BC Sports Hall of Fame facts for kids

The BC Sports Hall of Fame is a special museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It's located inside the BC Place stadium, right at the main entrance (Gate A). This museum collects and protects items that tell the story of sports in British Columbia. It helps people like researchers, writers, and sports fans learn about BC's amazing sports history.

The museum has a huge collection of sports items and old documents. You can find cool exhibits about famous BC athletes like Terry Fox, Rick Hansen, and Greg Moore. There are also galleries about different sports, including a section on Indigenous sports, BC's professional sports teams, the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, and a gallery called "In Her Footsteps" that celebrates women in sports.

History of the Hall of Fame

The BC Sports Hall of Fame was started in 1966 by Eric Whitehead and other sports fans in British Columbia. It officially opened its doors in August of that year at the BC Pavilion, which was part of the Pacific National Exhibition grounds.

Later, in 1993, the Hall of Fame moved to its current home inside BC Place stadium.

The museum closed for about 20 months in 2010 and 2011 while a new roof was being built on BC Place. During that time, some of its artifacts were shown in other places around the province. When it reopened in January 2012, the Hall of Fame added a new gallery about the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This gallery has the biggest collection of items from those games anywhere! They also opened a new "Hall of Champions" which is one of their most important exhibits.

In 2017, a copy of the news desk from the famous Sports Page TV show was put on display. This was to celebrate the show's 40th birthday.

Honouring Sports Heroes

Since 1966, the BC Sports Hall of Fame has welcomed many amazing people and teams into its family. These people are called Honoured Members, and the teams are called Honoured Teams. There are five main groups for induction: Athlete, Builder (someone who helped grow sports), Pioneer (someone who was important in early sports), Media (people who report on sports), and Team.

How People Get Chosen

Anyone can suggest someone to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, except for people on the selection committee. If a board member suggests someone, they can't vote on that person.

Nominations are accepted each year until June 30.

Each person or team nominated can be considered for three years in a row. If they aren't chosen after three years, their nomination has to wait for one year before it can be suggested again.

The Induction Gala

Every year, the BC Sports Hall of Fame hosts a big party called the Induction Gala. This is where the new Honoured Members and Teams are officially welcomed. More than 1000 guests usually attend this special event. The 50th Induction Gala was held on May 23, 2019, at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Some Famous Inductees

Many incredible athletes and teams from British Columbia have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Some of the most well-known Honoured Members include:

• Terry Fox, a runner who inspired the world with his Marathon of Hope.
• Rick Hansen, who completed his Man in Motion World Tour in his wheelchair.
• Greg Moore, a talented race car driver.
• Nancy Greene Raine, an Olympic champion skier.
• Trevor Linden, a beloved hockey player for the Vancouver Canucks.
• Christine Sinclair, a legendary soccer player.
• Steve Nash, a famous basketball player.

These are just a few examples of the many sports heroes who have been recognized for their amazing achievements and contributions to sports in BC.

W.A.C. Bennett Award

The W.A.C. Bennett Award is a special honour given by the BC Sports Hall of Fame. It's named after a former Premier of British Columbia. This award recognizes people who have made a huge difference in sports and in the community of British Columbia. It celebrates their leadership and how they've helped make BC a better place through sports.