Olympics

[Fortytwo]

we also wonder why the hell Sychronized swimming is in the Summer Olympics too!

Ehm, fit women in bathingsuits stretching their legs...

[Greg_Nuspel]

Everyone has their sport, soaring was in the Olympics but it isn't a good spectator sport so it doesn't bring in the crowds. This is changing with new technology, two years ago the New Zealand competitions were broadcast and with on board cameras people saw how amazing it is to fly along a mountain ridge at well over 100 miles an hour with your wing tip just a few feet from the rock face. The thrill of being in a gaggle of 20+ sailplanes sharing the same thermal, diving for the start where if you go to fast you learn all about flutter. But then for some why would you want to do this?

[Marko]

We had the Olympics in Montreal in 1976.

It took THIRTY FRIGGEN YEARS for the city of Montreal to finish paying for our Olympic stadium. To this day many Montrealers (including me) call our stadium the big owe. It's a cold ugly building. All thoughout my youth I heard about this stupid building... roof never came with the building, tried to add the roof, first roof didn't work...on and on....for DECADES.

Mismanagement, corruption, and private interest on the backs of taxpayers....you know, all the usual suspects.....30 years to pay off something that happens for a few weeks.... For what? a good highlight reel? .....pure stupidity. Not worth it.

I sure as hell hope Vancouver does not suffer the same fate. Hopefully it will pay off its inevitable debt within a few years, not 30.

CTV Edmonton - Montreal still paying for the 1976 Summer Games - Canadian Television

[Greg_Nuspel]

I always thought Calgary didn't have debt but read this article.

[Marko]

Good link Greg.

[Kawarthabob]

I better be able to bowl over arm then! And if there isn't some loon down the end ready to whack it out of the park then I'm going photo shooting instead!

Or maybe they should introduce tackeling or even some sort of contact and a goalie!

[Bambi]

I'm going with MA here. Beside being hilarious to watch, curling doesn't do much for me either. Guess it's really a Canadian thing...

actually it was invented in Scotland....

[JAS_Photo]

I always thought Calgary didn't have debt but read this article.

Let's just add this bit as well:

However, the games fuelled an endowment fund of $70.5 million that is now worth $185 million and continues to fund sport in a variety of ways. Additionally, the Calgary Olympic Committee (OCO) gave the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) $40 million, which after investment is now worth $110 million; those funds assist the COC's $8 million annual contribution to national teams, coaches and athletes and permits its existence as a self-sustaining organization that does not rely on government funding.[2]

Infrastructure
Five world class facilities were built for the games, and several others were improved.

Nakiska at Mt. Allan
Olympic Saddledome
Olympic Oval
Canada Olympic Park
Canmore Nordic Centre
Eight national teams use Calgary or Canmore as a home base, and Calgary has hosted 200 national and international competitions between 1987 and 2009 because of its Olympic facilities.[3]

Of 30 world records in speed skating, 17 of them have been set at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, considered the fastest ice in the world.[4]

Social
There was a substantial social impact as well. From the unprecedented volunteer involvement in staging the Games, a program was put in place where ordinary Calgarians could purchase, for $19.88 in the summer of 1986, a brick at the main medal presentation plaza called the Olympic Plaza with their names laser-engraved on it. The involvement of ordinary Calgarians was evident. This was of paramount importance to the organizing committee, OCO'88, as it kept the Games from appearing distant and "out of reach".

Part of making the games accessible to all Calgarians were the medal awards held at Olympic Plaza each night.

The atheletes received the medals at the Plaza at the end of each day. That along with other entertainment brought out up to 35,000 Calgarians each night. Also, Stephen Avenue was a busy social hub filled with locals, visitors and athletes (not hurt in the least by the unseasonably warm chinooks). Exchanging pins was extremly popular and everyone tried to get as many pins from other countries as they could.

The movie "Cool Running" starring John Candy was inspired by the Jamaican bobsled team competeing in the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics. And who can forget "Eddie the Eagle"? or "The Battle of the Brians"? or Canada's figure skating sweetheart, Elizabeth Manning?