Aquatic Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada facts for kids
Exterior of Aquatic Hall of Fame and Museum
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| Former name | Aquatic Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada |
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| Established | December 14, 1970 |
| Location | 25 Poseidon Bay, Pan Am Pool, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. |
| Type | Sports museum |
| Collection size | 3.000 aquatic artifacts |
| Founder | Vaughan L. Baird |
The Canadian Aquatic Hall of Fame is a special museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It celebrates amazing achievements in water sports like swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, and water polo. You can find it at the famous Pan Am Pool.
This museum is Canada's oldest sports museum that was officially created as a company. It holds the National Archives for Aquatic Sports, which means it keeps important records and items from these sports. The museum has a huge collection of cool things like old swimsuits, trophies, and art related to water sports. It honors athletes and coaches who have competed in big events like the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games. It also recognizes people who have strongly supported these sports.
The Canadian Aquatic Hall of Fame works with other important groups. These include the Canadian Museums Association and the Virtual Museum of Canada. It is also part of the International Sports Heritage Association.
Contents
Discovering the History of Water Sports in Canada
How the Hall of Fame Began
The story of the Hall of Fame started in the 1960s. A big swimming pool, the Pan Am Pool, was built for the 1967 Pan American Games. These games were held in Winnipeg, which was a first for Canada! In March 1967, Winnipeg's Mayor, Stephen Juba, asked if the new Aquatic Hall of Fame and Museum of Canada could be located at the pool. Vaughan Lawson Baird helped with these important talks.
The idea was accepted quickly. It was also decided that this new museum would be the home for Canada's National Archives for Aquatic Sports. This meant it would keep all the history for swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, and water polo. On December 14, 1970, the museum officially became a company. This made it the oldest Hall of Fame in Canada to be set up this way. Mayor Juba and Vaughan Baird were among the first leaders of the museum.
Special Moments and New Additions
In May 1991, a very important event happened at the Pan-Am Pool. It hosted the 7th Diving World Cup. This was the first time Canada had ever hosted a World Cup for aquatic sports!
Later, on June 15, 1997, the museum received its own Coat of Arms. This was a special symbol of honor from the Canadian Heraldic Authority. It was the first Hall of Fame in Canada to get one!
In 1999, the museum got a big new section called the Royal Gallery. It was 10,000 square feet! That summer, Winnipeg hosted the 1999 Pan American Games. During these games, Princess Anne officially opened the Royal Gallery on July 26 at a diving event.
A New Chapter for the Museum
For a short time, in 2006, the museum was closed because of a disagreement with the city. Its collection of items was put into storage. But in March 2014, the city and the museum worked things out. The museum was able to return to the Pan-Am Pool. It finally reopened its doors in 2015, welcoming visitors once again.
In 2017, the museum moved back into the Royal Gallery. At this time, it also changed its name to what we know it as today: the Canadian Aquatic Hall of Fame.
See also
