On September 10, 1943, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and National Hockey League agreed to establish the Hockey Hall of Fame as “a memorial to those who have made outstanding contributions to the development of Canada’s great winter sport -- ice hockey”. Two years later, fourteen individuals were selected to the inaugural group of Hockey Hall of Fame Honoured Members, including luminaires from hockey’s formative years such as Lord Stanley of Preston, Howie Morenz, Art Ross and Georges Vezina.
Originally destined for Kingston, Ontario, the first bricks and mortar exhibition facility eventually opened on the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds in Toronto on August 26, 1961, and after close to thirty-two years at the “EX”, the Hockey Hall of Fame relocated and expanded to its present location in downtown Toronto at Brookfield Place (formerly BCE Place), where it continues to flourish since opening on June 18, 1993. In 2018, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 75/25 Anniversary Celebrations will commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hockey Hall of Fame, together with the 25th Anniversary of the Hockey Hall of Fame attraction at Brookfield Place.
In conjunction with the 75/25 Anniversary Celebrations, the Hockey Hall of Fame has launched its inaugural endowment fundraising campaign with the goal of contributing $1,000,000 in net proceeds to the Hockey Hall of Fame Development and Preservation Fund. The marquee event and focal point of the campaign was the Hockey Hall of Fame 75/25 Anniversary Legends Gala held at historic Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on Monday, June 25, 2018.
To achieve its campaign goal, the Hockey Hall of Fame offered individuals and businesses the opportunity to become a Founding Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Development and Preservation Fund. Up to 75 Founding Members each making a one-time contribution of $25,000 will receive (among other benefits) tickets to attend the Legends Gala in the presence of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s fraternity of hockey legends and other special guests and entertainers.
