Montreal Forum

Construction and Architectural Evolution

The idea for the Montreal Forum originated in 1923 with Sir Edward Wentworth Beatty, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, who acted on a suggestion from Senator Donat Raymond. Architect William Northey developed an initial plan for a 12,500-seat arena, but financial limitations forced a reduction in scale to a building with 9,300 seats. Even this smaller design lacked financing until H. L. Timmins provided the necessary capital. The site selected was at the northeast corner of Atwater and Ste-Catherine West, which had been the location of a roller skating rink named the Forum, and the developers kept that name for the new arena. Construction was undertaken by the Canadian Arena Company and completed in 159 days, with the building opening on November 29, 1924, at a total cost of C$1.5 million. The first major renovation occurred in 1949, followed by a comprehensive redesign in 1968 led by chief architect Kenneth Sedleigh of the engineering firm Stone & Webster Canada Limited, with the Montreal firm David & Boulva serving as consulting architects. The 1968 renovation included the installation of a centre-hanging digital score clock manufactured by the Day Sign Company of Toronto, a model similar to those later installed at Boston Garden and Chicago Stadium. This clock was replaced in 1985 by a new Daktronics model that featured colour matrix boards on each side. The arena's seating capacity grew from the original 9,300 to 17,959 by 1996, a figure that included approximately 1,600 standing room spots. One of the building's distinctive auditory features was its high-pitched siren used to signal the end of periods, a sound later transferred and still used at the Bell Centre.

The Hockey Cathedral and Major Championships

The Montreal Forum was built primarily as the home for the Montreal Maroons, who played there from their inception in 1924 until the franchise ceased operations in 1938. The Montreal Canadiens moved from the Mount Royal Arena to the Forum in 1926 and remained for seventy seasons, creating the building's deep association with professional hockey. Only two visiting teams ever captured the Cup at the Forum: the New York Rangers defeated the Maroons there in 1928, and the Calgary Flames beat the Canadiens in 1989. The building hosted the Stanley Cup Finals in 31 different seasons, including every year from 1951 through 1960 during the Canadiens' dynasty. Beyond NHL action, the Forum had a full weekly hockey schedule, hosting the Quebec Senior Hockey League on Wednesdays and Sundays, the Quebec Junior Hockey League on Monday nights, and various industrial leagues on other evenings. It was the venue for Memorial Cup tournaments in 1950, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, and 1976, with the Montreal Junior Canadiens winning the national junior championship on home ice in 1970. The Forum also hosted Game 1 of the 1972 Summit Series between Team Canada and the USSR, a 7-3 victory for the Soviets, and it was the site of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, marking the first time an NHL arena hosted the draft. The final NHL game at the Forum on March 11, 1996, was a 4-1 Canadiens victory over the Dallas Stars, followed by a ceremony where a symbolic torch was passed from former captains Howie Morenz, Jean Beliveau, Yvan Cournoyer, Henri Richard, Serge Savard, Bob Gainey, and Guy Carbonneau to then-captain Pierre Turgeon before being paraded to the new Molson Centre.

A Multipurpose Venue for Sports and Spectacle

The Forum's use extended far beyond hockey, establishing it as Montreal's primary indoor venue for a vast array of events. It hosted the free skating competitions for the 1932 World Figure Skating Championships, the first time this event was held in Canada. During the 1976 Summer Olympics, the arena was the site for the finals in five sports: gymnastics, handball, basketball, volleyball, and boxing. The gymnastics competition included Nadia Comaneci's performance that earned the first perfect score of 10 in Olympic history. The building regularly hosted other sports like indoor soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and professional wrestling, the latter featured in a 1961 National Film Board of Canada documentary titled Wresting (La Lutte). On March 11, 1937, the Forum held the only funeral in its history, a service for Canadiens star Howie Morenz who died from complications after breaking his leg in a game six weeks earlier. The venue also became a major concert hall, with The Beatles performing in 1964 and Bob Marley playing in 1978. Landmark live recordings were made there, including Rush's 1981 concert film Exit...Stage Left, Queen's 1981 film We Will Rock You (re-released as Queen Rock Montreal), and portions of Journey's 1980 live album Captured. Other notable musical events included sold-out shows by the Bee Gees in 1979, Madonna in 1987, and Metallica's two half-priced shows in 1993. In 1990, evangelist Billy Graham held his Mission Quebec crusade at the Forum before nearly 20,000 people, an event filmed for international television where then-Canadien Ryan Walter delivered a testimony.

Post-Hockey Conversion and Commercial Evolution

Following the Canadiens' departure in 1996, the Forum building was completely gutted and converted into a downtown entertainment centre initially named the Pepsi Forum. The centrepiece became a large multiplex cinema operated by AMC Theatres, which was sold to Cineplex Odeon in July 2012 and is now known as Cineplex Cinemas Forum. The original conversion paid homage to the building's past by recreating centre ice in the complex's centre, complete with a small section of grandstand and a statue of a cheering fan, while original seats were repurposed as benches throughout. A statue of Maurice Richard was placed next to the grandstand, and entrances featured a Quebec Walk of Fame with stars for Richard and Celine Dion, as well as a large bronze Canadiens logo surrounded by 24 Stanley Cup banners set into the sidewalk with the French inscription 'forever proud.' Economic challenges in subsequent years led to many vacant retail spaces, prompting the owner, New York-based real estate investor Ben Ashkenazy through Investissements Forum Canadien Inc., to seek new tenants. Dawson College leased a large section of the second and fourth floors to expand its campus, bringing a new educational function to the building. Extensive renovations were later undertaken to refresh the space with a more generic mall aesthetic, which involved removing the centre ice recreation, the grandstand, the fan statue, hockey banners, and other themed decorations. Some Forum and hockey memorabilia can still be found on the upper levels but in a far less prominent manner. The complex now also includes a bowling alley, arcade, and comedy club alongside the cinema and college facilities. The city of Montreal estimated the value of the building at $36.8 million in 2012, reflecting a $10 million drop from its 2009 valuation.

National Historic Site Designation and Cultural Role

The federal government designated the Montreal Forum a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997. The official statement of recognition noted that the building was arguably the country's most famous sporting venue and also serves as an icon for the role of hockey in Canada's national culture. The designation further highlighted that the Forum is the oldest of Canada's large-scale arenas and served throughout its history as the country's leading site for major indoor cultural, political, and religious events. This formal acknowledgment cemented the building's importance not just as a sports facility but as a central gathering place that reflected and shaped Canadian social life for generations. Its historical value is rooted in the sheer volume of championship moments, the diversity of events it accommodated, and its physical longevity as a model for other large indoor venues across the nation. The building's ability to host events as varied as a hockey funeral, an Olympic final, and a rock concert within its walls demonstrates its unique and varied place in Canadian history.

Stanley Cup Finals and Championship Chronology

The Montreal Forum hosted the Stanley Cup Final series in 31 different seasons. This frequency reflects the competitive success of its primary tenants, particularly the Montreal Canadiens. The Stanley Cup was clinched or presented on the Forum's ice fifteen times, including twelve championships for the Canadiens. The Finals were held there in seasons spanning from 1926 to 1993, with a notable concentration during the Canadiens' dynastic periods.

This pattern shows the Forum hosted the Finals for ten consecutive years from 1951 to 1960, and again for six out of nine years in the 1970s. The 1989 Final was historically significant as it resulted in the Calgary Flames becoming only the second road team to win the championship on Forum ice, defeating the Canadiens. The last Stanley Cup clinched at the Forum was in 1993, when the Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings, though the final game of that series was played in Los Angeles. The consistent presence of the championship series contributed immensely to the building's reputation and the intensity of its atmosphere.

Concert History and Landmark Recordings

The Montreal Forum's stage was a major stop for touring musicians from the 1960s through the 1990s, resulting in several landmark live recordings that preserve its atmosphere. The diversity of genres and calibre of artists who performed there highlight its importance as a music venue comparable to its sports reputation. The list of performers includes The Beatles in 1964, Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1969, and Bob Marley in 1978. The Bee Gees played two sold-out concerts in 1979, and Journey recorded parts of their live album Captured there in 1980. In 1981, Rush filmed their concert film Exit...Stage Left and Queen recorded We Will Rock You, while the Jacksons also performed that year. Hall & Oates filmed Rock 'n Soul Live in March 1983, David Bowie performed that July, and Black Sabbath filmed video segments there. Whitney Houston performed in 1986, and Madonna played two sold-out shows in 1987. These events, among many others, ensured the Forum's walls echoed with music as often as with the cheers of hockey fans, creating a dual identity for the venue. The recordings made there continue to serve as audio-visual documents of the building's acoustic and visual character during its peak years as a concert hall.

Architectural and Operational Details

The Montreal Forum's design and operations included several distinctive features that contributed to its character and functionality. The building was financed by H. L. Timmins after initial plans by William Northey for a larger arena were scaled back for financial reasons. The site itself had a sporting pedigree, having previously been the location of an outdoor ice hockey rink used in their youth by future hockey figures Frank and Lester Patrick, Art Ross, and Russell Bowie. The 1968 renovation by Stone & Webster Canada Limited not only updated the seating and facilities but also integrated modern elements like the centre-hung scoreboard, which became a focal point for fans. The arena's high-pitched period-ending siren was a unique auditory signature shared only with the Boston Garden among Original Six arenas. In its final configuration, the capacity of 17,959 made it one of the larger NHL venues of its time. The original conversion plan included a Rainforest Cafe that was never built. The current valuation of the property and its adaptation for educational use by Dawson College demonstrate the ongoing economic and functional evolution of the historic structure within Montreal's urban fabric. The building's physical legacy continues through preserved elements like the siren at the Bell Centre and the bronze plaques at its former entrances.

Questions about Montreal Forum

Can you visit the Montreal Forum today?

Yes, the Montreal Forum building still stands and is open to the public, but its interior has been completely transformed. The primary tenant is now the Cineplex Cinemas Forum, a large multiplex movie theatre. Upper floors house campus facilities for Dawson College. While extensive renovations have removed many of the overt hockey tributes, some memorabilia remains on upper levels. The exterior features historic markers, including a Quebec Walk of Fame and bronze Stanley Cup banners set into the sidewalk.

Where was the Montreal Forum located?

The Montreal Forum was located at the northeast corner of Atwater and Ste-Catherine West in Montreal, Quebec, facing Cabot Square. This specific site was historically significant as it was previously occupied by a roller skating rink named the Forum, which inspired the arena's name. Before that, the location was the site of an outdoor ice hockey rink used by future hockey legends like Frank and Lester Patrick, Art Ross, and Russell Bowie in their youth. The building is directly served by the Metro Atwater station. Its central location made it a landmark in downtown Montreal for over seven decades.

When did the Montreal Canadiens stop playing at the Forum?

The Montreal Canadiens played their last game at the Montreal Forum on March 11, 1996, defeating the Dallas Stars 4-1. This televised event featured a ceremonial opening faceoff taken by former captain Guy Carbonneau. After the game, an elaborate closing ceremony included a sixteen minute standing ovation for Maurice Richard and a symbolic torch passing ritual among living former captains. The torch, representing a line from the poem In Flanders Fields, was carried from the dressing room to the ice. The next day, the torch was paraded to the team's new home, the Molson Centre, now called the Bell Centre.

How many Stanley Cups were won at the Montreal Forum?

Fifteen Stanley Cup championships were clinched and presented on the ice of the Montreal Forum. The Montreal Canadiens secured twelve of these championships during their tenure from 1926 to 1996. Notably, only two visiting teams ever won the Cup on Forum ice: the New York Rangers against the Maroons in 1928 and the Calgary Flames against the Canadiens in 1989. This fact shows the Forum's reputation as a formidable home ice advantage for Montreal teams throughout hockey history.

What happened at the Forum during the 1976 Olympics?

During the 1976 Summer Olympics, the Montreal Forum was a venue for five event finals. It hosted the gymnastics competitions, which included Nadia Comaneci's historic first perfect 10 score in Olympic history. The arena also staged the final matches for handball, basketball, volleyball, and boxing. This multi sport use demonstrated the Forum's versatility beyond its primary identity as a hockey arena. Its selection as an Olympic venue highlighted its status as a premier large scale indoor facility in Canada capable of hosting world class athletic competitions.

Why is the Montreal Forum a National Historic Site?

The Montreal Forum was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997. Parks Canada cited that it was arguably the country's most famous sporting venue and serves as an icon for the role of hockey in Canada's national culture. The designation also recognized that the Forum is the oldest of Canada's large scale arenas. It was noted that throughout its history, the building was the nation's leading site for major indoor cultural, political, and religious events. This official status acknowledges its deep impact on both sports and broader Canadian society.

Sources and further reading

• Montreal Forum (Wikipedia)
• Montréal's sports teams and major sporting events score ... (mtl.org)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-26.