Biennial polo match to be held Sept. 14
If you enjoy learning about the moments, places and objects of yesteryear and appreciate the cultural-preserving powers of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum, then the Niagara Polo match is the perfect way to support the museum’s future by celebrating the region’s past, says Mona Babin.
At a news conference Monday on the museum’s grounds to drum up excitement for this fall’s match, Babin, president of the museum board, acknowledged the museum has supporters that help finance its operations, including the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“We have our membership and we have our attendance, and we have some smaller programs that also bring us in some dollars,” she said.
“But this (polo match) helps us with a whole bunch of other costs, including just keeping the lights on.”
The biennial polo match will be held this year on Sept. 14 at the historic Commons.
In 2022, it attracted about 2,000 spectators and every year it is held, it offers as much of a glimpse into history as it does the chance to fundraise and bring the community together.
For instance, polo was used to train British and Canadian soldiers dating back to the 1830s.
The King’s Dragoon Guard, also known as the Royal Canadian Dragoons, used the game to train men stationed in NOTL: they essentially learned how to become cavalrymen, riding a horse and fighting at the same time.
“This polo event is exciting on many fronts,” said Babin.
“But that being said, it also gives us an opportunity to talk about the museum and we raise funds, of course. It brings everybody together.”
At 129 years old and serving as the oldest purpose-built museum in Ontario, Babin said NOTL’s house of antiquity needs the support of the public to continue offering important lessons and visuals of the past.
The museum, she said, is a key component to fostering a sense of pride in the residents who live in NOTL and excitement for those who come from other parts of the country to visit and learn about such an important part of the nation.
“One of the richnesses of Niagara-on-the-Lake is the history. So when people come (to NOTL), they don’t expect the cookie-cutter houses,” she said, referring to the litany of historical homes in the community.
“Of course, we are going to have the new stuff and we will still have malls, but go on Queen Street and it has very different restaurants and different individual stores and look you around and you see the old architecture.”
“And here (at the museum) we can tell the story of what was there before the Tim Hortons was there and what happened to the courthouse: what’s the history of that?”
It’s all about not forgetting the past through tangible sights and sounds, added Babin.
“That’s what we do here. We tell stories so that people know.”
