The creation of a 性视界传媒 Sports Hall of Fame is gaining traction.
The subject was raised at a recent meeting of 性视界传媒鈥檚 , and city staff have been asked to report back on a potential model for the hall.
Other communities in Metro Vancouver have such halls to honour athletes, builders and organizers, and Councillor Doug Elford is among those who think it鈥檚 time 性视界传媒 does, too.
鈥淚 fully support it, and it鈥檚 something that should be done,鈥� Elford, vice-chair of the committee, told the Now-Leader.
鈥淲e have a rich sports history in 性视界传媒, and there鈥檚 generational activity happening in a lot of different sports. There are just tremendous people, athletes and organizers, who deserve recognition like this. We have some great, great history that needs to be recognized.鈥�
Coquitlam has a sports hall of fame, as do , and Delta.
was inducted in 2010, and has been active since 2005.
鈥淒ifferent communities do it differently,鈥� Elford said, 鈥渨ith some driven by the public and others more by the city. We鈥檙e going to look at what kind of hall of fame we can develop here in 性视界传媒. I think there might be some space at the for some heirlooms and stuff, which I鈥檇 support, and of course they鈥檙e talking about an online version as well.鈥�
The potential cost would be detailed in the staff report, Elford noted.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have to look at what we want, and council will then decide how we鈥檙e going to go ahead with it,鈥� he added.
鈥淲hile we鈥檙e waiting for the next steps here, we want people to start thinking about names, the people who would be in this hall of fame.鈥�
性视界传媒鈥檚 notable athletes include Olympic wrestler Daniel Igali, NHL hockey players Brenden Dillon, Colin Fraser and Scott Hannan, baseball player Adam Loewen, soccer鈥檚 Sydney Leroux, football player Geroy Simon, pro wrestler John Tenta and rugby standout Kelly McCallum, among others.
鈥淓very organization has some great people and history,鈥� Elford said, 鈥渋ncluding Chuck Bailey and Orest Springenatic in baseball, and we鈥檝e got NHL hockey stars who鈥檝e come up, you know, and all the softball players and people like Rocky Rockwell in Cloverdale, one of the original rodeo founders. The list is big, it鈥檚 daunting, and a lot of names will come up in all the different sports.鈥�
In the fall, Delta Sports Hall of Fame hosts an annual gala to recognize its latest inductees. , will recognize NHL hockey general manager Brad Treliving, figure skater Vernon Hartt, gymnast Margot Northey, soccer player Tony Chursky, baseball coach Len Stroh and the 1998 Ladner Pioneers lacrosse team.
Carlene Lewall, a founder of the hall who still helps organize its events, said the Delta hall includes a website () and also a display of names at Delta City Hall.
鈥淲e want to recognize these people, so that鈥檚 why we hold the gala, and we try to keep the cost down so people can attend,鈥� Lewall said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to recognize the sports heroes, which is great,鈥� she added, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 nice to honour those in the background too, the people who work behind the scenes to help sports grow in a community.鈥�
The Delta Sports Hall of Fame began as a Spirit of B.C. initiative in the lead-up to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver/Whistler.
鈥淲e we have a nomination application on the website,鈥� Lewall said, 鈥渁nd then a nomination committee that works nearly 12 months of the year on that, in several categories.鈥�
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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