From June 2026 to June 2027, McCormick arena will be closed for renovations. That means no shinny, no toe picks, no fast laps laps… and temporarily, no post-skate candy machine runs (we know this may be the hardest part for some).

The work will focus largely on improving accessibility and upgrading facilities like the washrooms, helping make the arena more comfortable and welcoming for everyone.

While the ice is out, our staff will be busy tackling maintenance and other behind-the-scenes enhancements to help get the arena ready for its next chapter.

The City will work with arena user groups to help identify alternate ice times and locations where possible during the closure, though availability may be limited.

We’ll share renovation updates and behind-the-boards progress along the way. Thanks for sticking with us while McCormick Arena gets ready to welcome everyone back in 2027.

And don’t worry… the candy machines will return, fully stocked.

There is limited availability for rental and it is posted on CatchCorner. Click book now below to view and rent.

The next scheduled Board of Management meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 29th, 2026 at 6:30pm. If you wish to observe the meeting, please send an email with your name to mail@mccormickarena.com by end of day on April 28th to register.

Click here to see the most recent board approved meeting minutes.
Click here to view the Procedural Bylaw for the McCormick Arena Board of Management.

Arena Programming

(Public Skating, Adult Skate, Ticket ice, Shinny Hockey, etc.)
Programming starts the week of September 8th, 2025

View Schedules

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Figure skating, learn to skate and power skating.

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Parkdale Flames Hockey Association

Kids hockey school, house-league and select hockey league.

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Three historical plaques by Heritage Toronto were installed on August 25, 2022. One is located at the main entrance of McCormick Arena. Another is at the main entrance of Mary McCormick Recreation Centre. The third one is at McCormick Park.

Fifty years ago, Toronto City Council passed By-Law 319-71 on November 24, 1971 to establish a skating arena at McCormick Playground. On March 14, 1972, McCormick Playground Arena (known more commonly as McCormick Arena) was opened to the public. Please visit this website regularly to find more updates and information about our 50th anniversary festivities in 2022. Click here to view the By-Law 319-71

Photo of McCormick Arena in 1971 courtesy of the City of Toronto Archives

The Nixon Room (known more commonly as the Snack Bar Room) is a community meeting room at McCormick Arena that is named after George Adam Nixon. He was elected as a member of the Ontario Legislature in 1971 who represented the Toronto riding of Dovercourt and he was one of the first members who served on the Board of Management at McCormick Arena. Click here to learn more about George Adam Nixon.

Photo of George Adam Nixon courtesy of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

McCormick Arena is located on the site of the Grand National Rink. Opened on the evening of December 21, 1896, the Grand National Rink at 153 Brock Avenue was Toronto's largest open-air rink of that era until its closure in 1902. It reopened for one season as the Royal Alexandra Rink at 189 Brock Avenue on the night of January 8, 1908, and reopened again for the winter as the Brock Avenue Rink at 189 Brock Avenue on the evening of December 16, 1909. Click here to learn more about the history of the Grand National Rink.

Ad in the Toronto Evening Star on December 21, 1896 courtesy of the Toronto Public Library

Mary Virginia McCormick

McCormick Playground Arena is the official name of the building as a tribute to the McCormick Playground. Opened on July 1, 1911, the McCormick Playground at 163 Brock Avenue was Toronto's largest children's playground until 1963 when it became known as McCormick Park at 66 Sheridan Avenue. McCormick Playground was the namesake of Mary Virginia McCormick, a wealthy Toronto resident who donated generously to the Toronto Playgrounds Association. Click here to learn more about Mary Virginia McCormick.

Photo of Mary Virginia McCormick in 1901 courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society

Photo of the McCormick Playground courtesy of the City of Toronto Archives

McCormick Arena is situated on the site of the original McCormick Recreation Centre. The McCormick Recreation Centre at 163 Brock Avenue opened on September 21, 1912, a Georgian Revival-style building that was Canada's first year-round community recreation centre and Toronto's largest one until its closure in 1964. Located next to it, the second McCormick Recreation Centre at 66 Sheridan Avenue opened on October 29, 1964, a larger and modernist-style building that was reopened later as the Mary McCormick Recreation Centre on January 25, 2003.

Photo of the McCormick Recreation Centre on Brock Avenue courtesy of the City of Toronto Archives.

Lighting project has been completed. See the results:

Before

After

The lighting retrofit at McCormick Arena was completed by WESCO. Click on the logo above to view the "Project Spotlight"

Address

179 Brock Ave
Toronto, ON M6K 2L7

Contacts

Email:
mail@mccormickarena.com
Phone: 416.392.0647
Fax: 416.392.1395

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