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Jon Lowe, Supervisor of Recreation Facilities for the City of St. Catharines, gave History students a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden City Arena earlier this month, including a stop to check out the line-painting machine.<\/p><\/div>\n
The arena\u2019s uncertain future emphasizes the importance of this memory collecting event.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to preserve as much of its history as possible now, while we still can \u2014 and so much of that history is in people\u2019s memories of the place,\u201d says Vlossak. \u201cWe want to learn about people\u2019s relationships with the arena, what it has meant to them, what have they collected and why are these things important to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an opportunity for members of the community to share their stories, photographs and memorabilia of the Garden City Arena, and to celebrate a building that has been so important to so many people since it opened in 1938.\u201d<\/p>\n
Students have been working in partnership with Brock University\u2019s Archives and Special Collections and the St. Catharines Museum to research the history of the arena for upcoming digital exhibits. The collected material will also be made available to researchers and the public through Brock\u2019s Sport and Oral History Archive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to learning about past events and the thoughts and memories of others who have had more intimate experiences with the history associated with the Garden City Arena,\u201d says History student Ray Borland. \u201cOur oral history project will continue those memories when others read or hear of our discoveries within the completed project.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kathleen Powell, Supervisor of Historical Services at the St. Catharines Museum, is excited to partner with students on the project and to hear people\u2019s memories of the arena.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis type of event provides the museum the opportunity to add these oral history stories to our collection so that we can share a diversity of voices in our work and connect these voices and stories to add life to the artifacts within the collection,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Those attending the memory collecting event are asked to complete the City of St. Catharines COVID-19 screening<\/a> in advance, if possible. As per the City\u2019s COVID-19 protocol, please wear a mask and bring proof of vaccination and ID showing birth year. Please note that the museum will not be accepting physical donations at this event.<\/p>\n Those unable to attend the event are encouraged to submit their memories via the Sport and Oral History website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\t