Party like it's 1988: Calgary celebrates Olympic anniversary
The air was thick with nostalgia as hundreds of people gathered at Calgary's Canada Olympic Park to celebrate the anniversary Wednesday night of the 1988 Winter Olympics.
With '80s music blaring from the speakers, many of the spectators at the public event called Celebrate '88 wore their old blue-and-white volunteer jackets or torch-runner outfits.
"Oh sure, lots of people wearing the same jackets," said one woman. "Found my name on the wall in the room as well and took pictures."
"A nice way to get back together, and re-celebrate and a reminder how much the Olympics in Calgary meant to this city and what it did for the city," a man told CBC News. "It's fantastic."
Fireworks flew into the air from the top of the hill as a group of skiers holding the ubiquitous red mini-torches from the Games made their way down the slope at Canada Olympic Park.
Several retired athletes passed a torch to each other as Canadian composer David Foster played his 1988 Olympic theme song on a grand piano.
The torch was passed to two aspiring Olympians to light a cauldron. They included Red Deer resident Regan Lauscher, who hopes to make it to the luge event at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
The crowd gave a rousing reception to Canadian athletes Elizabeth Manley and Brian Orser, who both won silver medals in women's and men's figure skating, respectively, at the '88 Games, as well as speedskater Gaetan Boucher.
Former British Olympic ski jumper Eddie (the Eagle) Edwards, who endeared fans with his thick glasses and Herculean efforts, but was never close to medal contention, took the opportunity to set the record straight on the Calgary stage.
"But I didn't come last as everybody remembers because a Frenchman broke his leg the day before, so I came in 58th of 59," he told the crowd with a characteristic big grin. "But it was fantastic taking part."
Medal memories
The memories of 20 years ago are still fresh for many Calgarians.
"I remember riding the C-Train for the first time, coming down here and some lady handing me one of those lit candles, sort of the mini-torches for the opening night coming down here to Olympic Plaza," said Shane Moore.
"Actually last night, I was at my parents' house and we cracked out the VHS of the opening ceremonies," said Kevin Chaney.
Canadian athletes won only five medals at the Games, but organizers said the 16-day event was the catalyst for the Canadian medals won in subsequent Winter Olympics.
Bill Warren, former president of the Canadian Olympic Association who helped bring the Games to Calgary, said 21 of Canada's 24 medals at the 2006 Torino Olympics came from athletes who have some connection to Calgary.
"You've often heard people say Calgary is the winter sports capital of Canada," said Warren. "I think a case can be made that Calgary is the winter sports capital in the world."