Ortona's History
Ortona's History
We are Proud of Our History
Ever since 1976, Ortona Gymnastics Club has strived to be at the forefront of the development of the sport of gymnastics in Edmonton and Alberta. Initially, Ortona Gymnastics Club (known as Gym-Fit until 1980) operated out of schools and by 1978 had produced the first Albertan selected to a Canadian Junior Men's Team. The gym club expanded with the growing popularity of the sport and in 1979 moved into the historical Ortona Armory in the river valley.
In 1981, Ortona Gymnastics Club catapulted into the limelight as Canada's 1976 Olympic male gymnastics coach, John Herb joined the Ortona team as their new head coach. In three years, under John's superior coaching, an Ortona athlete had qualified for the 1984 Olympic games. Gymnastics in Edmonton boomed in the mid-80s. Ortona, still based at the armories, operated as many as 13 satellite centers out of schools across the city and boasted an annual membership of over 1300 children.
Supporting a huge recreational program an elite competitive program, Ortona began successful negotiations with Ming and Feng-Hua Qiu, elite women's coaches from China. Two years after their arrival, Ortona erected a 24,000 sq.ft. permanent facility on 50th Avenue and 87th Street. Gymnasts from 18 months old to 18 years old moved into the thirty-five foot high bubble and Ortona Gymnastics club soared to new heights.
Later that same year, tragedy struck as John Herb, catalyst of the club's unprecedented success, died suddenly. Jim Walker became Ortona's next head coach and remained at its helm until 1994. In that same year after a serious car accident, Qius were forced to retire. Ortona has continued to attract world class coaches over the years. Ortona has produced National and World Class athletes at a time when the sport itself has been changing and becoming more challenging and exciting.
Ortona continues to be an innovator in partnerships and development of new ventures - GO Community Centre has been the focus of board members and management since 2003. Refer to the GO Community Centre for more on the current venture.
Our Facilities
Ortona's first home was the old Ortona Armory building at 101st Street and 97th Avenue. It was built in 1914 and used by the Hudson Bay Company to stable horses. When the company converted to automobiles from horse-drawn delivery vans in the 1930's, the horse stables were no longer needed. The site was used for a youth training program in 1938 and 1939. It was then taken over by the government and converted into a land-locked ship used for the training of several thousand naval volunteers during the Second World War.
In 1964, the Federal Government decommissioned the HMCS Nonsuch and turned the armory over to the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, 3rd Battalion. They changed the name to 'Ortona' in 1965 in commemoration of the Battle of Ortona that occurred in Italy in 1943. The town of Ortona was liberated but at a heavy price borne by the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. 172 men were injured, 63 of them, fatally. The regiment continued to use the armory for military training until 1977 when it was turned over to the Commonwealth Games Association.
In 1979 tow local gymnastics clubs (the Bounders Gymnastics Club and the Edmonton Society for Gymnastics-Fitness(Gym-Fit)) obtained a joint lease for the Ortona Armory Building. It became the Ortona Gymnastics Center, Edmonton's first full-time gymnastics facility. The clubs joined forces in October 1980. The original Bounders Gymnastics Club dissolved and Gym-Fit changed its name to Ortona continuing a legacy of excellence that began in 1976.
In 1988 the Club moved to its new location at 8755 - 50th Avenue and into a state of the art bubble building. In 1999 the bubble was replaced with one that provides far more insulation. The summer and winter temperatures changes were more tolerable for gymnasts. The club continued to upgrade the facilities and the equipment. The year 2001 the pit was installed and the purchasing of equipment to meet international training standards was the continuation of today.
Ortona Gymnastics Club mission statements over the years
To provide an organized program of women's and men's artistic gymnastics and general physical fitness for people of all ages, abilities and of all social, cultural and economic circumstances.
To instill in the participants of the program qualities of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage, respect for authority and confidence in their own abilities.
To promote and develop the amateur sport of artistic gymnastics on a national and international scale through the provision of a viable training centre and facilities required to train coaches and gymnasts of the above-mentioned caliber.
Gymnastics is the foundation for all sports and the ultimate human movement experience. Everyone can find something meaningful and beneficial in the sport, regardless of your age, your ability, or goals. It promotes self-esteem, self-discipline, and forms the healthy foundation for an active lifestyle. You are never too young, or too old, to gain something positive from the sport of gymnastics.
To provide an environment where individuals of all ages and capabilities can define and achieve their own goals of excellence in gymnastics ability, and in the process, achieve social, physical, and psychological wellness.
Ortona is changing with community needs and we will be launching our new philosophy soon......
