CITY CAN TAKE PRIDE IN TRANSFORMING HOW EVENT IS RUN

Calgary helped reinvent the Winter Olympics 25 years ago today

It should have been obvious that Calgary was destined to become an Olympic city.

Sure, Calgary possessed a winter climate and a mountain of ambition, but what other competing city could boast of a ready-made Olympic torch anchoring its downtown core? The Calgary Tower, of course, had opened in 1968 as the Husky Tower, and its transformation into the highest Olympic torch in history was a relatively late inspiration, but Calgary’s and the Olympic’s fortunes always seemed destined to be shared.

Granted, the relationship wasn’t formed without heartache — but what sports achievement isn’t? The region’s boosters put forward two failed bids — three if you count Banff — before hosting the 1988 Games. The event is being celebrated this week, and today especially, 25 years after the opening ceremonies at McMahon Stadium, where 12-year-old Robyn Perry lit the cauldron. And the friendship continues on, with Calgary being called on to send a tired but reliable Zamboni on a flatbed truck over the Rockies to Vancouver in 2010 after repeated delays dogged the speedskating competitions.

Tellingly, just a few years on, Vancouver’s eye-grabbing speedskating oval has been converted into a hockey rink and for other uses, while Calgary’s facilities — Canada Olympic Park, the Canmore Nordic Centre, Nakiska ski resort, the Saddledome and, yes, the Olympic Oval, continue to thrive in a city that took the Olympics to its heart and never let go. These were Calgarians’ Games and they won the efforts of almost 10,000 volunteers. The fact that 75 per cent of today’s Canadian winter competitors train in the region is a testament to the unending relationship between Calgary and the Olympics.

But while the 1988 Games left their imprint on an emerging Prairie city a quarter of a century ago, it’s fair to say that Calgary shaped the international sports organization too. Before the Calgary Games, fewer prospective host cities were coming forward because the financial model they were built upon had become a losing proposition. Calgary organizers reinvented the Winter Olympics, extending the length of competition from 12 to 16 days to garner unprecedented broadcasting rights and other corporate sponsorships, then introducing demonstration events such as curling and freestyle skiing to fill the extra time frame. The two sports, along with short track speedskating, proved to be successes and were later adopted as sanctioned events, becoming vehicles for an increasing number of Canadian medals.

Demonstrating characteristic entrepreneurial flair, Calgary organizers accomplished a rare Olympic feat — they generated a multimillion-dollar profit, the bulk of which endures today as a legacy for the maintenance of facilities such as Canada Olympic Park. Calgary, along with Los Angeles, which hosted the 1 9 8 4 S u mmer Games, forged a proven template for future Olympic host cities to follow.

The number of events increased to 46 from the 39 held in Sarajevo and Calgary established the tradition of a lengthy Olympic torch relay, touching hearts and minds during an 88-day crossing of the country.

Calgarians don’t cling to memories of Olympic glory — which regrettably didn’t include a gold medal for the home team — out of sugary sentimentality. In fact today, the mention of Eddie the Eagle and the Jamaican Bobsled Team is sometimes met with a blank stare instead of a warm smile, because the city has welcomed so many new residents during the ensuing two and a half decades. In 2013, the city is a thriving hub, confident and diverse enough to succeed in any field and by any measure. But it’s also a city loyal enough, faithful enough, to look back 25 years ago and feel a sense of pride in what it accomplished and shared with the world.

During the Games, Calgarians were asked, “Can You Feel It?” A quarter of a century later, many Calgarians would answer, “Yes.”

The fact that 75 per cent of today’s Canadian winter competitors train in the region is a testament to the unending relationship between Calgary and the Olympics.