Interviews and Conversations

New book on history of Galt Arena Gardens a labour of love for Cambridge author

A new book from Cambridge author David Menary is shedding light on Canada’s longest continuously operating arena.

The Galt Arena Gardens has been part of the Cambridge community for more than 100 years and Menary spent the last five years looking into the details of its history and the many players who took to the ice, including Normie Himes, Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe.

Menary spoke to CBC Radio’s The Morning Edition host Craig Norris about his book 100 Years of Galt Arena Gardens, A History of the Most Storied Arena in the World.

WATCH | New book explores history of Galt Arena Gardens:

New book explores history of Galt Arena Gardens

A new book is shedding light on one of Canada’s longest continuously operating arenas. The Galt Arena Gardens has been part of this community for over 100 years. Cambridge-based author David Menary spent the last five years looking into the details of its history and the many players who took to the ice, like Normie Himes and Gordie Howe. Menary spoke to CBC K-W’s Aastha Shetty to share more about his new book, 100 Years of Galt Arena Gardens: The Most Storied Arena in the World.

Audio of this interview appears at the bottom of this page. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Craig Norris: Why did you want to look into the history of the Galt Arena Gardens?

David Menary: I was approached to write the book by a committee years ago that were preparing for the 100th anniversary of the arena. That’s what got me started, and that was five years ago, before COVID.

But I looked back at my old notes from when I was a sports writer and I had interviews with Gordie Howe, Marty Pavelich and other people like speed skaters, figure skaters and I was able to go back in time and look at some of my old notes and utilize some new content that I maybe had overlooked before.

There was so much to discover. Of course, COVID got in the way. All the archives were closed for extended periods of time and the arena itself. But there was so much new. In fact, the chapter on [Gordie] Howe is coupled with Marty Pavelich and they were lifelong friends and it’s all about how they took their train rides to get to Galt.

They came in 1944, the last year of the war. And of course they didn’t know it at the time, but they took these long train rides — Howe from Saskatoon, it took almost four days and Pavelich from Sault Ste. Marie, it took a full day.

And those long train rides were really the last long train rides they ever had by themselves and to think about what they were going to do. It wasn’t a certainty they were going to make the team. Gordie Howe was an unknown, he had the rest of his career to come and Marty Pavelich as well. So when I was writing the book on Howe and Pavelich, both had passed away, I had interviewed both of them many times, but I had a question that lingered.

Gordie Howe named his son his first son, Marty Howe, and I wondered if he named him after Marty Pavelich his lifelong friend. And sure enough, he did.

Craig Norris: How did you research it?

David Menary: It took five long years. Late nights. I didn’t get out too much. At times it got to be a little overwhelming and I still remember the time that I had turned on my computer and it said the file was corrupted. That was the low point.

But the research was so much fun to uncover. It was laborious, but fun. I couldn’t have written this book if I hadn’t been a sportswriter 30 years ago.

Craig Norris: It looks like a university physics textbook. That’s how big it is. Did you know it was going to be this [big]?

David Menary: No, and in fact, I had many people advise me to forget about any stories, just make a picture book. People are only interested in looking at pictures. And as you can see I’ve got over 1,000 photographs here.

You mention it looks like a sort of a university textbook, but I hope the stories in it are not dry and there’s a little bit of everything for people from all sports.

Craig Norris: What do you hope we take away from it?

David Menary: One is that we have this gem. We’re the custodians in Waterloo region of something that has been hiding in plain sight for almost a century. It hadn’t been given much attention, and yet everybody that played there wants to come back and see it.

Gordie Howe made several visits in his older, later years to come back it because it meant so much to him. Dave and Ken Dryden both. Ken used to come to watch his brother play for the Galt Hornets for three seasons. And Ken was there. He knew it well.

So we’ve got this piece of Canadian history, this piece of Canadiana right here in our region. We should do everything we can to celebrate it and preserve it.

The other thing is the title: A History of the Most Storied Arena in the World. That’s not hyperbole. I think it’s based on everything — the players that have been here and the events that have happened and how they’ve extended out around the world. I think that this book has a lot of that in it.

LISTEN | A look back at 100 years of the Galt Arena Gardens:

The Morning Edition – K-W9:17A look back at 100 years of the Galt Arena Gardens

Galt Arena Gardens have been part of this community for over 100 years. It’s hosted many famous hockey games and players throughout its time. And now, a new book shines light on some of those legendary athletes and their stories. Author Dave Menary gives a sneak peek into 100 Years of Galt Arena Gardens: The Most Storied Arena in the World.


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