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Together, they represent the debate that divides Torontonians as the clock ticks down to the Tuesday deadline for Mayor John Tory to sign off on an official letter of interest to the International Olympic Committee.

Or not.

“I am a pro-sport person,” says Tanner, who captured two silvers and a bronze at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. “But there are other big-time sporting events — like the worlds in swimming or the world track and field games or the worlds in skating, to name a few — that Toronto could go after with no big-dollar budgets.

“With so many social issues to address, cutbacks in critical services in the GTA and Ontario the $15-$30 billion costs for a big splash to benefit only the few does not make economic sense.”

Tanner lives in Collingwood, Ont. in the summer and fall, and she winters in White Rock, B.C.

“History has shown us over the decades with the Olympics that only the special-interest groups and IOC benefit,” she says. “There is a lot of smoke and mirrors in their passionate sales pitch about how we all will benefit. I have seen what happened to Vancouver, my hometown and province – so be very wary Toronto.”

Tewksbury, of Calgary, just returned from a holiday in Barcelona, the same city where he won Olympic gold in the 100-metre backstroke at the 1992 Summer Games.

Barcelona is largely seen as the poster child for a Summer Olympics gone right.

“Barcelona shows what smart civic planning can do for a city after the Games,” Tewksbury says. “I remember going to Barcelona many times before the Olympics. It was a city that was run down and it certainly doesn’t have the tourist reputation that it does today.