Message from the Chair | April 16th, 2026

Message from the Chair

BY TOM MAYENKNECHT

In the 60-year history of the BC Sports Hall of Fame, we have been fortunate enough to be either directly or indirectly connected to most if not all of the major stories that have made British Columbia such a rich province when it comes to sport history, heritage and culture. It has been our honour and privilege to serve as British Columbia’s go-to storytellers.

Every step of the way, we’ve worked hard to ensure that we did — and do — everything we can to curate the definitive history of the extraordinary athletes, coaches, builders, pioneers, media and teams that have made BC one of Canada’s most dynamic sports landscapes and a beacon for everything from athlete development to sport tourism.

We do that on the strength of our annual induction process, special events and annual summits held throughout the province, including community outreach in support of our Hero in You program. We make the most of our new website and other digital content and social media. Our promotion of sport history includes “On This Day in BC Sport History.” Courtesy of our curator Jason Beck.

If you’re looking for the “skinny” on the more than 469 individual athletes and 72 teams that have been inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame, look no further than our Honoured Members directory at bcsportshall.com. Go to Hero in You and among the gems you’ll find is the school curriculum module that tells the Terry Fox story in ways that resonate with the next generation of young British Columbians. And for those who love their sport history in the shape and form of books, you can “Play Ball” by reading the definitive history of baseball in British Columbia published last year thanks to funding from the family foundations of BC Sports Hall Honoured Members Jake Kerr and Jeff Mooney and a much-welcomed partnership with the BC Sports Hall of Fame.

Yet every once in a while, we stand “inside” the making of sport history. We do that courtesy of our home at BC Place, where we are privileged to work and play alongside the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the BC Lions, not to mention the countless special events that make BC Place in particular and Vancouver in general the number one special event hubs in Canada (including the World Rugby Sevens each March).

We were proud to share our home, one that served as host venue for the Opening Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in February of that remarkable year. We’re reminded of that – as are our guests – every time we walk into our atrium at the Gate A concourse at BC Place; every time we’re inspired by our Vancouver 2010 gallery.

We were proud to see the Invictus Games opening and closing ceremonies at BC Place last year.

And now, in our 60th anniversary year of the BC Sports Hall of Fame, we are anticipating another huge chapter of BC and Canadian sport history to be written in the hosting of seven matches in the FIFA 2026 World Cup. The biggest World Cup in history – with 48 countries and 104 matches in one month – is such that the BC Sports Hall of Fame will need to close for the exclusive operating period of May 14-July 15. Our friends at the Whitecaps and Lions will also be affected by the enormity of the World Cup and will need to take their games on the road during that two-month period.

As storytellers of course, we would much prefer to be open during such a historic event. Having said that, we also understand the many operational logistics, guest amenities and security concerns that need to be front and centre in the staging of the ultimate of mega events. We also have witnessed first-hand the complex stadium renovation and upgrades that have been underway in the lead up to the FIFA 2026 World Cup and have certainly shared in those disruptions during construction.

What we appreciate – and will appreciate coming out of the FIFA 2026 World Cup – is the way we’ll be able to springboard off the summer closure to create an even better future for the BC Sports Hall of Fame in the years to come.

That we believe is the payoff. The FIFA upgrades will unquestionably enhance our footprint at BC Place going forward. We are excited to be part of the future defined by new amenities and facilities such as the Corner Club, which hosted our Class of 2026 ANNOUNCEMENT DAY just this week. We also appreciate the significant investment made by PavCo in our new storage area, especially with the precious artifacts and pieces of BC sport history resident therein. We are excited to have the opportunity to strive to be stronger than ever as part of the future at BC Place.

Long-term gain. New avenues for revenue generation. New ways to collaborate with BC Place in the future. New ways to shine in the BC Place sports and entertainment district. That is our vision. That we believe is the vision of BC Place and its innovative general manager Chris May and his team. And that we believe is the vision of PavCo, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport and the BC Sport Branch that will allow us to be the best BC Sports Hall we can be for the next 60 years.

THANKS AND CONGRATULATIONS: No acknowledgment of BC Place or BC Pavilion Corp can be complete this week without sincere thanks to outgoing PavCo President & CEO Ken Cretney. An ardent supporter of the BC Sports Hall of Fame, Ken will be retiring May 8th. On behalf of all of us – the Board of Trustees and management team of the BC Sports Hall of Fame, thank you for your service over 12 years, not to mention partnership and friendship. We’re also pleased to congratulate Ken’s successor as President & CEO of BC Pavilion Corp, Rehana Din. She brings 13 years of leadership at PavCo, serving as CFO and Corporate Secretary and most recently as Chief Operating Officer for the past five years. We’re delighted that a familiar face will move into the CEO suite at PavCo and we look forward to working with Rehana and her team in the months and years to come.

Tom Mayenknecht, Chair
BC Sports Hall of Fame

Tom Mayenknecht is the Chair of the BC Sports Hall of Fame. A principal at Emblematica Brand Builders in Vancouver and a nationally recognized sport business commentator and founder and host of The Sport Market on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network, he is a strong advocate for KidSport, Right To Play and other children’s charities, including the Sports Hall’s own Hero in You programs. He is also a member of the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame as a builder.