As someone who’s passionate about Olympic athletes and sport, one would think I’d be excited about the prospec of Toronto possibly getting the 2015 Pan Am Games when they’re awarded today.
And I am. But I’m also a bit nervous. Because if these things aren’t well run, they can be a total disaster, both financially and in other ways, for a host city.
One thing that gave me some hope when bid leader David Peterson came to the Toronto Star recently to talk to the editorial board was the picture he painted of facilities like the proposed swimming complex having Michael Phelps doing laps in one pool and a bunch of kids frolicking in the other.
Now, unless he’s even more of a wunderkind than we’ve already seen, Phelps won’t be a competitor by then. But that concept of having the infrastructure created for the Games serving the youth and public in Toronto is the most exciting aspect of the bid.
We do need facilities really badly in this city – yes, for high performance sport but much more importantly for the kids and the community. With the right vision and people involved – which is never a certainty with these things – then the possibility for something really special is there.
I saw that at the Richmond Olympic Oval in June, where our top speed skaters like Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes and Kristina Groves, were training on and off the ice in the stunning building, while parents and kids were also enjoying the facilities. I’ve seen the same thing at the Olympic Oval on the University of Calgary campus.
But the Richmond Oval won’t be a speed skating facility post Olympics because it’s not sustainable as such. It will be a community centre – and an incredible one at that. It's smart planning.
The sad part is that the Olympic Oval in Calgary, which is a huge part of the reason we’re a world power in the sport, is in danger of shutting down. It not longer looks financially viable.
The legacy fund there has taken a big hit and there’s much concern about the future – the speed skating team had to battle to have it open for much needed training this summer (more on this issue in a future post).
Peterson says there is a plan already in place to manage the facilities in Toronto. He also talked about plans to have kids participate in all kinds of Pan Am tournaments leading to the Games and giving out all kinds of free tickets to youth through different programs, as well as other initiatives. He seemed passionate about it.
The Pan Ams are a different kettle of fish. These aren’t the Olympics. It’s a B-rated – and sometimes C or D-rated affair – when it comes to attracting the top athletes. But that’s not what it’s all about.
As Peterson stated: “It’s worth what you make it. It’s worth nothing or it’s worth everything.”
Won’t quibble with that. Here’s hoping Toronto gets the nod and the city does this thing up right – for the kids and the community. We need this kind of athletic boost.
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