Rob Ford Stadium

{{About||the stadium in Victoria, BC|Centennial Stadium|the former stadium in Atlanta, Georgia|Centennial Olympic Stadium}}

{{Infobox stadium

| stadium_name = Rob Ford Stadium

| image = Rob Ford Stadium (photo by Djuradj Vujcic).jpg

| caption = The stadium pictured in 2024

| location = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| pushpin_map = Canada Toronto#Canada Ontario#Canada

| pushpin_relief = yes

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Toronto##Location in Ontario##Location in Canada

| nickname =

| built = 1975

| opened = 1975

| renovated = 2009

| owner = City of Toronto

| operator = Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation

| surface = Artificial turf

| former_names = Centennial Park Stadium (1975–2024)

| seating_capacity = 2,200

| scoreboard = Yes

| tenants = Serbian White Eagles (2006–present)
FC Ukraine United (2006–present)
Etobicoke Eagles (2009–present)
GTA Grizzlies (2015–present)
Toronto Supra Portuguese (2001–2007)
Toronto Lynx (2002–2017)
Toronto Lady Lynx (1997–2015)
Toronto Atomic FC (2015–2017)

| dimensions =

| coordinates = {{Coord|43|39|13|N|79|35|04|W|region:CA-ON_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

}}

Rob Ford Stadium (formerly Centennial Park Stadium) is a 2,200-seat stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is primarily used for soccer, track and field, football and occasionally for kabaddi.

It is located within Centennial Park in Etobicoke, just south of Toronto Pearson International Airport and near the intersection of Rathburn Road and Renforth Drive. It was built in 1975.

The stadium has seating in a grandstand on the west side and a small scoreboard on the north end of the field. The stadium was renovated in 2009 with the installation of new seating and artificial turf.

Usage

The stadium hosted the first edition of Veteran Athletes Championships in 1975.{{Cite web|url=https://www.shaggysphotos.com/WMA-Events/1975-WMA-News-Archives/|title=1975 WMA News Archives|website=www.shaggysphotos.com|access-date=2019-11-29|archive-date=2022-01-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127115152/https://www.shaggysphotos.com/WMA-Events/1975-WMA-News-Archives|url-status=dead}}
The stadium hosted the closing ceremony of the 1976 Summer Paralympics and some of the sporting events.
The stadium hosted the CPSL/CSL Championship finals in 1998, 2010, 2011, and 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/98cpsl38.htm|title=Voyageurs Soccer Talk|last=Glover|first=Robin|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-11-27}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports/10csl173.htm|title=October 30, 2010 CSL--Final preview (from CSL website)|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-11-27}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports11/11csl193.htm|title=October 26, 2011 CSL--preview of CSL Final (from CSL website)|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-11-27}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports12/12csl151.htm|title=October 25, 2012 CSL--pregame article on CSL Final (from CSL website)|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|access-date=2016-11-27}}
The stadium hosts the Relay For Life in Toronto West event each June, a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.
The stadium is also used for the ROPSSAA football finals and the PSAA (Private Schools Athletic Association) on the first Monday of May for an annual Track and Field Meet.

Name

The stadium was originally named for Centennial Park, which it is located in and opened during Canada's centennial year of 1967; the stadium was opened in 1975, eight years after the centennial.

In 2017, there were calls and support for the stadium to be renamed after former mayor Rob Ford{{cite web |title=Toronto mayor backs renaming stadium after Rob Ford |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/etobicoke-stadium-rob-ford-1.4311032}} as Rob Ford Memorial Stadium,{{cite web |last=Rider |first=David |date=28 September 2017 |title='Rob Ford Memorial Stadium' proposal triggers groans, gratitude |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2017/09/28/rob-ford-memorial-stadium-proposal-triggers-gratitude-groans-in-toronto.html |via=Toronto Star}} but city council voted down the motion 11 to 24 on October 4, 2017.{{Cite news |title=No 'Rob Ford Memorial Stadium' in Toronto after council rejects renaming proposal {{!}} The Star |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2017/10/04/no-rob-ford-memorial-stadium-in-toronto-after-council-rejects-renaming-proposal.html |access-date=2018-10-19 |work=thestar.com |language=en}} In 2023, amid the re-imagining of the park through the Centennial Park Master Plan that was also approved in 2021, city council again considered a motion to rename the stadium after Ford, this time passing 17 to 6.{{Cite web |date=15 December 2023 |title=City council votes to rename stadium at Centennial Park after late mayor Rob Ford {{!}} CityNews Toronto |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/12/15/city-council-votes-to-rename-stadium-at-centennial-park-after-late-mayor-rob-ford/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=toronto.citynews.ca}}{{Cite web |title=Toronto council votes to rename Etobicoke stadium after Rob Ford - Toronto {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10173621/toronto-council-votes-to-rename-etobicoke-stadium-after-rob-ford/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}

The stadium was officially renamed Rob Ford Stadium on May 28, 2024.{{cite news|last=Tsekouras|first=Phil|authorlink=|url=https://www.cp24.com/news/stadium-in-etobicoke-officially-renamed-in-honour-of-rob-ford-1.6904302 |title=Stadium in Etobicoke officially renamed in honour of Rob Ford |agency=CP24 |date=28 May 2024 |access-date=28 May 2024 |language=en}} The first game played on the re-named stadium was a Canadian Soccer League encounter between Serbian White Eagles FC and Spanish Future Stars on May 31, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Vujcic |first=Djuradj |date=31 May 2024 |title=Eagles Count to Twelve: A Dozen Goals at Rob Ford Stadium |url=https://serbianwhiteeagles.ca/en/2024/05/eagles-count-to-twelve-a-dozen-goals-at-rob-ford-stadium/ |access-date=5 June 2024 |website=serbianwhiteeagles.ca}}

Rob Ford Stadium

Usage

Name

References

See also