Snapshots of Ontario's sport heritage

“It is impossible to understand the history of Ontario without some account of sports.” – Bruce Kidd, Conacher and Lou Marsh awards winner (1961)

Sports are not just leisure activities. They have been integral to the development of communities, helped shape civic identities, motivated individuals and inspired works of art. The Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games in summer 2015 created an ideal opportunity for us to explore our sporting history and to connect with Ontario’s sport heritage.

Athletes, by nature, focus on the present and the future – on current accomplishments and upcoming challenges. But sports are also connected to the past. Records, statistics, athletes, training methods and traditions significantly influence, and remain relevant to, the present and future of any given sport. Sports build on and challenge the past. We reference, analyze and celebrate previous sporting achievements, and tomorrow’s stars strive to better the legends of previous generations. By exploring Ontario’s sport heritage, we can understand better how this history continues to shape and motivate Ontarians.

Click on one of these storylines to begin exploring!