‘It’s just zoomed by’: Big Little Science Centre commemorates 25 years of interactive education

KAMLOOPS — The Big Little Science Centre (BLSC) in Kamloops recently celebrated its 25th anniversary of operations.

BLSC was founded in 2000 by a retired science teacher, Gordon Gore. While Gore passed away in 2020, his passion for education continues at the downtown facility. The interactive approach to science has made the Big Little Science Centre one of the city’s most popular attractions for students and families.

What you see today at BLSC is the result of 25 years of using hands-on experience to educate local students. Current BLSC Executive Director Gord Stewart got involved in 2005, and he says the non-profit operation has grown beyond what they had originally expected it could become.

“Basically the way it initially started was Gordon Gore was doing shows out of the back of his pick up truck,” explains Stewart. “He’d drive around to the schools and set up in their gym and do a few physics shows for them.”

Eventually, a room was provided through the School District to move the science centre into David Thompson Elementary School. From there, it relocated to Bert Edwards, George Hilliard, and Happyvale elementaries, before moving to its current location downtown.

Former school trustee Annette Glover got involved after bringing Gore’s science set-up to a family event. When she saw the one-room set up in David Thompson, Glover says she worked with Jim Hebden and Val Hitchens to find a suitable space for Gore.

Glover has been President of the BLSC Board for several years, and points to the community open houses as a highlight. The idea was to make the science centre accessible to as many people as possible, and it’s something she feels strongly about to this day.

“Oh I love it when I come in here. Like last week I dropped in and there was a class here and it was so noisy and the kids are having fun, it’s great. It’s absolutely great,” says Glover, “And to know that this has gone on for 25 years, it’s just zoomed by.”

25-year-old Connor Tremblay is as old as the centre, and grew up going to BLSC regularly. He now works for the place that built up his love of science.

“I came here a lot,” notes Tremblay. “I came for the camps. I really liked the robotics camp that we did, which we still do now.”

Eventually Tremblay began volunteering at the centre, and for the past several years he’s been on their regular staff. He says giving students the same kind of science interactions he was interested in as a child makes it somewhat of a full-circle job.

“I really, really like when a kid has a question and they just want to know how something works and then I can kind of explain it to them in a way they understand,” Tremblay explains. “And then they have that moment of ‘Oh that’s how it works!’, and I’m like ‘Yes!’. That’s the best.”

Today, the Big Little Science Centre has become a staple attraction in Kamloops, averaging between 19,000 and 24,000 visits each year.

“The term I’ve always used is, Vancouver has Science World and we have the Big Little Science Centre,” says Glover, who notes that Gore’s original idea to provide tactile education is still what draws students in.

“I think he’d (Gore) be very proud of it. Because we’ve maintained that hands-on experience.”

Programs have evolved, with more events and lecture series for the broader public, and older audiences. The Big Little Science Centre recently hosted a sold-out, 19+ seminar partnered with Monte Creek Winery, called The Science of Food and Wine.

“We’ve got a range now that covers people from preschool, through university, to retired people programming. So we have a whole range of capabilities and we do all of that throughout the year,” adds Stewart.

Gearing up for the next 25 years, the Centre says its backed by a team of volunteers, dedicated staff and board members, experiment supplies, and a desire to keep learning what people want to learn about.