The new Olympic digital display at the Brantford and Area Sports Hall of Recognition has been six years in the making, ensuring that the achievements of local Olympians, Paralympians and Special Olympians, from across the eras, are honored and recognized.
The display, which was unveiled on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, currently features 29 Olympians, 14 Paralympians, and nine Special Olympians, ranging from three athletes, including Tom Longboat, William Wood and Alexander Turnbull competing in the 1908 London Olympic Games to Meghan Josling who competed at the past Special Olympic World Games in Turin, Italy.
Bob McGeein, who is the former Chair of the Sports Hall Alliance Board, initially brought the recommendation up for the display.
“I’ve got to give Rick Mannen and Lisa Campbell a lot of credit for that. They brought a report to our board six years ago now, when I was the chair, and I just thought it was a great idea to do something like a display to honor our local Olympians, Paralympians, and Special Olympians in our community,” McGeein said. “To be an Olympian, Paralympian, or Special Olympian…is a huge honor, and this display recognizes the talent they brought forward and the energy and effort they put into their particular sports over the years.”
Kim Carpenter, who is the current Chair of the Sports Hall Alliance Board, explained the importance of this display.
“It’s been quite some time ago that we started talking about doing a display…recognizing those Olympians, Paralympians, or Special Olympians…and especially to recognize those people who may or may not have been included in the Sports Hall because they have not met the criteria for being inducted, yet we still thought it was a really important initiative to try to recognize them somehow…so, we then decided to approach the City of Brantford [and] went out and started looking for the data which was difficult to find. It was a long process to identify all of the people that we recognized in this presentation,” Carpenter said. “We also thought that it was really important to have something that wasn’t just a list on the wall [and] that’s where Mike Mansfield [Sport Tourism Coordinatorat the City of Brantford] helped us…as we wanted to make it more interactive [and] easier to add more people going forward. The display is also great for the kids that pass by when they are part of hockey tournaments or swimming meets…to easily check out the great history we have here when it comes to these Olympians, Paralympians and Special Olympians from our community.”
Lisa Campbell, the Vice Chair of the Sports Hall Alliance Board, and one of the driving forces behind the display, notes the research going into the endeavour.
“We really wanted to honor our local Olympians, Paralympians and Special Olympians, and we thought it was a good fit to add to the Sports Hall to try and preserve this history. After doing the research, and seeing the sheer number that we actually have that represented our area…I was shocked. We are around the 50+ mark [and]…we didn’t think there would be that many which is an incredible [testament] to the talent we have here,” Campbell noted. “Even Mayor Davis said in his speech…that it was not the number that you would think it…but going forward…we can add to it if there’s new information that comes forward, or if we have someone in the future representing our area at any of those games. I have to also mention Mick Ferras at W. Ross McDonald School who helped us a great deal with the research on the Paralympians that are featured.”
However, Meghan Josling, who captured silver (at the 800-meter snowshoeing event) and bronze (4×100 relay, Team Canada) at the Turin Special Olympic World Games in 2025, mentions how special it is to be part of the display.
“It’s amazing…it means a lot to me and the other Special Olympians, especially for those that have worked so hard. And this year, with the Special Olympics Summer Games being held in Brantford, [having this display] makes it that more special,” Josling said. “I’ve been competing for 15 years and this display really shows the community the hard work and long hours that have been put in…. recognizing me and the other Olympians and how dedicated we are to our sports.”
Another Olympian, David Hearn, who represented Canada as a golfer at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil in 2016, echoed Josling’s sentiments.
“It’s great that the community has decided to recognize our Olympic athletes…I think the Olympics is the pinnacle of representing your country…for myself, being down at the games in Rio was something special and unique [especially to be in] in a community of other athletes that have the same pride for their countries,” Hearn said. “To realize the time and dedication that all these athletes have put in to represent their country as best they can, and something very special… [and to] be a part of the ceremonies and the competitions was a really neat feeling…and something I’m very proud of. [This display] means so much to us as athletes and our families and everyone that has been so supportive.”
Alison Purkiss, who was a figure skating coach at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, revels in being part of this very unique and special display.
“I’m lucky enough to work at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre [as all of] my athletes train here…so we get to walk by the Hall all the time…and now with this display…it is just a wonderful testament to sport in Brantford. Obviously, we’re well known for hockey in this town, and particularly this building being named after Wayne Gretzky, but it’s so gratifying to see different sports and how many different builders and coaches that are also honored in this Olympic display,” Purkiss said. “Being part of something like the Olympics is almost like a spiritual experience…it transcends sport and it transcends nations and really unifies us… [and the experience] changes you forever.”
Nevertheless, Garrett Riley, who captured a silver medal with the Canadian Para ice hockey team at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, relished the event, with dozens of people in attendance including the Mayor of Brantford, Olympians and their families.
“It’s absolutely amazing to see so many people that came out….and to be recognized by the city and community that I grew up with, and just see the support that everyone has given me and all of us today, it’s been amazing [and very] surreal,” Riley said. “I think it just shows that anything is possible… [whether you are in] able-bodied sports or in sport with a disability to all the Special Olympians that are recognized as well. And as you see here today at these ceremonies, it’s every sport included. So, it was great to see the level of support today.”
For Rick Mannen, who himself was a world-class long-distance runner, as well as being a long-standing member of the Alliance board, looks at the display as something that will inspire others
“One of the intentions of the whole Sports Hall, is to maintain the rich sports history we have here, but it’s also to encourage and inspire youth… and with this display, it is a tribute to a multitude of events…and show to the public how many different Olympians, Paralympians and Special Olympians we have in Brantford, Brant County, Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. A lot of kids are going to look at it and make a connection that their sport is represented there,[and] maybe inspire them to get up there someday. That’s what we’re hoping to do with this display,” said Mannen.
