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This Virtual Exhibit was prepared from research carried out for an exhibition at the Laurentian Ski Museum, which highlights among other things the 70th anniversary of the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA). This history of ski instruction underlines the fact that the Laurentians can indeed be called the cradle of skiing in Canada.
Trial and error would probably be the best way to describe how skiers learned the basics of their sport in the early days of the 20th century. The most common result of this method? Many, many falls, each one more spectacular than the last!
It soon became clear that skiers – whether at the competitive or amateur level – needed high-quality instruction. And in those days that meant calling on the expertise of qualified instructors from Europe.
The arrival of people like Émile Cochand, Herman “Jackrabbit” Smith-Johannsen, and other Europeans had a strong economic and cultural impact on our region. The resulting economic boom contributed to our development, and today many residents work in the tourism industry. Our museum and its exhibits aim to inform people, young and old, about this heritage.
As the years went by, skiing gained status as a competitive and recreational sport thanks to several factors: new clubs and associations, publications and manuals about skiers and skiing, improved equipment, and better instruction. The Canadian Amateur Ski Association (CASA) was founded in 1920 with the aim of creating a framework for skiing techniques. In 1938 the Canadian Ski School (CSS) was formed in the Laurentians, and went on to become the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance in 1949.
The photos and illustrations in our virtual exhibit serve to highlight the exhibition’s themes:
– Equipment as an invaluable tool
– Services for skiers
– A history of ski clubs
– The importance of competitions
– Instruction and coaching to develop skilled skiers
– The many ski associations and their goals
In this, our first Virtual Exhibit, we’ve paid particular attention to skiing in the Laurentians and in the Saint-Sauveur area. Our region, the Laurentians, is unique in North America for its ski centres and network of cross-country trails that wind their way from village to village.
The Museum is currently preparing its permanent exhibition, which will tell the story of skiing in the Laurentians and is to be called: Living in Winter, With Winter, and About Winter.
