The "Then" photo is circa 1950s, and looks about the same as it does today. Though the then photo is black and white it is difficult to determine if it was red at that time.
The forum, for many years having the largest seating capacity of any facility in town, has been the venue of choice for sports and entertainment spectacles in Halifax. It has hosted such acts as Reba McEntyre, Alabama and Kiss and witnessed the exploits and antics of sports heroes such as Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, Mohammad Ali and Hulk Hogan. It has a seating capacity of 4,600 plus for ice events and another 1,250 on the floor for other events.
About as historic as Canadian Arenas get, the forum has dozens of plaques in the walkways around the perimeter of the building which relate the entire history of the arena and the happenings it has been witness to in its 90 year lifespan. For its heritage and historic value The Forum was designated a Halifax Historic Property in 2005.
The Halifax Forum is truly a piece of Canadiana, a cultural landmark and a part of the great heritage of Halifax. It has been the home to prizefighters, top music acts, heroes of hockey and stars of the skating world.
Built in 1927, on the ruined grounds of the Provincial Exhibition Building which was destroyed during the infamous Halifax Explosion, the Halifax Forum became the premier meeting place for sports, recreation, commerce and entertainment for decades to come.
The Halifax Forum opened its doors to the public December 26th, 1927 for a public skate on the 1st artificial ice surface East of Montreal. The Forum Complex consisted of this state of the art arena, an Industrial Building, the Cattle Shed, the Grandstand Building , a horse Race Track and its accompanying horse barns. The owner of this complex in 1948 was His Majesty the King George VI and His Majesty the King sold the land and its properties to the City of Halifax in 1948 and HRM is still the owner today.
Many prosperous years followed for the Forum and the city. Centre stage featured Reba McEntyre, Alabama, Kiss centre ice hosted Guy Lafleur’s first professional goal and centre ring saw Mohammad Ali and Hulk Hogan and the WWF for the 1st time in Nova Scotia.
Forum was home ice for Nova Scotia’s first professional hockey team the Nova Scotia Voyageurs who , as an affiliate team to the Montreal Canadiens, was the first Canadian team to win the Calder Cup in ’72,’76 and ’77. These teams featured coach Al MacNeil, Ken Dryden, Guy Carbonneau, Larry Robinson and Yvonne Lambert just to name a few.
From The Forum