I was born in Victoria, and in 1967 I was nine years old. My dad was a professor of physical education at the newly established University of Victoria, and we lived just off Gordon Head Road, walking distance to Dad鈥檚 work and to my brother鈥檚 and my school 鈥� Shelbourne Elementary, later renamed Campus View Elementary.
Our entire school population learned the words to Bobby Gimby鈥檚 centennial song, Ca-na-da, and our collective pride in singing it at many functions, along with a feeling of reverence for both Gimby and his song whenever we heard it on the radio.
Although my family didn鈥檛 have the opportunity to travel to Montreal, Expo 67 was widely talked about, and the Habitat 67 modular apartment complex there was hailed to us all as being truly innovative.
UVic was in its infancy. My dad鈥檚 first office was in a former army building called 鈥淧鈥� Hut, and UVic鈥檚 first gymnasium was originally used for drills and PT by its previous occupants, the Gordon Head Military Camp.
The construction of Centennial Stadium was therefore considered to be a big deal by our family not only because it was located in our neighbourhood, but also for the significant impact it would have on my dad鈥檚 and his colleagues鈥� professional lives. The stadium was completed in 1967 and was opened in grand style with a Centennial Military Tattoo which my family attended with much excitement.
I was only nine but I still recall there being many marching bands, including pipes and drums.
The absolute highlight of the night 鈥� and one that I can easily visualize when I close my eyes 鈥� was when military personnel rappelled in the dark off the roof of the stadium down to the running track in front of us.
We had never seen such a thing before, and talked about it for weeks afterwards. I remember walking home in the dark afterwards, full of energy and pride for all that we had experienced. 鈥� Patty (Martens) Casselss