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Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Board of Management fonds, 1950-1972.
Prepared by: Christina Pflug
June 2001
KITCHENER MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM BOARD OF MANAGEMENT fonds. - 1950-
1972. - 25 cm of textual records.
For over twenty years the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Board of
Management helped fulfill the recreational and entertainment needs of the
community. The Kitchener Sports Association initially recognized the need for a
sports facility and it subsequently lobbied for a new ice hockey rink. According to one
source, the construction of a new rink received approval in 1945; however, due to a
shortage of construction materials during the postwar boom, the project was delayed
five years. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
was held on May 2, 1950 and was officially opened in May 1951. The $1.25 million
auditorium was significant in that it could seat 8000 people and it was reputed to be
the third largest in Ontario. The first meeting of the Board of Management, then
know as the Memorial Auditorium Commission, was convened on October 26, 1950.
The Board was responsible not only for organizing local hockey games, but also for
hosting a variety of other sports events including lacrosse and soccer. Over the
years the Board worked hard at developing the Auditorium's reputation as not only
the source of local sports activity but also as a provider of quality entertainment. For
instance, the Board was responsible for the regular appearance of performances
such as the Ice Capades and the Harlem Globetrotters. In addition to organizing
recreational and entertainment events the Board also supervised the construction of
various structures to meet the needs of the growing community. For example, there
was the construction of the new ice hockey rink, know as the Annex, which was
completed and opened in 1964. Perhaps one of the largest projects of the Board
was the construction of Centennial Stadium in 1967, featuring a football field and
seating for 3400 spectators. The organizational structure of the Board of
Management and its responsibilities remained virtually unchanged for nearly twenty
years. In the early 1970's there were alterations to the City's organizational structure
and as a result on January 1, 1973 the Parks and Recreation Department and the
Auditorium facilities merged.
The fonds consist primarily of minutes of Board meetings. However, the
records also contain a mixture of accounting information, copies of correspondence,
and tenders. The minutes reflect the daily activities of the Board in its management
of the Auditorium. For instance, information is provided on the maintenance of the
building and equipment, on the various performances held at the Auditorium, and the
numerous community and cultural groups that made use of the facilities. The records
cover the period 1950-1972, documenting the entire existence of the Board.
Title based on the contents of the fonds.
Records transferred to the City of Kitchener upon the dissolution of the Board.
1: Minutes. - 1950-1972. - 8 bound volumes.
This series consists of minutes of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Board of
Management which contain accounting information, copies of correspondence,
and tenders.
An index of the minutes is available in Appendix A.
APPENDIX A
Series 1: Minutes
Title Date Volume/Item Box
Minutes 1950-May 1953 1-1 10802
Minutes May 1953-Jan.
1956 1-2 10802
Minutes 1956-1958 2-1 10830
Minutes 1959-1960 2-2 10830
Minutes 1961-1963 3-1 10828
Minutes 1964-1965 3-2 10828
Minutes 1966-1968 4-1 10826
Minutes 1969-1972 4-2 10826