I remember 1988; well some of it anyway. The torch on top of the Calgary Tower was big and bright. The Jamaican bobsled team was a real thing, and everybody wanted them to win. Hidy and Howdy visited our elementary school which was exciting. Even at eight years old, I could feel the wave of excitement and pride, and the sense that our city had finally made it onto the world stage.

It is easy to be nostalgic about ’88. Calgarians came together to do something far more challenging, complex and demanding than anything the city had done before. The world was treated to an outstanding Olympic Games, and they got to see what Calgary’s civic spirit really looks like. We even made money and retained an amazing legacy of facilities and infrastructure!

Now we’re considering doing it again.

There is no doubt that if we bid for the 2026 Olympics, we are well positioned to win. But the question today is: Should we bid? Nostalgia should not be the basis for that decision — this is not 1988. Costs are way up and revenue opportunities are down. Purse strings have tightened. International sport is rife with mistrust and scandal. Calgarians are justifiably unsure whether 2026 represents the same opportunity as 1988.

This is the debate I must oversee as the new chair of City Council’s Olympic Committee. Our job is to dispassionately and impartially explore the options, seek out the minefields, lay out the risks and opportunities for Calgarians, because within the year you will decide whether or not we submit an Olympic bid. Our job is to provide you with all the information you need to make this important decision, and keep the train rolling so that if you decide to proceed, we are ready. It’s an immense undertaking, and time for us on the committee to roll up our sleeves and get to it.

Here’s what we need to do:

1. Engage with you. You will vote on a plebiscite for the 2026 Olympics, but that can’t be your only role. We need your experience, insight and feedback as we explore a potential bid. Many of you volunteered in 1988, and some went on to attend, volunteer or work for other Olympic Games around the world. You know when this works, and when it doesn’t.

2. Be open with you. Calgarians rightly expect this process to be open and transparent. Only if we are honest about the nuts and bolts of this potential bid will we as a city be able to make the right decision, based on evidence, reason and common sense.

3. Determine the financial viability of hosting the Games. At a high level, it’s estimated the Olympics will cost $4.6 billion. That’s a hefty price tag. We need to talk about the pitfalls of debt, potential white elephants, delays and overruns, and unpredictable social costs, and contrast these to potential benefits to our infrastructure, businesses, investment climate and tourism. We need to supply Calgarians with the information to answer a simple question: Can we afford this?

4. Get the plebiscite right. You will decide whether or not we make a bid for the 2026 Olympics. It’s our job to arm you with the best possible evidence and insight, and to ensure the plebiscite question is straightforward and unbiased.

5. Co-operate with the provincial and federal government. We need to know that our partners in Edmonton and Ottawa are willing to share in the costs and risks as well. This is Calgary’s decision, but if we go ahead, we all need to pull together to build the best possible bid.

City Council’s Olympic Committee will be diligent, meticulous, and tireless in our pursuit of clear answers. We will do all of this in the spirit of transparency. We are committed to putting you in the best possible position to make this decision.

My son will be nearly eight years old in 2026, the same age I was in 1988. I’d love for him to see the Calgary Tower’s Olympic flame light up the winter prairie sky; to watch Canada’s athletes compete in new as well as refurbished sports complexes; to high-five Hidy and Howdy 2.0. Maybe more than anything, I’d love to say to him a couple months later, “And get this: we did it on-budget.”

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But if we don’t think that can happen? Let’s be OK with saying no. I know that whether or not we pursue a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics, the costs and benefits are his and his generation’s to bear. And concern for the future of their city says tread carefully, thoughtfully and methodically. As Calgarians, let’s be committed to doing all of our homework and trusting in the collective wisdom of our neighbours when we vote.

If the answer is yes, then let’s ensure we put our best foot forward. If the answer is no, then let’s be OK with saying no, and continue our work building a great city.

Evan Woolley is a Calgary City Councillor and chair of City Council’s Olympic Committee.

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