In 1934, to stop unemployed youth from being “idle,” the B.C. education minister launched the Provincial Recreation Program.
The Pro-Rec initiative, as it was called, was geared to young people between the ages of 16 and 21 who wanted to take up calisthenics, team sports, track and field events, dancing and physical fitness activities.
Two years later, Pro-Rec was so successful that it branched out to become the focal point in adult education programs in B.C. as well, making it the first public recreation strategy of its kind in the British Commonwealth with $43,000 annual budget by the start of World War Two.
Today, that exercise campaign — and the Coquitlam participants who rose to become national champions under the Pro-Rec banner — is being celebrated in a new exhibit, located at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.
Titled From Pro-Rec to Professional: The Surprising History of Gymnastics in Coquitlam, the show by the Coquitlam Heritage Society includes pictures, trophies and medals as well as gear used by local gym rats over the years.
There are artifacts from Don Cunnings, Coquitlam’s first parks and leisure services director who was the provincial junior boys’ Pro-Rec gym champion at the age of 16, in 1947.
A Freeman of the City, Cunnings’ roots in Pro-Rec spurred a lifetime of recreation programming for him and his community: He was on the Canadian Association of Physical Education, Health Education and Recreation; founded the BC Recreation Association; and, in 1973, created the Coquitlam Search and Rescue team.
The exhibit presents his certificates, a pamphlet from the 1960 Pacific Northwest gym meet, a demonstration brochure for Pro-Rec and 1958 Canadian Open Gym championship program. As well, Cunnings offers a photo of the 1954 Canadian gymnastics champions from Our Lady of Lourdes high school in Maillardville.
Tannis Koskela, heritage manager of exhibits at Mackin House Museum, also pays tribute to the modern gym movement in Coquitlam, specifically Club Aviva that Vivien Symington started in 1986.
This year marks Club Aviva’s 35th anniversary.
• From Pro-Rec to Professional: The Surprising History of Gymnastics in Coquitlam runs until November at PSLC (633 Poirier St).
