A New Brunswick group is looking to raise $10 million in order to preserve a piece of Canadian and sports history.
Local historians say a piece of basketball history lives in a non-descript building on King Street in St. Stephen, N.B.
A court in a multi-use building is believed to be the first place in Canada the game was played, after a student of the sport’s inventor – Dr. James Naismith – arrived in town to run the local YMCA.
It is also the world's oldest existing basketball court.
Historians say Lyman Walker Archibald brought the game to the community in 1893.
The group Canada 1st Basketball is now leading the charge to restore the court.
Robert Otto, the group’s president, told CTV’s Your Morning that the court was first used on Oct. 17, 1893.
“That’s from the local newspaper at the time,” he said. “And the court building has gone through a whole series of, I guess, transformations and uses over those years.”
Otto said the building served as the community’s YMCA from about 1891 until about 1899.
“The downstairs of the building has been used for commercial operations and, in fact, there was a pharmacy in the building for approximately 100 years,” Otto said.
It has also been used as a print shop and various other commercial operations, Otto said.
“The court is actually located in the upstairs in the back of the building,” he explained. “And of course basketball was a very different game in 1893 than we’re used to today.”
People in the community were aware that basketball had been played at the building and that it was once a YMCA, Otto said, but that memory “kind of became muddled” due to all the space’s different uses.
However, in 2010 there was a fire in one of the entryways to the building.
“It didn’t do a lot of damage to the building thankfully,” Otto said. “I think it kind of awoke the history of the building and the court in the minds of the community and they said ‘we’ve got something special here and we don’t want to lose it, and we almost did.’”
Otto said the court is another “piece of the puzzle” which highlights Canada’s “incredible contributions” to the game of basketball.
“We want to preserve that court,” Otto said “We want to make sure that the historical significance is recognized.”
Canada 1st Basketball is now looking to raise $10 million to transform the building into a community centre.
According to Otto, the organization is looking to preserve the court and build an “experience centre” that will “celebrate the game of basketball.”
“And celebrate Canada’s contributions to the game and, of course,” Otto continued. “All centred around this amazing, historic court.”
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
The Ontario government says it will be raising the speed limit along certain stretches of provincial highways soon, including Highway 401 and Highway 403.
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Organizations across the country are gearing up for what they describe as the largest LGBTQ2S+ mobilization since the push for marriage equality.
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Greece's parliamentary speaker said that he would seek criminal charges against a lawmaker who allegedly punched a colleague during a debate on Wednesday.
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.
She was lying in bed on a Thursday morning, thinking about the man she loved, hoping to win his freedom before time ran out.
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
The patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Chuch has suspended a priest who participated in services for the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
The office of Canada's justice minister says the public should expect politicians to support their right to bail and to be presumed innocent - warning that 'immediate' and 'uninformed reactions' only worsens matters.
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday that it had found bird flu virus particles in some samples of pasteurized milk, but said commercial milk supply remains safe.
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
B.C.’s premier and one of his top lieutenants are pushing back against allegations by the Official Opposition that he covertly commissioned a report into the diversion of safe supply drugs onto the streets.
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Many animals can glow in the dark. Fireflies famously blink on summer evenings. But most animals that light up are found in the depths of the ocean.
Close flybys of Io, one of Jupiter’s moons and the most volcanically active world in our solar system, have revealed a lava lake and a towering feature called 'Steeple Mountain' on the moon's alien surface.
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
It’s a midweek lunchtime on an unassuming residential street in Vauxhall, south London. There aren’t many people about – the occasional dog walker, a few runners, a couple of delivery drivers. It’s pretty much what you’d expect on a drizzly work day.
Season 3 of Shoresy, which is filmed and based in Sudbury, Ont., debuts next month with a two-episode premiere.
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Alberta's alcohol industry is pushing back against a provincial government consideration to allow liquor sales in grocery and convenience stores.
Tesla's first-quarter net income plummeted 55 per cent as falling global sales and price cuts sliced into the electric vehicle maker's revenue and profit margins.
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
It’s a midweek lunchtime on an unassuming residential street in Vauxhall, south London. There aren’t many people about – the occasional dog walker, a few runners, a couple of delivery drivers. It’s pretty much what you’d expect on a drizzly work day.
There is a swaying sea of colour in some cities across Canada, and it's a sure sign of spring: cherry blossoms are in bloom.
The Nashville Predators downed the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 Tuesday night and levelled the series at 1-1.
Alexandar Georgiev paid back his Colorado Avalanche teammates for believing in him.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
A made-in-China electric vehicle will hit North American dealers this summer offering power and efficiency similar to the Tesla Model Y, the world's best-selling EV, but for about US$8,000 less.
Tesla's first-quarter net income plummeted 55 per cent as falling global sales and price cuts sliced into the electric vehicle maker's revenue and profit margins.
Electric car sales will rise strongly in 2024 and increasingly undercut oil demand, the International Energy Agency forecast on Tuesday, adding affordability and charging infrastructure would be key to future growth.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
A man was found dead in White Rock Tuesday night, leading to an investigation by B.C.’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
The Nashville Predators downed the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 Tuesday night and levelled the series at 1-1.
B.C.’s premier and one of his top lieutenants are pushing back against allegations by the Official Opposition that he covertly commissioned a report into the diversion of safe supply drugs onto the streets.
The Ontario government says it will be raising the speed limit along certain stretches of provincial highways soon, including Highway 401 and Highway 403.
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
A marathon meeting over proposed blanket rezoning in Calgary continued Tuesday in front of a noticeably smaller crowd at city hall.
In the northwest Calgary community of Bowness, single-family homes are making way for multi-family apartments and row houses.
Calgary police say a woman who died in the community of Redstone over the weekend is the city's seventh homicide of 2024.
Beginning this summer, the speed limit will increase from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on approximately 70 kilometres of Hwy. 416 between Hwy. 401 and Ottawa.
Residents in Ottawa's Hunt Club neighbourhood are raising concerns about plans to build an Inuit women's shelter in the south end neighbourhood.
Police in western Quebec are crediting an alert employee at a Chelsea, Que. bar for calling police to report an alleged impaired driver, who police say registered four times the legal limit on a breathalyzer test.
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
The completion of Montreal's Reseau express metropolitain has been postponed yet again.
Quebec Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel paid a private communications agency $1,375 to write one of his speeches.
Edmonton city council unanimously agreed on an 8.9-per cent property tax increase Tuesday evening.
Officials will provide an update on the number and status of wildfires in Alberta on Wednesday.
The Edmonton Police Service has confirmed a fire that destroyed a historic hangar in central Edmonton is considered suspicious.
A funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon in Bedford, N.S., for a 16-year-old boy who died earlier this week following an incident near the Halifax Shopping Centre.
A New Brunswick woman who raised awareness about the dangers of radon gas after receiving a terminal lung cancer diagnosis last year has died.
A New Brunswick mom is speaking out for her son after learning that after over a decade of care, he is now too old for the IWK in Halifax, which age mandate is 16 years of age for children
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Alexandar Georgiev paid back his Colorado Avalanche teammates for believing in him.
Anyone who visits Assiniboine Park Zoo can see empty or near-empty exhibits scattered throughout the grounds – spaces that previously served as homes for aging animals that have since passed away.
Daniel "Juma" Drie Atem, wanted in connection to a Regina homicide last summer, is now one of Canada's Top 25 Most Wanted.
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
A new mental health support program for veterans is honouring the life of a Sask. man killed during the mass stabbings on the James Smith Cree Nation.
A pedestrian had to be taken to an out-of-region hospital following a crash in Kitchener.
For Kitchener resident Chris Wilson, indoor parking is much more than a convenient place to leave his vehicle.
The Ontario government says it will be raising the speed limit along certain stretches of provincial highways soon, including Highway 401 and Highway 403.
The union representing the city’s bus drivers says violence against transit workers is out of control.
People in Saskatchewan will keep getting Canada Carbon Rebate payments, despite an ongoing feud between Ottawa and the provincial government.
A new mental health support program for veterans is honouring the life of a Sask. man killed during the mass stabbings on the James Smith Cree Nation.
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
It was a scary sight in northern Ontario Monday morning after an electric mobility scooter caught on fire.
Police on Manitoulin Island are looking for an 'armed and dangerous' man following an incident involving a firearm on Friday.
OPP have charged a driver in Lambton County for speeding and operating an unsafe vehicle after a traffic stop on Tuesday. Around 12:40 p.m., police stopped a vehicle on Townsend Line in Arkona for reportedly driving over 80 km/h in a posted 59 km/h zone.
The Ontario government says it will be raising the speed limit along certain stretches of provincial highways soon, including Highway 401 and Highway 403.
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
A fire at a paper straw company occurred Tuesday night.
Duckworth Street will be closed between Howard Crescent and Melrose Avenue for construction.
Youth Haven is in the fundraising stage to reach their goal of $2 million to build a new residence.
The Ontario government says it will be raising the speed limit along certain stretches of provincial highways soon, including Highway 401 and Highway 403.
When you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching with lights and sirens on, quickly move your vehicle to the right side of the road to allow for safe passage. This includes pulling over to the right, even in the left lane.
Canada Border Services Agency is reminding all private boaters of their entry and reporting obligations when navigating Canadian waters or entering Canada by boat.
The Nashville Predators downed the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 Tuesday night and levelled the series at 1-1.
Three Mounties in British Columbia will not face charges in the killing of a 38-year-old Indigenous man on Vancouver Island in 2021.
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
Major crime detectives in British Columbia are investigating a suspected homicide after a body was found in a remote area southeast Kelowna over the weekend.
A banana ball python that was stolen from a Kelowna pet store on Saturday has been returned unharmed, Mounties said.
Wildfires in Alberta and B.C. appear to be getting off to an early start this year. Both province's wildfire services are doing what they can to prepare for what's expected to be a tough summer.
An assault over property at a Lethbridge encampment ended with a man in hospital suffering from a serious head injury.
A southern Alberta woman says she began to hyperventilate when she realized she had won $2 million.
It was a heartbreaking loss in Game 7 of the OHL playoffs for the Soo Greyhounds on Tuesday night in Saginaw.
Season 3 of Shoresy, which is filmed and based in Sudbury, Ont., debuts next month with a two-episode premiere.
A 43-year-old woman has been charged with stunt driving following an incident on Highway 17 in Terrace Bay on Sunday.
Uber Technologies Inc. says it has brought its ridesharing platform to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Newfoundlander Christian Sparkes has shot several films around his home province, but with his new psychological thriller 'The King Tide' he saw an opportunity to wander into one unique town that had eluded him over the years.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says two people were found dead and four others survived after a boat capsized off the west coast of Newfoundland.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
