Interview with Gary Bowie

Partial Transcript: Ok I was born in 1937 in Claresholm, Alberta and I was raised in the community...

Segment Synopsis: Gary tells us a little about himself including where he was born, where he grew up, where he went to university, and where he lives now.

Keywords: 1975 Canada Winter Games in Lethbridge; Alberta; Brigham Young University; Camrose; Claresholm; Coach(es); Grande Prairie; Lethbridge; Mount Royal University; Phys-ed; Physical Education; Red Deer; University of Utah; Washington State University

Subjects: Education

Partial Transcript: I had a little bit of experience in organizing athletics, conferences and of course single kinds of Games....

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about his role as the Director of Sports at the 1975 Canada Winter Games in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Keywords: Billet; Chairman; Cowboys; Hockey rink; Host Society Bidding; LDS; Management committee; Miners; Mormons; Multi-sport; NCCP; National Coaching Certification Program; Pincher Creek; RCMP; STAB committee; Sport Society Member; Sport and Technical Advisory Board

Subjects: Built Legacy; Organizing the Canada Games; Volunteering

Partial Transcript: Being a physical educator and a person involved in sports, I had some personal goals...

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about his philosophy towards sport, the importance of fair play, and the value of sport for helping young people develop physically, intellectually and socially.

Keywords: Athlete-centered; Max Gibb; Technical committee; University of Lethbridge

Subjects: Government Relations; Organizing the Canada Games; Sport & Recreation in Canada

Partial Transcript: The legacies ended up being a facility that we called to begin with the Canada Winter Games Sportsplex but it ended up changing as we started using organizations...

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about the built legacies that came with the 1975 Canada Winter Games in Lethbridge, AB. He also talks about the volunteer legacy that came out of the Games.

Keywords: Alberta Winter Games; Artificial ice; Bid committee; Denmark; Edmonton; Enmax Centre; Facilities; Fencing; Host Society Bidding; Officials; Ski jumping; Skiing; Speed skating; Training

Subjects: Built Legacy; Community Partnerships; Organizing the Canada Games; Volunteering

Partial Transcript: Alberta government was really pushing forward, doing a number of different activities in developing sport.

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about the culture of sport in Alberta and people's attitudes towards youth sport.

Keywords: Alberta Sports Council; Coach(es); Southern Alberta Games

Subjects: Government Relations; Sport & Recreation in Canada

Partial Transcript: What I basically saw was during the late '50s and early '60s, we started to see in Alberta a shift from the smaller community trying to compete against some of the larger communities...

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about the professionalization of sport in Alberta over time, using examples of men's basketball and hockey teams.

Keywords: Alberta Sports Council; Basketball; Carson; Community; Education; Junior Hockey; Lethbridge Broder Chinooks; Lethbridge Native Sons; Mcgrath; Raymond; Schools

Subjects: Sport & Recreation in Canada

Partial Transcript: Well I think, I still have, Keith Lees I think you interviewed, he was a businessman here in town and we got him involved, we needed his kind of expertise.

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about how different businesses and people in the community became involved in the Canada Games, and the friendships he was able to make.

Keywords: Legacy

Subjects: Community Partnerships; Friendships at the Canada Games; Organizing the Canada Games; Unity Through Sport

Partial Transcript: Yeah I donated fairly quickly after the Games my whole uniform. Being a history person I really know that that's an important ingredient...

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about the uniform that he donated to the Galt Museum & Archives after the 1975 Canada Games, as well as other Games memorabilia.

Keywords: Eatons; Galt Museum & Archives; Gear; Jacket; Lethbridge Sport Hall of Fame; Medals; Uniforms

Subjects: Preserving Canada Games Materials

Partial Transcript: Well it shaped me from the standpoint as I've continued to be involved in community events, sports in particular...

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about how the Canada Games have shaped his life by connecting him to both sporting and social welfare activities throughout Alberta afterwards.

Keywords: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame; Lethbridge Social Housing; Lethbridge Sports Council; Selection Committee

Subjects: Career Impacts; Volunteering

Partial Transcript: Well it's had an influence, being involved in sport and actually not just talking about it but actually being involved in it has definitely brought me to the point of being proud to be a Canadian.

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about how the Canada Games and Canadian sport in general have made him proud to be Canadian.

Keywords: Basketball; Idaho University; Olympics

Subjects: Canadian Identity; Unity Through Sport

Partial Transcript: Yeah I do, I do, yeah I try to keep track of what's going on.

Segment Synopsis: Gary explains how he has remained involved in the Canada Games.

Keywords: Media coverage

Subjects: Media

Partial Transcript: Oh yeah, I don't know, that might be something to consider!

Segment Synopsis: Gary talks about the parallels between the 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara and the 1975 Canada Winter Games in Lethbridge as both Games face(d) a transportation challenge due to long distances between event venues.

Keywords: Distance; Geography