The 1880s

Top left, counter-clockwise: First through train to arrive at Port Moody, July, 1886; Archie McNaughton, champion snow-shoer; Vancouver Lacrosse Club.

The Pacific Railway in 1885 dramatically reshaped the completion of the Canadian provincial sports. Vancouver and Kamloops, BC became important railway junctions and also major centres for sport.

As the railway pushed through British Columbia’s interior, sport followed closely behind. American railway workers introduced baseball, and Eastern Canadians brought snowshoeing, tennis, and lacrosse with them as they moved west. Reliable railway transport meant inter-city competition could be established. Sport began to expand beyond holiday-based events, and regularly scheduled competitions became more common.