The prospective bid to have Calgary host the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games would see events held outside the city and the bid corporation has begun addressing the other communities on their planned involvement.
Members of Calgary’s Olympic bid corporation made an appearance in Canmore on Tuesday to pitch their proposal to town council and Bow Valley residents. The plan includes the modification of the Canmore Nordic Centre to host the biathlon and cross-country skiing events, as it did during the 1988 Olympics, and the creation of a new athletes village that will become affordable housing following the conclusion of the games.
Unlike Calgary, Canmore has not planned a plebiscite to gauge public interest in the town’s potential involvement in hosting the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games but one councillor is pushing for a public hearing to allow residents an opportunity to have their say.
Canmore resident Arlene Henry says the community should have a vote in the matter but is in favour of her town hosting Olympic events.
“We have such a beautiful little mountain town that would be so beautiful as a backdrop for the skiing and we have the Nordic Centre already and we’re close to Calgary,” said Henry. “We have people from all over the world coming here anyway but bringing the Olympics here would bring more focus to our town and have it shine even more.”
Canmore town council is scheduled to vote on whether to back a hosting bid on November 6.
In addition to Canmore, Kanananskis and Whistler have been earmarked to potentially host events should Calgary submit a hosting bid and be granted the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
With files from CTV’s Jordan Kanygin
