The City is bringing residents out to the ‘ball game’ with its new Lace ‘em Up exhibit at the Grande Prairie Museum, highlighting Grande Prairie’s sport history to acknowledge and celebrate major upcoming sporting events in 2024 and 2025.

“We’re excited to show the depth of Grande Prairie’s history and connection to both sport and major sport tourism events,” said City of Grande Prairie Mayor, Jackie Clayton. “Thanks to our city’s world-class facilities, major airlines and transportation services as well as accommodation, shopping and dining options, we’ve had the opportunity to host a number of high calibre sport tourism events in the past. Council is honoured to continue this into next year and beyond with the upcoming 2024 Alberta Winter Games, 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship and 2025 Special Olympics Alberta Summer Games.”

The Lace ‘em Up exhibit showcases historical sports artifacts, photos and memorabilia from the 1995 Canada Winter Games, 2000 Alberta Summer Games, 2010 Arctic Winter Games, 2015 Special Olympics Alberta Winter Games and the 2018 Alberta Summer Games.

It also features fun, hands-on games and activities including Lumoplay hockey game, foosball, bubble hockey and floor curling.

Lace ‘em Up will be featured at the Grande Prairie Museum’s Campbell/Rodacker Gallery until the beginning of April 2024.

The Grande Prairie Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Residents are reminded the museum is closed from December 24 to 26 for the holiday season.

Sport in Grande Prairie

The first recorded sporting events in Grande Prairie were a baseball game and a horse race in 1910. 

Within three years the first baseball league was formed, and the first hockey game was played on frozen Lake Saskatoon.  As Grande Prairie grew so did its sports; curling, football, skiing, soccer, boxing and chuckwagon racing followed.