Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 27/98) - A former Yellowknifer with a love for life and sports was remembered posthumously last Friday at a St. Patrick high school.

Friends, family and school officials were on hand for a ceremony to dedicate the school's gymnasium in Dennis Crane's name.

"Everyone associated with sports and Arctic Winter Games hold special memories of Dennis," said Loretta Foley, Catholic School Board superintendent.

"We're very proud and grateful that he gave us so much help as a board member and as a person. He was visionary, very intuitive and was very much a hands-on person too. He was instrumental in the design and realization of our gym."

Crane, who began his career as an educator, had many other interests outside of education, particularly sports. He was an avid boater, an accomplished dart player and national-level badminton player.

He was a participating athlete and a volunteer. He even served as the chef de mission for the NWT during the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse.

His interest in sports was instrumental in promoting the national standard-size gym for St. Pat's. As a result, the school can run national-level competition in badminton, volleyball and soccer.

Crane was also a school board trustee and chaired the facilities committee during the construction of St. Pat's High.

"He was very good technically with us, did research and made sure that the gym was what we wanted it to be, and it is. It's a dream gym. We're very grateful for that and we are very proud of him as a citizen. He was a promoter of sports and not just for Yellowknife but for the whole NWT," said Foley.

"It's a perfect reason for naming a gym after a great person, a great educator and a great sportsman."

Crane was born in Britain in 1933 and served four years as a Russian interpreter with the Royal Air Force prior to moving North in 1964. He taught industrial arts in Inuvik before going off to live in Australia. He returned to work with the territorial government's Education Department in Fort Smith as a consultant, moving to Yellowknife in 1969.

Crane died Dec. 31, 1997. Both Theresa and Steven were at St. Pat's for the gym dedication.