B.C. Sports Hall of Fame unlikely to find temporary home following World Cup displacement
Vancouver city council voted unanimously Tuesday to explore the possibility of housing the museum as a ‘rent-free pop-up exhibition’ at city hall during the tournament
By Stephanie Ip
Last updated 4 hours ago
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The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame is unlikely to find a temporary home at Vancouver City Hall after it was displaced last week from its spot at B.C. Place due to the World Cup.
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Vancouver city council voted unanimously Tuesday to explore the possibility of housing the museum as a “rent-free pop up exhibition” in the public foyer of city hall for the duration of the tournament. However, the board of trustees overseeing the sport museum have since released a statement shutting down the suggestion.
The approved motion, put forward by Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung, directs staff to meet with the museum to discuss operational needs such as exhibit transportation, installation, security, staffing and accessibility; and requests Mayor Ken Sim to speak with Tourism Minister Anne Kang to seek funding to cover the temporary relocation and operation.
A request for comment from the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday was declined. However, a source close to the matter said the two-month closure would certainly affect the museum financially long-term.
The source also said they were unsure whether a temporary relocation to city hall was feasible, as some of their staff had already moved on to other jobs and their exhibits were locked up at B.C. Place. Access to the stadium — including where the exhibits are stored — are limited to those with FIFA-approved accreditation, applications for which still hadn’t been granted to Hall of Fame staff who were told they would be permitted tenant access.
On Wednesday, the hall’s board of trustees released a statement that said being housed within B.C. Place “does require flexibility.”
“We are grateful for the ongoing support from B.C. PavCo throughout this process, including in the form of extended free rent throughout 2025 and 2026, temporary office space and the construction of new, highly improved permanent archival space in the stadium,” the statement read.
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“While we would have appreciated being able to take the soccer collection on the road, the resources of the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame were allocated to preparation for the closure.”
The statement went on to say while the board did “appreciate the conversations that have taken place in recent days,” the organization’s main focus was looking ahead to the hall’s post-FIFA reopening.
The museum — which showcases iconic artifacts from B.C.’s sports history, including racing legend Greg Moore and Terry Fox — was packed up and moved into storage last week to make way for a media centre before the international soccer tournament’s local kickoff on June 13.
Located inside B.C. Place, the Hall of Fame was required to shut down for two months starting May 14 as part of FIFA taking over control of the building for the tournament. The shutdown leaves six people without work for the duration of the Cup.
Previously, the Hall had been closed on game days when the stadium hosted the 2015 Women’s World Cup but was otherwise open during the tournament. During those closures, FIFA had paid the hall a day rate rental but no such financial arrangement was made for this summer’s tournament.
With files from Steve Ewen
