The Meraloma Club’s motto is simple: ‘Once a Meraloma, always a Meraloma.’

There are literally thousands of Meraloma athletes, coaches, administrators, referees, volunteers, and supporters scattered all over the world who know this motto rings true. Each of these members is connected by a uniquely tight bond that has allowed the Meraloma Club to thrive for over a century as one of BC’s longest standing and largest multi-sport clubs, leaving behind a club legacy in this province and around the world that is now immeasurable.

It wasn’t always that way. The Meraloma Club was initially founded in the summer of 1923 as a modest swimming club by a group of twelve young friends at Vancouver’s Kitsilano Beach: Howard Calvert, Clarence Code, Art Dawe, Bill Edwards, Jim Edwards, Morley Maxwell, Murray Mowatt, Bill Pitt, Charles Rabb, Dave Scott, Garnet Tupper, Percy Wight. On a lark, the founding members originally called themselves the ‘Mermaids.’

Soon after they settled upon the unique Meraloma name that became synonymous with all the best aspects of amateur club team sports. Early on the club adopted the recognizable Meraloma orange and black and the diamond-bordered ‘M’ as the club colours and symbol respectively. The basement of a Kits grocery store served as the first clubhouse then later the house at Kits Point that today is the Billy Bishop Kerrisdale Legion Building before finally occupying the fieldhouse at Connaught Park, which still serves as the Meraloma clubhouse today.

Over the decades the club has fielded men’s and women’s teams for various ages from youth to adult and at recreational and elite levels in rugby, cricket, soccer, field hockey, softball, basketball, cycling, football, swimming, hockey, touch football, and volleyball. Nearly a hundred Meraloma athletes have represented Canada internationally in their sports and another fifty have played their sport professionally. Other club members have served in key roles on various provincial, national, international, and professional sports organizations, many building hall of fame careers. Even the BC Lions, BC’s oldest active professional sports franchise, owe their trademark orange-and-black colours to Meraloma club members who helped launch the CFL team back in 1954.

Today over 1100 active senior and junior athletes on nearly 40 teams keep the Meraloma tradition alive. Complete with secret handshake, unusual traditions, and an unshakeable fellowship.

Once. Always.

Written and researched by Jason Beck, Curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame.