John Currie

Multisport Builder - Inducted 2020

A pivotal figure as president of the 1983 Western Canada Summer Games in Calgary, helping in the development and funding of the game’s flagship facility - the Repsol Sport Centre, John Currie’s vision and dedication to Alberta amateur sport is unquestioned. At the time it was constructed, the RSC was the largest multi-sport complex of its kind in Canada. During the games, over 2,500 athletes from the four western provinces and the Northwest Territories competed in 23 summer Olympic sports, supported by a team of 5,000 volunteers. Since then, the centre has become the training ground for countless amateur athletes, as well as numerous Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

At the time Calgary was considering a bid for the 1983 Western Canada Summer Games in the mid-1970’s there weren’t any indoor training facilities available within the city’s boundaries. Winning the games in 1979 proved to be the impetus needed to make the Lindsay Park Sports Centre (later became the Talisman Centre, now the Repsol Sport Centre) a reality.

The game-changing facility is the home training centre for seven amateur dryland and four amateur aquatic sports, featuring a roster of 36 teams and over 8,000 amateur athletes. It also hosts approximately 53 international, national, provincial, and local sports competitions each year, welcoming over 1.5 million visitors.

“The pool I trained in, built in 1983, has been the home to many star athletes and teams. Just like Mr. Currie knew it would,” said Mark Tewksbury, who won gold in the 100m backstroke at the 1992 Olympic Summer Games.   

John’s commitment to amateur sport in Calgary and throughout Alberta allowed him to lend his expertise to countless boards and foundations, including the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

He also helped raise $1 million to establish the John Currie Amateur Sports Legacy Fund. The Fund, a lasting legacy of the 1983 games, has awarded bursaries to over 100 deserving amateur athletes since its inception in 2013.