By Todd Hirsch Alberta Business Columnist
Its hard to believe that its already half over! After a 22-year wait, the Olympic Winter Games have returned to Canada, and the party has been unforgettable. Despite a few glitches and some criticism that the Games have received, VANOC and the citizens of British Columbia are pulling off an amazing event, one that Canadians will always remember.
But behind the sporting event itself, the spirit of Calgary's games are happily haunting every inch of ice and snow on which Canadian athletes competed.
Its hard to compare the 1988 Games in Calgary with those underway in Vancouver. By any measure, Vancouver's party is bigger, louder, and more spectacular. Unfortunately, its also angrier, with smashed glass and protestors in black balaclavas.
Vancouver had nothing to prove
The 1988 Olympic Winter Games helped put Calgary on the map as a globally recognized city, a boost that Vancouver doesnt really need in 2010. Going into the Games, it had nothing to prove. Calgary did.
But a lot has happened in the world of Olympic sports over the past two decades. The shock-and-awe factor that are making the Vancouver games such a raging success depends much more on corporate sponsorship, whereas Calgarys rode more on the backs of volunteers. The rules and regulations set by VANOC over the use of certain Olympic images or words were, at times, quite heavy-handed. But thats the cost of protecting the corporate interests which have invested millions in sponsoring the Games.
As well, the competitive nature among athletes themselves somehow seems to be heightened. Its not that the competition wasnt fierce in Calgary (or in any other set of Games in the past), but unfortunately sports in general are shrouded in more cynicism these days with increased incidents of doping and cheating.
The legacy of Calgary's 1988 Games (still one of the only Olympics to have actually turned a profit) continues to be felt far beyond the prairie city itself. In a very real sense, Vancouver's Olympics has Calgary's fingerprints all over them.
Consider the facilities alone. For the past 22 years, the Calgary-based WinSport Canada has contributed close to $124 million to sport development. Facilities under its management include Canada Olympic Park, the Ice House indoor training for sliding sports, the Ski Jump Training Centre, the Freestyle Aerials and Moguls course, the 22-foot super halfpipe, the Olympic Track (for bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge), the Beckie Scott High Performance Training Centre on Haig Glacier in southern Alberta, and Camp Green on Farnham Glacier in southern BC. They also fund two-thirds of the operating and capital costs of the Olympic Oval at the University of Calgary
Sports groups are offered generous support to operate and train out of the facilities at WinSport Canada, with subsidies of approximately $1.6 million in 2008-09. The Own the Podium program, which has provided resources to athletes, coaches and support personnel leading up to the 2010 Games, is based in Calgary and has been an important partner at WinSport Canada.
And currently under construction is the Athletic Ice Complex (AIC), a 500,000 square foot facility that will be the future permanent home of Hockey Canada.
An element of economics
Theres an element of economics at play, too. Unlike other cities of the world to ever host an Olympic Games, Calgary has never lost sight of the economic boost the 1988 Games left in its wake. Perhaps because it is a small city, Calgary has done well in leveraging its sporting facilities along with dollops of federal and provincial government financial support along the way to establish sports training as a legitimate economic driver.
And perhaps its greatest feature as a centre for sports training? Thin air. At nearly one km above sea level, Calgary provides near ideal conditions for athletic training.
Without question, the 2010 Games belong to Vancouver. It's pulling off one of the best and biggest international events ever on Canadian soil, one that will never be forgotten by anyone in attendance. But like most athletes know, its the team effort that makes the difference.
As a sister Olympic city and centre for Canadian sports excellence, Calgarys influence is quietly but strongly present in Vancouvers success.
Todd Hirsch is Senior Economist with ATB Financial.
