Eric Hamber's Gym was awash in school spirit on Friday, September 20 as alumni, staff and students celebrated Hamber Spirit Day, Blue and Maroon Day, Clubs Day, Pep Rally, Football Game Season Opener and finally a Gym Dedication Ceremony and Homecoming Basketball Game.

"There was amazing energy and school spirit and a wonderful blending of current students, staff, alumni and retired staff," said Andrea Nicholson, one of the celebration organizers.

The day also offered an opportunity for the school community to honour Nora McDermott, who was a long time service to the school's athletic department resulted in the gym being named in her honour.

McDermott's family announced on Friday that they would be gifting a new gym floor with the centre painted with the artwork designed by current Hamber students as well as a scholarship in McDermott's memory. 

The boys gym was also named in Bruce Ashdown's honour. Ashdown attended the ceremony on Friday.

Event organizers say Bruce Ashdown was a true Hamber original. He was a Physical Education Teacher and Coach at Eric Hamber from its opening in 1962 until his retirement in 1993. A great athlete himself, Ashdown shared his love of sports with his students and the athletes he coached during 100 seasons of Secondary School Athletics at Hamber and its predecessor King Edward High School. He was a great encourager with an endless supply of good-humoured praise. Colleagues remember him as a lively source of expertise and information. His energy and enthusiasm were wonderfully contagious.

Some of the honoured guests at the event included Ernie Colledge, a retired VSB teacher and administrator who was a student teacher at Hamber in 1962. Colledge was joined by Jim Carter, another retired VSB administrator and teacher who created the original Hamber Pep Club fondly known as "Carter's Clan". Also in attendance was Mary Macdonald, a retired VSB teacher and coach and long time teammate and friend of McDermott. During the ceremony, Macdonald talked about how special McDermott's student and athletes were to her while she served the school for decades.

Click here to download the program for the dedication ceremony.

All photos are courtesy of Wilson Hsu.