperation.
Serving the Leaside Community and Beyond
Leaside Gardens is proud to serve the more than 6,500 families living in Leaside as well as a good number of families in the East York catchment area and beyond. What is more, we have built longstanding relationships with:
These 3 organizations serve approximately 2,500 young people from Leaside and surrounding area.
- The Leaside Hockey Association - the second largest hockey association in the Greater Toronto Hockey League
- The Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association - organizes and supports female hockey in Toronto
- The Leaside Skating Club – dedicated to teaching the joys and skills of skating to people of all ages
These 3 organizations serve approximately 2,500 young people from Leaside and surrounding area.
Partnering with Our Community is a Tradition
The current Leaside Gardens financial model operates on two different levels. On the first level, our annual revenues of approximately $970,000 come from ice pad and pool rentals, advertising, the snack bar, and pro shop sales, in the main. On the second level, and specifically to cover the high cost of capital expansion projects, we raise money through grassroots community fundraising efforts.
The history speaks for itself. Leaside Gardens was built sixty years ago with the generous support from the people of Leaside and with the visionary leadership of the Lions and Rotary Clubs as well as many other local service organizations. Twenty years later, when the arena needed a new roof, the community joined hands to raise $500,000 to get the job done. More recently the community again stepped up to replace the seating.
Today is no different. For us to expand Leaside Gardens in order to meet the growing demand for ice, we are once again calling on our growing community of supporters.
More Ice Time
For a long time now, all the available ice at Leaside Gardens had been rented out making it difficult for our user groups to keep up with the growing demand for the programs they offer. Moreover, our local hockey players and figure skaters were forced to travel to arenas in distant parts of the city and to pay private ice rental rates to get a chance to skate.
The overwhelming demand for ice time required an expansion of the facility and construction of a second pad of ice. The new arena was opened in September 2014.
The overwhelming demand for ice time required an expansion of the facility and construction of a second pad of ice. The new arena was opened in September 2014.
The Opportunity to Make a Difference
In 2009 the City of Toronto purchased from the Province of Ontario the property at 1075 Millwood Road on which to expand. The current estimated capital cost for the project was $9.5 million including design fees and disbursements, demolition, a new building and tie-ins; and contingencies. The City agreed to permit borrowing of $7 million against projected future operating revenues.
The first task of the Leaside Gardens Board of Management Expansion Committee with the help and support of our user groups and the Leaside community was to make up the difference.
Our grassroots community fundraising goal was to raise the balance of $2.5 million – with this amount committed by January 15th, 2011, and payable by December, 2012.
The first task of the Leaside Gardens Board of Management Expansion Committee with the help and support of our user groups and the Leaside community was to make up the difference.
Our grassroots community fundraising goal was to raise the balance of $2.5 million – with this amount committed by January 15th, 2011, and payable by December, 2012.
Our Board of Management
The Leaside Memorial Community Gardens Board of Management, consisting of nine community volunteers from Leaside and environs and our local Toronto Councillor, manage the facility on behalf of the community and the City of Toronto.
Contact Us
For information on contacting the LMCG Board of Management or the General Manager please click here.