Ken Read: The legacy of the '88 Games — How Calgary and region can elevate sport to benefit all yyc
When Frank King boldly put forward the motion to pursue an Olympic bid in late 1979, it’s essential to remember what Calgary had to offer at the time. The region had three local ski resorts in the mountains, with only Norquay having hosted a World Cup in 1972. We could hold hockey tournaments in the Stampede Corral, but not at an international level. We had hosted Skate Canada events in figure skating. We could stage national events in cross-country.
The Human Performance Lab at the University of Calgary is considered one of the leading centres of high-performance sport in the world, with a roster of leading academics who have chosen Canada focusing on biomechanics, high-altitude training, medical research and guiding Canada’s high-performance programs.
On-snow, we did all of our training in Europe or in the southern hemisphere, as there was limited snow-making facilities and few proper training venues at our existing ski resorts. Canada did have a core capability to run events, but limited experience at the major international level. The opening ceremony of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, what at the time was considered the most successful in the history of the Games — and largely driven by the power of volunteers.Building this legacy took time. The 1988 Games stimulated the basis for building necessary sport infrastructure. With the venues, the rest could follow.
We need our politicians at every level — municipal, provincial and federal — to recognize that sport goes on, every day, year-round, supported by sponsors, donors, families and substantial support from TV and marketing rights for the broadcast of major events run in our community. We have an enormous, internationally respected and vibrant sport sector that lives, works and competes in our region. We have thousands of dedicated volunteers and officials who are highly engaged every year in sport.
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