The Canada Winter Games were held in Brandon, Manitoba, from February 12-24, 1979. According to the official Canada Games website, approximately 2,000 athletes and officials and more than 4,000 volunteers participated in the event. Brandon artist and calligrapher Alex Matheson served as games president. Infrastructure improvements resulted in the construction of the Canada Games Sportsplex complex which contained a 400-seat hockey area, raquetball courts a six-lane 50-metre swimming pool, and a speed skating oval. Mount Agassiz was the site for alpine ski events and new cross country ski trails were developed in the Brandon Hills.
Custodial History
Photograph sent to Fred McGuinness from the Winnipeg Free Press Photo Department
Scope and Content
Photograph shows the opening ceremonies of the Canada Games held in Brandon, Manitoba, 1979. Various teams can be seen standing in the hockey arena of the Keystone Centre. Pennants representing the athletic events hang from the rafters.
Notes
Photograph was collected during the research phase of the monograph "Manitoba: The Province & The People" (1987) written by Fred McGuinness and Ken Coates.
Photograph features two muddy players with Professor Douglas Durkin on the field west of the Brandon College Building. The photograph was labelled with the words "a football incident."
W.M.C.A.B.U. Convocation (spring '79)L to R (front row) K. Burgess, Mayor, W.G. Dinsdale, P.C. M.P., K. A. Cosens, MLA, Min. of Ed., H.S. Perdue (standing) , H.J.Perkins, R. Beamish, ?, D.R. McKay
W.M.C.A.B.U. Convocation (Spring 79). L to R. (front row) W. G. Dinsdale; P.C.M.P., E. R. McGill; M.L.A, K.A. Cosens; M.L.A., Min of Education (Standing), Background (clear) L. Liu, P. Letkeman, B. Parsons, Chris. Kennedy (University Registrar).
W.M.C.A.Convocation (Spring) 79. L to R (front row) W. G. Dinsdale; P.C.M.P (Bran Services), K. A. Cosens; M.L.A Minister of Education, E.R. McGill; M.L.A. (Brandon West), Eleanor Cunningham; Dir. Alumni Affairs, G. Longphee, Dr. H. Perkins
W.M.C.A Convocation, Spring 1979. L to R (front row) A. G. Dinsdale; P.C.M.P. (Brandon Services), K. A. Cosens; M.L.A. Min of Education, McGill, Ed., F. L. John, Lt. Gov (stg), R. Beamish, G. Longphee Background (clear) H. V. Vidal (glasses) Earl Davey (beard) P. Letkeman (glasses), B. Parsons, E. Pepper, A. Loreridge, Prin. A.C.C., C. Kennedy.