Aboriginal Sport Gallery opening marks historic milestone for sport in BC
Vancouver, BC – Media and special guests were invited to witness the unveiling of the Aboriginal Sport Gallery at the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum today — a historic milestone in British Columbia and Canada's sport history. The gallery opens to the public today, just over four months after the February 2008 ground-breaking ceremony.
The Aboriginal Sport Gallery is a first for the province. It is a permanent tribute to the contributions Aboriginal peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) have made to BC’s sport heritage. The gallery also celebrates athletic achievement, showcases sport artifacts and honours Aboriginal sport history.
The Aboriginal Sport Gallery is the result of a partnership between the Province of British Columbia, the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, 2010 Legacies Now, the Four Host First Nations Society (FHFNS), the Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Association of BC (ASRA) and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).
“This gallery will inspire Aboriginal people across the province to strive to do their best in sport and in life,” said Stan Hagen, Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts. “This gallery, and historic events like the Cowichan 2008 North American Indigenous Games this summer, are creating Aboriginal legacies and recording them for future generations.”
Past sport heroes, such as athletes and coaches, will be featured in the gallery displays. These displays provide an important education initiative for the public, and in particular for Aboriginal youth, to learn about and be inspired by BC’s Aboriginal sport heroes. Read more
