Calgary, AB,
02
October
2018
|
15:13
America/Denver

City Launches Public Engagement on 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Potential Bid

Starting this week, The City is asking Calgarians to provide their feedback about whether or not The City should proceed with a bid to host the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (the Games).

City Council will consider a range of information before making a decision whether to support a potential bid, including public feedback, the results of Vote 2018, Calgary 2026’s Draft Hosting Plan Concept, and the City Secretariat’s analysis of that plan.

“Input from Calgarians – all Calgarians – is essential in reaching a well-informed decision as to whether, as a city, we should continue the bid process,” says Coun. Evan Woolley, Chair of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Assessment Committee.

The engagement program will run through to October 28, 2018. Calgarians can visit calgary.ca/2026Games to learn more about the opportunities, benefits, costs and risks of hosting the Games, download an engagement toolkit and provide their feedback. Six open houses are scheduled across the city, with additional pop-up events to be held in high-traffic areas throughout the month.

“We are making deliberate efforts to hear from youth, multi-cultural communities, the business community, Indigenous communities and citizens with diverse social, ethnic and economic backgrounds,” says Woolley. “We are committed to providing Calgarians with the information they need to provide their feedback and make an informed vote in November.”

A volunteer citizen committee is overseeing The City’s engagement program to ensure it is citizen-centric and balanced. The program will include select materials and events available in Calgary’s top three non-dominant languages: Tagalog, Punjabi and Traditional Chinese (Cantonese).

The idea began in 2016 when the Calgary Sport Tourism Authority (CSTA) recommended The City explore a bid to host the Games. The CSTA felt there were considerable benefits of bidding for and hosting the Games, and also saw the potential for the Games to align closely with The City’s long-term goals around economic opportunity, sport development, social development, and cultural enrichment.

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