Scott Hutcheson carries a volunteer medal from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary with him these days.

His parents, Bob and Jane, relocated from Ontario for a month to donate their time at the Nakiska alpine ski venue during those games.

Bob recently sent the medal to his son, who hopes Calgarians feel its value as much as he does when they vote Tuesday in a plebiscite on whether or not they want the city to bid on the 2026 Winter Games.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 about,B次元官网网址� Hutcheson said Monday. B次元官网网址淕iving your spirit, giving your all to a community. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what he did.B次元官网网址�

The board chair of the bid corporation Calgary 2026 feels the plebiscite will be a close race between those who want to host another Winter Games eight years from now, and those who donB次元官网网址檛.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 a jump ball,B次元官网网址� Hutcheson said. B次元官网网址淒epends who votes, depends who gets out.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE:

The result may be non-binding on a Calgary city council that has the final say on a bid, but it will heavily influence its decision.

B次元官网网址淰ote, regardless of where you stand,B次元官网网址� Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi said. B次元官网网址滾etB次元官网网址檚 make sure thereB次元官网网址檚 a really high voter turnout so thereB次元官网网址檚 an unambiguous decision on this.

B次元官网网址淚 hope people vote B次元官网网址榶esB次元官网网址�. I think there are many, many great reasons to keep this process going and to not let this opportunity pass us by.B次元官网网址�

The cauldron atop the Calgary Tower began igniting last week at 8:26 p.m. for 20 minutes 26 seconds. The tower is a symbol of the B次元官网网址�88 Olympics, as the relay torch was a replica of it.

The tower is an asset in HutchesonB次元官网网址檚 commercial real estate company, but the former national alpine team skier says heB次元官网网址檚 not using it to ignite B次元官网网址�88 nostalgia in Calgarians to favour another bid.

The pro-bid Calgary Hotel Association is sponsoring the lighting of the tower in the run-up to the plebiscite, as well as cauldrons at WinSport and the Olympic Oval, he said.

Calgary 2026B次元官网网址檚 mandate is to B次元官网网址減romote a responsible bid.B次元官网网址�

It became easier to do that, Hutcheson said, after the proposed cost-sharing agreement between the three orders of government became public less than two weeks ago.

B次元官网网址淭he bid is understood. That momentum is exciting, but itB次元官网网址檚 late,B次元官网网址� he acknowledged. B次元官网网址淚f it were done three months ago, it would have left way more time to talk about what this means from an investment standpoint.B次元官网网址�

In an estimated $5.1 billion total price tag, the federal government has committed $1.45 billion and the province $700 million.

The cityB次元官网网址檚 share would be $390 million. Hutcheson wants Calgarians to see it as a small investment for a big return.

B次元官网网址淚 never expected this small an investment to work from our city at $390 million,B次元官网网址� Hutcheson said. B次元官网网址淚 never expected theyB次元官网网址檇 put that little an amount in and weB次元官网网址檇 be able to get the federal government and the province both in for a remarkable number that works. This deal to me is way better than what I would have pencilled in months ago.

B次元官网网址淚 respect that not everybody is going to want to vote B次元官网网址榶es.B次元官网网址� But I would ask those that vote B次元官网网址榥oB次元官网网址� to make sure they have another community project in their mind that will make a difference. B次元官网网址楴oB次元官网网址� doesnB次元官网网址檛 build a community.B次元官网网址�

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on