Galt Museum launches sports-themed exhibits

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on November 5, 2024.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Members of the Lethbridge Roller Derby Guild do a demonstration at the launch party for the two sports exhibits at the Galt Museum on Saturday.

The Galt Museum officially launched two new temporary sports-themed exhibits of Game Play and Building a Legacy: The Sportsplex at 50 on Saturday at a launch party.

Game Play is a highly interactive exhibit that allows for museum goers to learn the social importance of games and play and pairs hand-on activities and culture.

To commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the venue originally known as the Canada Games Sportsplex – now the Visitlethbridge.com Arena – in their main hallway, the Galt has an exhibit which looks at the history of the building as well as the 1975 Canada Games, for which the arena was built.

“There’s lots of awesome sports history in the southern Alberta region and we wanted to showcase that, but also help showcase that sports and play aren’t always about super strong, athletic, muscley people,” said Tyler Stewart, a Galt Museum curator who was behind the new exhibits.

“We wanted to highlight also all the fun and awesome, inclusive and welcoming different kinds of play that are happening today as well, and kind of make those connections between the past and the present.”

Stewart noted a great example of that is the Roller Derby Guild’s work.

“They’re building a space for people of all genders, of all body types to be athletes, to participate and be part of the sporting community in a unique and exciting way too,” said Stewart.

Between both exhibits there are stories that people may not have known about there being a team before the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Lethbridge Broncos and the existence of the professional basketball team, the Alberta Dusters, who didn’t last long in the city.

“So bringing those kind of sometimes forgotten histories back to life is an important part of both of these exhibitions,” said Stewart.

Local basketball player Kacie Bosch and teammate Paige Crozon, who play on Canada’ 3×3 basketball team together, both had pieces of basketball history in the Game Play exhibit.

“I’m excited to bring my family and show them because really the Lethbridge area is what raised me and shaped me into the athlete I am, so it’s cool to be recognized by that same community,” said Bosch.

The cut-off netting from her team at Chinook winning a high school zones title is the most memorable piece for Bosch in the exhibit.

“Just because I feel like (in) southern Alberta, we talk about cool it is and what a big basketball community it is and I just remember winning zones felt like the biggest deal in the entire world,” said Bosch.

“So being able to cut down the net with all of my high school friends and teammates was really one of the highlights of my career.”

Husky First Charger and daughter Rae Marie run a program called Nitokska (meaning One in Blackfoot), which originated out of his skateboarding passion and offers free skateboarding lessons for those that are unable to afford it, and now has expanded to boxing, running club and mountain biking.

“There was nothing planned, we were just kind of out there having fun and that’s what we’re still doing, we’re just out there still having fun,” said First Charger.

Their display is in the Game Play area.

“I’m very proud and very honoured to be part of Lethbridge history,” said First Charger.

Attendees could enjoy interactive activities, a Roller Derby Guild demonstration, a Martin HeavyHead Jr chess challenge and Blackfoot games.

The Sportsplex exhibit will run until April 6 and the Gameplay exhibit will run until March 2.

-with files from Alexandra Noad