The Victoria Hall Hotel was built in the 1850s on Victoria Avenue, conveniently near the Michigan Central Railway Station (Victoria Park Station). It was destroyed by fire in 1909-1910.
Niagara Falls needed an indoor ice arena, and one was constructed on the site in 1924. The Review newspaper headline for the opening event read "Tremendous crowd at opening of Niagara Falls new artificial ice arena; nearly four thousand people seated in comfort." The arena featured four boxes, one set apart for press and telegraph representatives, one for the directors and their families and two offered for sale. There were eight exits, each with a separate "wide stairway" so it would only take "a few seconds to empty the building" in case of emergency. "Commodious" dressing rooms were equipped with lavatories, and the modern ice plant had been manufactured and installed by the Canadian Ice Machine Company.
Once the Memorial Arena was built in 1949, the Victoria facility was sold to the Frontier Recreation and Promoters, who presented dances and stage shows. Not long after, the Canadian Army purchased the arena for reserve army training. It was known as the General Brock Armories.
The building was eventually torn down and replaced by the 10-story Imperial Motel, also known as the Comfort Suites Imperial Hotel and currently, the Imperial Hotel & Suites.
">
Niagara Falls Public Library. 2017. Niagara Falls - Then & Now: A Photographic Journey Through The Years. [Victoria Avenue Arena / Victoria Hall Hotel / Imperial Hotel & Suites].
Niagara Falls Then and Now
A collaborative project
Niagara Falls Museums - Niagara Falls Public Library - Dept. of Geography and Tourism Studies,Brock University.
Original newspaper series by
Sherman Zavitz, Official Historian for the City of Niagara Falls from 1994 - 2019.
© 2020 All rights reserved
Copyright for all content remains with original creators.
Accessible
TripClips
Call before visiting