50 Years of Cheers: Walk through Lethbridge's legendary moments at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena!

In the past 50 years, Lethbridge has welcomed record-breaking artists like Taylor Swift, Elton John and KISS. Wayne Gretzky, Buzz Aldrin and Chris Hadfield have enthralled packed houses with their words of wisdom. World and Olympic ice dancing champions, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir have dazzled crowds with their precision skill and talent. And who could forget the moment in 2016 when then-WHL Hurricanes goalie Stuart Skinner (now NHL Edmonton Oilers goalie) scored on an empty Medicine Hat Tigers net?

Construction of the Canada Games Sportsplex, ca. 1974

These awe-inspiring moments took place under one roof: the VisitLethbridge.com Arena. Now you can take an exclusive backstage tour and relive the moments that have played out for thousands during the past 50 years.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the public backstage to see some of their favourite memories with our 50th anniversary walking history tours,” says Jennifer Norsworthy, Acting General Manager. “So many of the iconic cultural Lethbridge moments have happened here at the arena and we’re excited to relive them with the people who made them possible, our patrons and community members.”

Residents are invited for a one-day-only event to catch a glimpse of the moments, the memorabilia and the history that have unfolded inside the arena.

When: Thursday, October 24

Times: One-hour tours at 1 p.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m. 4 p.m., 4:25 p.m., 
4:30 p.m., 4:45 p.m., 5:40 p.m., 5:45 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 6:15 p.m.

Where: VisitLethbridge.com Arena with entry through the Northeast doors.

What: No registration is needed to attend this free event.
The five-stop tour includes key moments in the facility’s history from hockey, community, sports and entertainment.

If the walking tours aren’t enough to satisfy your nostalgia bug, the Galt Museum & Archives | Akaisamitohkanao’pa (eternal gathering place) has a new exhibition that may do the trick.

The exhibit, Building a Legacy: The Sportsplex at 50, will be unveiled on Saturday, November 2. The exhibit features a range of moments from the iconic Lethbridge landmark. Photos and artifacts featured include the last remaining copy of the original construction drawings used to build the Sportsplex and the 1975 Canada Games torch that was carried across the country.

“When the Canada Games Sportsplex (now VisitLethbridge.com Arena) first opened, it attracted sports franchises and major cultural events from across the country and beyond,” says Sarah Newstead, CEO/Executive Director of the Galt Museum & Archives | Akaisamitohkanao’pa (eternal gathering place). “The facility has played an important role in Lethbridge’s cultural landscape over the past 50 years and remains a key anchor in drawing the community together today.”

For more information about the walking tours, head to the VisitLethbridge.com Arena Facebook page. The Building a Legacy; The Sportsplex at 50 exhibit information and details can be found at the Galt website.