Memorial Centre - International Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum

[keoadmin]

International Hockey Hall of Fame

York and Alfred Streets
PO Box 82
Kingston Ontario K7L 4V6 Canada

see - www.ihhof.com

Kingston's International Hockey Hall of Fame and museum is the "Original Hockey Hall of Fame". It is the oldest sports hall of fame in Canada. The International Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was started in 1943 by the National Hockey League and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.

Captain James Sutherland of Kingston lead the bid to bring the Hockey Hall of Fame to Kingston. He was inducted into the hall in 1947 - the first forty-two members inducted into the hall. Captain Sutherland died in 1955 before the completion of the hall of fame in the 1960s.

NHL President Clarence Campbell withdrew support for the Hall in Kingston in 1958 and Toronto was awarded the hall of fame. But the Kingston organizing committee decided to continue its efforts in a new direction. The International Hockey Hall of Fame opened in 1965 in a new building on the south-east corner of the Kingston Memorial Centre grounds at York and Alfred Streets.

An agreement was reached In 1992 with the International Ice Hockey Federation to have the Kingston Hall become the International Ice Hockey Federation Museum. That partnership was severed in 1997.

In 2003 the operating name back to International Hockey Hall of Fame in part to help celebrate the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Hall.

CHRONOLGY - INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY HALL OF FAME:

1943 - Kingston was selected as the site of the Hockey Hall of Fame after a City of Kingston initiative.

1945 - Mayor Stuart Crawford elected President of International Hockey Hall of Fame.

1947 - Provincial Secretary issues Charter to Hockey Hall of Fame under the Ontario Corporation Act.

1961 - Mayor William Mills signs a Kingston by-law authorizing construction and management of Hall of Fame building.

1962 - $132,000 contract awarded by City for construction of the building at York and Alfred streets. Hockey Hall of Fame board contributes $70,000.

1963 - The City of Kingston provides $10,000 for the purchase of equipment and furnishings.

1965 - International Hockey Hall of Fame opens.

1977 - International Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum board assumes complete control of the building.

1987 - IIHFM asks Mayor John Gerretsen and City Council to appoint a Task Force to study future of hockey museum.

1989 - Mayor Helen Cooper appoints IHHFM Review Task Force.

1991 - A three-way partnership between IIHF, IHHFM and the City of Kingston approved in principle.

1992 - Agreement in principle reached with the International Ice Hockey Federation to designate Kingston shrine as IIHF Museum.

1995 - National Hockey League and the Hall of Fame in Toronto recognizes the IIHFM's role and promises financial support to Kingston.

1997 - IIHF withdraws from the agreement the Hall.

2002 - The City of Kingston includes the International Hockey Museum in Phase One of the Museum Tourism Network Study.

2003 - IHHOF board changes the Hall's name to the International Hockey Hall of Fame.

2003 - www.ihhof.com web site inaugurated.

[Emerald]

Is this museum in Kingston for the Kingston residents only - or is it for tourists as well? If tourists as well, would it not be better situated downtown? How is this museum funded? Who runs it? Who is on the Board?

[nstn]

A great deal of background information on the Hall and its history is available on their web site:

www.ihhof.com

It is unfortunate that the Hall seems to be hidden away. Perhaps the City of Kingston should consider integrating the Hall in its new administrative complex downtown. It would certainly be a more interesting use of the ground floor space if such a building is built or acquired.

[Bandit]

The HHOF has survived by drawing down a $100K interest free line of credit from the city. They raised some funds last year from selling items on ebay but didn't sell the expensive jersey they wanted too.

Even with a better location its hard to imagine there being enough increased interest from locals or toruists for it to be viable. The few dollar admission fee doesn't generate much from 1000 people visiting a year. It simply doesn't meet modern expectations people have for attractions. It probably should be wound up and some of the collection displayed in an existing building like the library, city hall, or loaned to a restaurant