Stu Hart honoured with new Calgary bridge name
Legendary wrestling patriarch immortalized on Highway 8.
Alberta’s government is paying tribute to one of Calgary’s most iconic figures — the late Stu Hart — by naming the twin bridges on Highway 8 the Stu Hart Memorial Bridge.
Hart, who founded Stampede Wrestling in 1948, helped put Calgary on the global wrestling map. From his infamous “Dungeon” gym beneath the Hart Mansion — now a designated heritage site — Hart trained a generation of legends including Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Owen Hart, Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, and Jim Neidhart.
“For many Albertans, Stampede Wrestling wasn’t just a show. It was a Saturday night tradition,” said Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen. “Naming this bridge in Stu’s honour provides a lasting tribute to Stu and his legendary family.”
The Hart family’s legacy reaches far beyond the ring. The family has supported more than 30 charitable causes, from the Shriners’ Hospitals for Children to the Alberta Firefighters’ Toy Fund. Through the Owen Hart Foundation, Martha Hart has donated millions to education, housing, and youth programs.
“Our family is deeply honoured and thankful to the Alberta government,” said Allison Hart. “Stu always believed in hard work and community, and this bridge is a meaningful tribute to that legacy.”
Stampede Wrestling ran for over three decades and aired in more than 50 countries before evolving into what is now World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the global brand behind stars like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and Andre the Giant.
The westbound bridge opened in 2021 as part of Calgary’s southwest ring road. Construction on the eastbound bridge is expected to wrap up by fall 2026.
The Stu Hart Memorial Bridge will serve as both a vital traffic link — and a lasting reminder of the man who made Calgary a capital of wrestling history.
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.
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COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-10-16 22:14:37 -0400I’m glad the bridges weren’t named after communist leaders and revolutionaries.
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Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2025-10-16 10:14:53 -0400While I was growing up in NE B. C., our CBC radio service was from CBU in Vancouver. Much of the program content was concerned with the Lower Mainland, even the sports scores. (That’s when I first heard about the New Westminster Salmonbellies lacrosse team.)
I recall when even the CBU sports reports included the results of the previous night’s professional wrestling matches. -
Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2025-10-16 10:09:13 -0400The name Stu Hart brings back many fond memories of me. It was he who founded Stampede Wrestling and, during my final years of high school, I was a devoted fan when it was on TV. When it went on tour and came to where I grew up, those sessions were well-attended and people enjoyed themselves.
It was pure entertainment back then. There were goodies, there were baddies, and there were goodies who became baddies and vice-versa. The whole thing was comical. (Who remembers “Mr. Irresistible” himself, Sweet Daddy Siki?) And the whole presentation itself was a laugh riot with host Ed Whalen (I’m sure he had a hard time to keeping a straight face) and the claims and counter-claims that the various wrestlers made about themselves and their opponents.
Grand times….. -
Crude Sausage commented 2025-10-15 15:22:42 -0400While there is no doubt that Stu Hart’s contribution to professional wrestling was immense, having trained his excellent sons Bret and Owen, as well as stars such as Chris Jerico and Brian Pillman, his own contributions to the sport were minimal. I’m not sure I can agree with this. I would have preferred that the Hart surname itself be used for the bridge’s name.
