CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada16 Jan 1911, Mon • Page 10
January 11, 2016 ·
Who remembers skating at the Beckwith Street Arena? This photo was taken from the Patterson and Findlay Solicitor’s office in the old Bank of Nova Scotia building in January of 1936. It shows the backs of frame houses on Beckwith Street and the old arena. The Carleton Place Public Library now occupies the site.
Ted HurdisI played tyke hockey there for half a year until they condemned it and closed the doors. Remember it well. Yes and then we played on an outdoor rink in front of the arena before it opened. The old town dump area. Hahaha
Sandra RattrayEvery Wednesday night and saturday afternoon, we skated. It was always packed.
M Terry KirkpatrickYep. Used to shovel it off (no Zambonis then lol) in exchange for free skating. When it was condemned I played hockey for about one more year but it was never the same for me. Yes, the novitiate on High Street provided an outdoor rink. It was just a few blocks away from where I lived on Moffatt Street, at the time.
Wendy Buffam GrahamSkated free on Saturday morning. The Odd Fellow organization picked up the tab. I swear the only song they played Green Door. WHAT great memories.
Tim CampbellI heard that there was an amazing organ in the old arena but no one knows what happened to it? Now there’s a mystery
Bruce GuthrieI started playing organized hockey here I believe at age 5 in what they called pony’s!
Alana FlintI remember the water fountain outside the dressing room door. The water was always icy cold. They used records for the music to skate to…Skater’s Waltz was my favourite. We bought hot chocolate at the concession during the break while the ice was cleaned.
Dolores AgnelSkated there for years, much to be said for natural ice. Remember the old wood stove in the dressing room. Even enjoyed the walk to the rink and again on the way home, the smell of the wood smoke in the air, sweet memories.
Carl MoultonI played there. Did the roof not collapse and we went and played at the ‘brothers’ on High Street till the new area was built? Ted Hurdis
Yes it did…
Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage MuseumThe arena was torn down in the 1965 because of its deteriorating frame structure
Nancy HudsonThe place to be on Saturday afternoons followed by a hot chocolate at the Olympia!
Pauline BoulangerI remember skating all day then having to walk back home. My feet were so sore. lol
Iva MacLennan CookeI remember moonlight skating on Saturday night. The moon used to shine through a hole in the roof. Talk about taking advantage of a dilapidated building
Brian ThorntonSpent lots of time here as a kid skating on my “ankles” to amazing music including, Cruising Down the River on a Sunday Afternoon”. No zamboni in those days. Shovels and huge scoops which used and the stronger skaters would take a run at huge piles of snow. I think we got a free ticket for public skating if we helped clear the ice.
January 5, 2012 ·
This postcard from our collection shows the north side of the Beckwith arena. The caption reads: “Memorial Park & Skating Rink, Carleton Place, Ont.
Jan McCarten Sansom25 cents to skate all afternoon….moonlight skating with a big orange spotlight and beautiful classical music ….great memories!
Dumps RyallI spent so much time there as a child. Saturday afternoons with the music. I was taken to a show once with a beautiful English skater who was just 13! I planned to be like her! How time passes. That was in about 1959!
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lindaseccaspina 
I was 10-12 years old when the Beckwith Street rink was closed down. Memories that stand out for me are of the well-worn icy wooden floors, volunteers clearing the ice surface by circling the rink with snow shovels during intermissions, and classical music playing during public skating. That’s where I gained an appreciation for classical music… and holding hands with girls 😉 The next few years we participated in bottle drives, paper drives and all manner of fund raising to raise the money for the ‘new rink’.
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Reblogged this on lindaseccaspina.
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