The people's choice: Calgary's Olympic bid survives to face public vote
Bid process is more than a numbers game — it's also about the allure of the Olympics
I went to Calgary on the Tuesday thinking I was going to interview a woman who wanted to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to Calgary in 2026.
Mary Moran, the CEO of a group called BidCo, was supposed to answer my questions, in the historic, great hall of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, as to why this was the right thing to do 30 years after the success of the Games of Calgary in 1988.
As I boarded the plane in Toronto, Twitter revealed to me that Calgary City council's Olympic Evaluation Committee would consider abandoning the proposed bid and the scheduled plebiscite in the absence of a decipherable funding agreement between the three levels of government.
As the plane took off, I was at a total loss.
Scott Russell with Mary Moran:
The interview was surely a non-starter. The bid was almost certainly stillborn. There was no agreement on matters of money or who would pay the lion's share to host the world in 2026.
When I landed, I was informed Moran would be available to speak with me, but only after a decision on a motion to scuttle was reached. We would have to be patient and wait and see. So I went to bed.
But as I did, Twitter again revealed the breaking news: an 11th-hour compromise. The federal and provincial governments had signed off. The budget was cut, the numbers reduced. The city of Calgary was expected to pay less.
There was a chance the bid could be saved and the people of Calgary would indeed have their say – but only if less than 10 city councillors voted to scrap the bid the next day.
I arrived at City Hall just before dawn on Wednesday and was greeted by a sea of red and white.
Supporters of the bid had come out in droves wearing Canadian colours. They hooted and hollered and took their seats to pack the council chambers. When it was full, they flooded the foyer to watch proceedings on giant TV monitors. They cheered and sang on the other side of the big, glass, doors.
We waited for hours and hours as seemingly endless questions and each of the 15 city politicians had something to say. They spoke of divisiveness. They said they didn't understand the numbers. Some questioned the motives of bid chair Scott Hutcheson and Moran.
Due diligence was a phrase used over and over again. They slammed the International Olympic Committee and also recognized the greatness of the last Olympic Games which this city has revelled in for generations.
They asked every question in the book and some which were never thought of before. Moran and Hutcheson stood throughout the process, which lasted a full eight-and-a-half hours, before the vote finally swung their way by the closest of margins.
Later Moran told me she remained standing because, "I wanted them to know I would not back down…I didn't want to appear weak or yielding."
Seven councillors wanted to call it quits. The other eight advised that the people must have their say via the (non-binding) plebiscite. At then end, many of the councillors voiced the opinion that this was the most excruciating deliberation they'd ever been through. Some said they feared they had turned against each other and become less than they should be.
"This is not how Calgary acts," one said, with great emotion. "Stand up for yourselves. Be different. Be better."
He received a raucous ovation from all sides, which is, by strict procedure, not allowed in this political venue. Still, it summed up the sentiment of the day. This was a difficult call and it will continue to be until the bitter end.
The needs and wants of many groups were put on the back burner so that Calgary City council could go ahead and debate the viability of an Olympic bid. While they are an important consideration they are one of many priorities which governments and the chosen representatives of the people must weigh in order to enhance and protect the well-being of their constituents.
This is much more than a numbers game. It is about the allure of the Olympics and Paralympics and beyond that, what sport can potentially mean to this great community of ours. Because we are attracted by its overriding value, we must also consider sacrificing other valuable things.
"I wanted to be able to talk about a vision for the Games," Moran told me afterwards. "But I thought what they wanted was the numbers, the dollars and cents. We have work to do in the coming days but I believe we can deliver the best ever Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to the people of Calgary and Canada."
I left City Hall exhausted but enriched by the process. I was inspired by the fact that these representatives of the people cared so much about this question. They dared not to leave any stone unturned.
Calgarians, it seems to me, revere their Olympic history. I'm convinced they want to get this right. They need to. The future of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games – as well as the important place this kind of sport has in our country – depends on it.
Now, it's up to the people.