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Canada can’t handle two legacies

Opinion

In July 2, 2003 the city of Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and a little part of me died.

As a devout Calgarian, I was as active a supporter of the 1988 Games as an 11-year-old could have been. So when Western Canada had a chance at another hosting opportunity, I was frankly rooting against the bid for our neighbours in B.C. It makes no sense to have two luge/bobsled tracks, speed skating ovals, and ski jump facilities in the same country, let alone so close to each other.

After the 2010 games have come and gone, twice as many venues will need financing for maintenance.

According to the CTV Olympics website, athletes won’t likely even use these new Vancouver facilities after the event because the city is at sea level. That’s just not worth the excitement and jubilation we’ll be feeling in just 12 weeks when Vancouver hosts the Games.

And as these tough economic times have hit, the issue comes further to the forefront. How can one country sustain two sets of Olympic facilities when there is not even cash for one?

According to the Calgary Herald, unless Win-Sport Canada had received permission from the courts to dip into the principal of the 1988 endowment fund (normally they can only remove the interest annually), they would have needed to reduce their work force at Calgary’s Olympic facilities from 678 down to 10. Fortunately, the order was approved and venues such as the Olympic Oval and Canada Olympic Park will be sustainable for at least another two years.

There have been arguments from both sides of the issue to where our priorities should lie for an event that happens for only two weeks, every two years. As an avid Olympic fan, I will be spending my entire break from SAIT watching the events. But even I have come to realize that there’s a fine line between national pride and common sense.

For as much delight as we felt watching the high flyers like Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards at the ski jumping site in 1988, most Calgarians would agree those jumps have become more white elephants than scenic legacies to the 21-year-old event. Money spent on them may be better invested elsewhere. So why have a second set in British Columbia to also maintain?

Canada will likely set a personal best as a nation for medals in Vancouver/Whistler in February. Organizations like Own the Podium have used all of their available dollars to support current and emerging athletes in Canadian Olympic sports, but federal and provincial dollars will reach a limit. Maybe money should come from corporations, at least for the time being.

With the world financial markets improving and a large cash infusion coming to the B.C. region thanks to these games, venues in both provinces will be maintained for a short time. But some hard decisions will have to be made by either the Canadian Olympic Committee or the federal government as to which gets priority, theirs or ours.

Who do you think will win that coin toss?

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