For the first time since 1982 there will be no Inductee Class entering the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame this fall.  Originally scheduled to take place on September 26th in Thunder Bay, the organization’s 39th Annual Induction Dinner and Ceremonies has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

“The Board of Directors discussed various ways they could carry out the induction process this year, however, due to the restrictions in place about large gatherings and keeping the health and safety of our inductees, patrons, staff and volunteers as a top priority, we made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s dinner and ceremony” says Sports Hall of Fame President, Dave Siciliano.

Diane Imrie, the Executive Director of the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, added that “the event is an evening in honour of sports excellence and it is a chance for family and friends and the community to gather together to celebrate our Inductees accomplishments. The Board did discuss the feasibility of holding the ceremonies virtually, however, it was felt that the event should be held at a time when we can assemble safely and give our inductees the recognition and celebration that we have given to previous inductees.”

Given that the Selection Committee did not meet to vote on a new slate of candidates it means that any nominees still under consideration will retain an extra year of eligibility.

It is hoped that people will take advantage of this extra time between inductions to put together nominations of Athletes, Builders, and Teams and submit them for consideration as the selection process relies upon the submission of nominations from the public. The deadline for receipt of nomination information is January 31st, 2021.