Series RG 326.03 - Maple Leaf Gardens time capsule

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Maple Leaf Gardens time capsule

General material designation

  • Multiple media

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Series

Reference code

RG 326.03

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1930 - 1931 (Creation)
    Creator
    Maple Leaf Gardens, Limited
    Place
    Toronto

Physical description area

Physical description

35 cm of textual newsprint
5 pages of textual records
4 textual booklets : between 7.4 cm and 14.5 cm
2 fabric objects : 1 ribbon and 1 miniature flag , 7.5 cm x 5.5 cm
1 object : ivory elephant figurine ; 2.3 cm x 2.2 cm x 0.4 cm

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Archival description area

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Custodial history

Officials and politicians dedicated the cornerstone of the Maple Leaf Gardens and laid a time capsule on 21 September 1931. Newspaper reports of the day failed to mention the time capsule. It lay hidden for 80 years until October 2011 when bricklayers found it while removing a stone slab during the reconstruction and refurbishment of the building. Loblaw immediately took custody.

The media reporting the discovery in 2011 and in 2012 did not definitively cite the time capsule's location. The most widely reported location was under the ceremonial stone marking the name of the building near the front doors on Carlton Street. Another reported location was behind the cornerstone at the Carlton and Church Streets corner whereon the year 'A.D. 1931' is prominent. To confuse the matter further, one time capsule content item, the manuscript (RG 326.03.02), states it was "to be placed in the corner stone of The Maple Leaf Gardens at the South East corner of that building located at the intersection of Church and Carlton Streets..."

Ryerson and Loblaw jointly held a media event in January 2012 displaying the box and its contents in the atrium of the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre building. Some time later, Ryerson Mattamy Athletic Centre took possession of the box and contents, taking the box itself and some items for its display case and donating the remainder to the Ryerson Archives. Thus, on 19 February 2013, Ryerson Archives took custody of the newspapers, the manuscript, the prospectus, the miniature flag, and the disintegrating blue ribbon. The elephant pendant, the three hockey rule booklets, and the Toronto Handbook stayed on display at the Mattamy Centre.

Scope and content

The series consists of the following.

  • Four daily newspapers, September 21, 1931 : The Globe ; The Mail and Empire ; The Evening Telegram ; The Toronto Daily Star
  • A four-page, typewritten manuscript and envelope likely from the directors of Maple Leaf Hockey Club
  • A four-page stock prospectus
  • A miniature Canadian Red Ensign flag
  • An ivory elephant pendant with blue ribbon fragments
  • 1930-1931 Official Rule Book, National Hockey League (NHL)
  • 1930-1931 Ontario Hockey Association Rules (OHA)
  • 1931 Official Hockey Rules, Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA)
  • 1931 Toronto Municipal Handbook

Notes area

Physical condition

  • Newspapers are fragile and brittle.
  • Disintegrating blue ribbon is kept in a separate, sealed bag.
  • Miniature Red Ensign : dirty.
  • 1930-1931 Official Rule Book, National Hockey League : small insect holes in the front cover and first couple of pages and extensively in the back cover and last few pages ; two binding staples have rusted and disintegrated ; cover has separated and seam is cracked.
  • 1930-1931 Ontario Hockey Association Rules : red bonded leather cover has wet stain across the back to front ; front cover is extensively warped, curled out at right edge ; three binding staples have rusted and disintegrated.
  • 1931 Official Hockey Rules, Canadian Amateur Hockey Association : front cover warped, curled out at right edge ; two binding staples have rusted and disintegrated ; cover has separated.
  • 1931 Toronto Municipal Handbook : cover has separated (dried out binding glue), however, stitching holding pages together ; insect damage to a couple of back pages.

Immediate source of acquisition

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Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Partially restricted due to fragile nature of the items. Staff member must be present to facilitate access. Appointment required.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Reproduction is limited due to the fragility of the items.

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No further accruals are expected.

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