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March 1, 2018

Should Calgary consider bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games?

Experts to weigh in on implications of hosting Olympics, at March 6 event hosted by Graduate College
Everyone is welcome to attend the panel discussion Reimagining Winter Olympic and Paralympic Bids for the 21st Century, slated for March 6 at Mac Hall.

Panel discussion Reimagining Winter Olympic and Paralympic Bids for the 21st Century poster.

University of Calgary Graduate College

Olympic fever has heated up more than a few conversations about Calgary’s potential bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in recent weeks. Many Calgarians have entertained the question: Should Calgary consider bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games?

To help bring clarity to the conversation, the University of Calgary’s Graduate College has invited a panel of experts to campus to discuss the potential bid, and the broader implications of hosting Olympic Games in general.

Simon Barrick, a member of the Graduate College, will chair the panel discussion. He says, “Our vision for the event is the panel will engage in a robust discussion about what factors should go into the bid.â€

Panel members are:

  • Erica Wiebe, 2016 Olympic gold medallist
  • Dr. Roger Jackson, professor emeritus, Faculty of Kinesiology
  • Dru Farrell, City of Calgary councillor, Ward 7
  • Dr. David Legg, professor, Mount Royal University
  • Barry Heck, president and  CEO, WinSport

Barrick says the panellists will discuss considerations that are important in designing a bid that enriches communities and the lives of local residents, while also contributing to the areas of civic engagement and pride, economic growth, sustainable development, infrastructure, social well-being, health, and sport participation. The event will include opening statements, discussion within the panel, and questions from the audience.

´ºÉ«Ö±²¥â€™s Graduate College, in its third year of existence, brings together graduate and post-degree professional students from across the University of Calgary into a community of like-minded, interdisciplinary leaders. Its vision is to connect, enrich, and energize the various communities it serves. Read more about the