Anti-bid group criticizes lack of public engagement
As Calgary announced plans to hold six open houses on a proposed Olympics bid, critics complained that time is running out to conduct meaningful public engagement ahead of a November plebiscite.
The complaints come as bid skeptics allege that important financial information concerning a bid has still not been made public and may not be presented to Calgarians ahead of the Nov. 13 vote.
This week the city announced dates for six open houses in all four quadrants of the city.
No Calgary Olympics, an anti-bid lobby group, says the city is falling short of its public information promise.
“The original plan was robust engagement from April through until now,” said Erin Waite of No Calgary Olympics. “But it’s just starting now and it’s been reduced to a few sessions. It’s not what was talked about originally at all.
“It’s just a real concern with how big and complex a project like the Olympics is, that that’s where we’re at with engagement.”
A spokesman for the city said Friday that the official public engagement program begins on Oct. 1, with an online forum to gather public feedback on the proposed 2026 Olympic and Paralympic bid estimated at $5.2 billion.
The NDP government made it a requirement that the city conduct at least 30 days of engagement as a condition for funding for the $2-million plebiscite.
Calgarians will be able to learn more about the city’s potential Winter Games bid, which would seek $3 billion in public funding, at one of six open house sessions next month.
The first will be held Oct. 16 in the northwest community of Dalhousie. More sessions are expected to be announced ahead of the plebiscite.
The announced public engagement sessions, which will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., except where noted, are:
Tuesday, Oct. 16: Dalhousie Community Assoc., 5432 Dalhart Rd N.W.;
Wednesday, Oct. 17: Hotel Blackfoot, 5940 Blackfoot Trail S.E.;
Thursday, Oct. 18: Cardel Rec South, 333 Shawville Blvd S.E. #100;
Saturday, Oct. 20: Killarney Glengarry Community Assoc., 2828 28th Street S.W. (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.);
Tuesday, Oct. 23: Genesis Centre, 7555 Falconridge Blvd. N.E.;
Wednesday, Oct. 24: Marlborough Community Assoc., 636 Marlborough Way N.E.
Coun. Druh Farrell said she’s concerned that Calgarians may not have accurate financial information in time for the plebiscite.
“We thought that April was getting tight for public engagement and now we’re down to one month,” she said.
“This is not consultation — that implies a two-way conversation. We will be hard-pressed to get out critical information prior to the vote.”
Polls for the Nov. 13 plebiscite will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with advance voting Nov. 6 and 7 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.