The instructions handwritten on the 24-year-old time capsule were clear: “not to be opened until Canada Games back in Alberta.”
The Canada Winter Games now will return to Alberta next month, and so the contents from the 1995 capsule have been revealed this week.
Very little was known about the contents of the capsule, other than who had filled it: the torchbearers who had travelled through 16 Alberta communities on their way to Grand Prairie for the opening ceremonies of the 1995 Canada Winter Games.
READ MORE: Red Deer lights the way for Canada Winter Games
Inside the capsule, organizers of the 2019 games in Red Deer found a variety of items, including the torch used for the Alberta portion of the 1995 relay.
View photos in the gallery below:
“This was truly exciting to watch and pull out some of the history from the 1995 Games,” said Lyn Radford, chair of the 2019 Canada Winter Games Host Society.
Pins, flags, newspapers and photos also filled the capsule, alongside a hardcover phone book, games accreditation and a volunteer uniform.
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View photos in the gallery below:
“[It was] neat to see the uniforms — you watch where the styles go across that time frame and you go back and you look at it and think, ‘Oh, we really thought that was modern then,'” Radford laughed.
Organizers say the 1995 games were very successful, setting the bar high for 2019. As final touches are put on the host facilities, they’re encouraging area residents to volunteer or purchase event tickets.
READ MORE: Blind Regina Skier Prepares for Canada Winter Games
“Get involved in this, and have fun! This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Radford said. “We will never see this again in central Alberta for a long, long time.”
Radford said the 2019 planning committee will be collecting items for another time capsule from the games in February.
“I don’t even want to think about how old I’m going to be then,” Radford said. “But I hope I’m around to be able to help open it.”
The 2019 Canada Winter Games torch relay continues this week in southern Alberta.
Watch below: Some videos from Global News’ coverage of the Canada Winter Games.
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