The Province of Alberta has officially named a new bridge on Highway 8 the “Stu Hart Memorial Bridge,” creating a permanent monument to the patriarch of the Hart wrestling dynasty and founder of Stampede Wrestling. The dedication ceremony, audio of which was provided by YourAlberta (Government of Alberta), featured speeches from family members, colleagues, and government officials who gathered to celebrate Hart’s contributions to the province and the world of professional wrestling. Stu Hart, who passed away in 2003, was remembered not only as a wrestling icon but also as a community advocate and philanthropist.
An Alberta government representative detailed Hart’s multifaceted life, which began long before he became a household name in wrestling. Hart was a former professional football player, having played two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL. His impact, however, extended far beyond sports. “The Hart family has been generous supporters of community life here in Calgary,” the official stated. “They worked as strong advocates, supporters of fitness, and as benefactors to more than 30 charitable and civic organizations, many of which supported underprivileged youth.” The official also noted the international reach of Hart’s Stampede Wrestling, which was founded in 1948 and, at its peak, was “viewed in more than 50 countries around the world and it was also one of Canada’s longest-running TV shows.”
Stu’s son, WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart, delivered an emotional speech, reflecting on his father’s character and the symbolism of the honor. He shared a lighthearted memory, joking about how he and his brothers “drove maybe 100 miles an hour down this bridge and broke all the rules to get us to the beach on time.” On a more serious note, Hart described his father as “very strong, solid, sturdy as a rock,” making the bridge a fitting tribute. “It’s very symbolic for my father to be honored with a bridge because he was a bridge in many ways to so many people and so many things,” Bret Hart said, adding, “There would be no Bret Hart and there would be no Owen Hart if there hadn’t been for Stu Hart.”
Wrestler and promoter Dan Kroffat, who was trained by Hart, shared a deeply personal story of the “two Stu Harts” he came to know. The first was the formidable trainer in the infamous Hart House basement, known as “The Dungeon.” Kroffat recalled his first training camp in 1969, where he watched in terror as Stu demonstrated wrestling holds. “All of a sudden he turned into some sort of a boa constrictor type of guy,” Kroffat recalled. “He had guys tied into knots and they were looking at parts of their body that they had never seen before… I can tell you I turned as white as they did and I thought I’m not a tough guy. What am I doing here?”
However, Kroffat said that after surviving the grueling training, he was invited into the Hart family’s home and met a completely different man. This Stu Hart was a loving family man who cooked giant turkey dinners on Sundays, combed his wife’s hair, and offered philosophical advice. Kroffat saw him gently stroking the family cat while his young daughter, Georgia, offered him cookies. This was the man who told him, “You travel a lot further on grease than you do on gravel,” and “Save your nickels and dimes, your dollars will manage themselves.” Kroffat concluded that the bridge was a perfect symbol for Hart’s life, stating, “He was building bridges for us through his whole career… He built that bridge for us to hope and opportunity.”
