CALGARY - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 454

MM CANADA OLYMPIC PARK
The 1988 Winter Olympic Games are remembered for many things, but particularly a
bobsled team from Jamaica, the antics of English plumber/ski-jumper “Eddie the Eagle,”
and most of all for their success. This 95-hectare (235-acre) park (403/247-5452,
www.winsportcanada.ca ) on the south side of the TransCanada Highway on the western
outskirts of the city is the legacy Calgarians get to enjoy year-round. It was developed es-
pecially for the Paralympics and the ski-jumping, luge, bobsled, and freestyle skiing events
of the games. Now the park offers activities year-round, including tours of the facilities,
luge rides, summer ski-jumping, and sports training camps. In winter, the beginner/inter-
mediate runs are filled with locals who are able to hit the snow as early as November with
the help of a complex snowmaking system. Many ski-jumping, bobsled, and luge events
of national and international standard are held here throughout the winter.
Canada Sports Hall of Fame
This Hall of Fame devoted to Canada's best athletes (10am-5pm Tues.-Sun., adult $12,
senior $10, child $8) features 12 galleries highlighting the achievements of over 50 sport-
ing stars. As you may expect, the center is dominated by winter-sport athletes from all dis-
ciplines, but there are also tributes to Calgarians such as “Doc” Seaman, who contributed
millions of dollars to minor hockey development.
Ski-Jumping, Luge, and Bobsled Facilities
Visible from throughout the city are the 70- and 90-meter (230- and 295-foot) ski-jump
towers, synonymous with the Winter Olympic Games. These two jumps are still used for
national and international competitions and training. A glass-enclosed elevator rises to the
observation level. The jump complex has three additional jumps of 15, 30, and 50 meters
(49, 98, and 164 feet), which are used for junior competitions and training. All but the
90-meter (295-foot) jump have plastic-surfaced landing strips and are used during sum-
mer.
At the western end of the park are the luge and bobsled tracks. A complex refrigeration
system keeps the tracks usable even on relatively hot days (up to 28°C/80°F). At the bot-
tom of the hill is the Ice House, home to the National Sliding Centre, the world's only
year-round facility where athletes can practice their dynamic starts for luge, bobsled, and
skeleton. Self-guided tours (10am-5pm daily mid-May-Sept.) cost $20 per person.