"So many memories."
That was the reaction of many Newmarket residents yesterday when contractors began the process of pulling down the main structure of the Hollingsworth Arena.
The arena was built in 1972 and was named after Frank Hollingsworth, a longtime public school teacher and volunteer sports organizer. Prior to it being decommissioned, it was the home of the Newmarket Minor Hockey Association.
For the people who used the arena during its heyday, the demolition feels like the end of an era. Residents met the news by remembering the good times they had there.
For a lot of people, it was years of playing hockey or lacrosse games.
"I scored my first-ever hat trick in woman’s hockey when I was 10 years old. Lots of memories in this rink. I am going to miss it," said Kelly Skilton on social media.
Others remembered going to Newmarket's first skate park after school, which was located at the arena, with equal fondness. Some felt it had been a bit primitive, especially by today's standards, but not Tyler Stevenson.
"Best skate park ever," he declared.
Many residents said they were sad to see the building go, with John Pludra lamenting that few of Newmarket's older buildings remain.
"Well, there it is folks. Pretty much all of the buildings from my childhood are now gone. Nothing like preserving history. I think the only other building that I remember growing up is the hospital. At least there is one building left in town," said Pludra.
People such as Bonnie Fleischaker said they hope that the coach for whom the arena was named will have his legacy honoured in some other way in Newmarket.
"Frank Hollingsworth was my teacher in Grades 7 and 8 at Stuart Scott School. He gave so much to the sports community of Newmarket. Hopefully, his name will be placed in another location to honour his service," she said.
The demolition work on the arena began several weeks before the main structure of the building began to come down on Friday. Contractors for the town had been working on the interior, removing things like asbestos and saving the refrigerant from the rink cooling system for later use.
Once the arena is demolished, the land it sits on will be put to other uses. The arena was decommissioned and a portion of the property has been sold for a condominium project, while the town has retained the remainder so it can be turned into a public park.
The decision to decommission the building was made by council in April 2019 due to the age of the building, decreased use by the community and the amount of capital funding that would have been required to repair and keep the building operational.
