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KEYANO Club
History
Following
the 1978 Commonwealth Games, which were hosted by Edmonton, the
JasperPlace Swim Club and the South Side Swim
Club amalgamated to form the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club. In subsequent years, the North Edmonton
Sharks and Bonnie Doon Blue Fins joined
Keyano. The parents of the founding clubs were dedicated to the
spirit of swim competition and provided
the environment for swim excellence. The club soon
gained national recognition and
continues to rank as one of the top swim clubs in
Canada.
The name
Keyano (a Cree word meaning unity and friendship) was chosen from
the teddy bear mascot of the same name
used for the Commonwealth Games. The incredible
success of the Canadian Swim Team at the
Commonwealth games and the success of Edmonton in hosting this event were the catalysts that served to
launch the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club.
In its
first full season, Keyano adopted the "Grizzly" as the mascot for
the team. As the grizzly bear was
indigenous to Northern Alberta, a fierce competitor, an excellent
swimmer, it seemed a powerful symbol for
Keyano as the club worked to seek a place in the
world aquatic community.
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