The BC Sports Hall of Fame has been awarded the Canadian Association for Sports Heritage (CASH) Award of Excellence for their Digital Indigenous Sport Gallery (DISG). The CASH Award of Excellence Selection Committee commended the BC Sports Hall of Fame on the accessibility within the gallery that provides many ways people can enjoy the content, and their commitment to creating meaningful connections with Indigenous communities.

​

The objective of the project was to expand access of their Indigenous Sport Gallery (ISG). This came after feedback from featured athletes and honoured members who found it difficult to visit the gallery in person. The digital format allowed them to expand on the stories found in the physical gallery and support the advancement of the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #87. The innovative approach and commitment to accessibility make the BC Sports Hall of Fame a deserving recipient for this award.

 

BC Sports Hall of Fame staff on the impact of the digital exhibition:

Over the last year, the BC Sports Hall of Fame has had the opportunity for the ISG and DISG to reach a wider audience. We have had the opportunity to share the website through community outreach activations from April-January. At each event, we brought an iPad and virtual reality headset for attendees to navigate the website and learn more about the contributions of Indigenous athletes and teams to Canada’s sport heritage. The Hall was lucky enough to attend the following events: Our Gathering 2024, kexwkexwntsút chet, tə sq̓əq̓ip ct - hosted by the First Nations Leadership Council, BC Ferries Canada Day weekend, Maple Ridge 2024 BC Summer Games, and the 11th Grey Cup Festival. We are also able to connect with partners throughout the Indigenous arts, culture and sport sectors. We have hosted the Museum of Anthropology’s Native Youth Program for a half-day workshop at the Hall. The Native Youth Program is a summer program for Indigenous youth that provides youth with training and work experience at the Museum of Anthropology while giving them a chance to explore their identity through arts and culture. We were also lucky enough to host a group of Indigenous youth from Líl̓wat Nation through the Ultimate Spirit program. Lastly, we have continued to focus on how we can have our featured athletes tell their own stories, including a speaker series where Terry Felix (Sts’ailes Nation) shared his experiences playing soccer and providing three Hero in You presentations in Prince George with ‘Delta’ Dawn Murphy. The DISG has allowed the Hall to continue to support the Indigenous sport community, advance the TRC’s Call to Action #87 and give athletes a platform to tell their own stories.