#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. Back on November 29, 1935, the head of Norilskstroy, Vladimir Matveyev, signed an order: “To introduce physical education and develop shooting sports, organize a branch of the Dynamo sports community”.
The choice of the sports community was explained by the political conjuncture: the combine under construction in the 1940s was under the authority of the NKVD.
The Dynamo logo united the first Norilsk sportsmen, and the first Norilsk stadium, which was located in the Old Town, was given the same name.
With the transfer of the Norilsk combine to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry, its sports communities also changed.
In the early 1950s, a voluntary sports society Gornyak was created, in 1954 it was replaced by Metallurg in whose honor the city stadium was renamed. In 1958, the Norilsk people joined the all-Union sports society Trud.
On April 5, 1961, the Zapolyarnik sports club appeared. The Norilsk combine was the seventeenth in the country to receive the right to organize its own sports club.
A new stadium with stands for 12 thousand spectators, which was erected in Gorstroy (the new part of the city) was also named after it.
Zapolyarnik united all professionals and amateurs of sports in Norilsk. Under its flags, Norilsk hockey players, water polo players, gymnasts, athletes and representatives of other sports were smashing rivals at regional, zonal and all-Union competitions.
In the last issue of the History spot photo project we talked about the youngest street in Norilsk – Hantayskaya. It was built on the site of the camp department.
For other issues of our photo project about the history of the city and the combine, go to the History spot section.
Follow us on Telegram, Instagram and Facebook.
Text: Svetlana Samohina, Photo: Nornickel Polar Division archive
