Olympic Dream Dead

[badger]

Originally Posted by muirsy

You mustn't have kids who are among the thousands who use that big "toboggan" hill called COP/WinSport that was created because of something that happened 30 years ago.

Paskapoo operated for decades before 1988.

The olympic athletes are sad. Personally I would like the taxpayers to foot the bill to the tune of billions for facilities and millions every year on my highly specialized sporting activities and hobbies. Personally I would like an indoor velodrome, maybe 100 people in Alberta would use it but it's useful to me so taxpayers should build it.

How many people do recreational bobsledding, biathlon, or ski jumping? Every four years we might show an interest for 2 weeks about niche sports, it sure isn't worth thousands of dollars out of my pocket.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by muirsy

^ Another person who didn't grow up playing sports and who whines about tax dollars. Do better.

Troll much? You lost, man up and deal with it. Speaking of whining.....

When a team loses in sports there's a thing called 'sportsmanship', try displaying some.

[diamonddave]

Originally Posted by muirsy

^ Another person who didn't grow up playing sports and who whines about tax dollars. Do better.

/\ /\ Another person who has their hand out to the gov't,,, gimmy gimmy gimmy. Handouts from the Gov't comes from everybody's pocket. Why should we all pay for a useless bunch of facilities that to do nothing for the betterment of Alberta, and in fact are a detriment to an already dismal economy? I just don't get this mentality??

[Don_Parsons]

Maybe our tax dollars are better spent on a indoor long range shooting facility with a big pond of Walleyes so us sports-folks can reap the rewards for years to follow.

At least the 2 to 4 billion dollar investment will go to a good cause for us AO folks. Ha

Invest in our selves is not considered selfish is it.

[2big4u]

Originally Posted by badger

Paskapoo operated for decades before 1988.

The olympic athletes are sad. Personally I would like the taxpayers to foot the bill to the tune of billions for facilities and millions every year on my highly specialized sporting activities and hobbies. Personally I would like an indoor velodrome, maybe 100 people in Alberta would use it but it's useful to me so taxpayers should build it.

How many people do recreational bobsledding, biathlon, or ski jumping? Every four years we might show an interest for 2 weeks about niche sports, it sure isn't worth thousands of dollars out of my pocket.

This. I remember when Paskapoo was a SKI HILL. not a museum, concert hall, hockey rink etc. I like to throw cabers and rocks. Build me a stadium so 50 people can come watch me....

[Shepard..]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Troll much? You lost, man up and deal with it. Speaking of whining.....

When a team loses in sports there's a thing called 'sportsmanship', try displaying some.

Welcome to the entitled class. Contribute nothing meaningful to society, while wanting everything at the expense of others.

[260 Rem]

I support “sports” and I could go alon with the expenditure if it went to community level projects access the province that would benefit kids. I’m OK with watching the next Winter Olympics on TV.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by Shepard..

Welcome to the entitled class. Contribute nothing meaningful to society, while wanting everything at the expense of others.

I'd not go so far as to suggest he's not a productive member of society, its just the attitude that he's 'owed' his pet project at the expense of everyone else. It's not that different from the goofy art installations that the city insists on perpetuating; while few people like them at all the art community would blow a gasket if that program was scrapped. I'd drop that program in a heartbeat as my first act if I was elected mayor.

I'd probably have voted yes for the games bid if we had more competent Municipal/Provincial/Federal administrations. Maybe I'll vote for a 2030 bid if the economy is better and there is reasonable confidence in prosperity (ie: election outcome, federal in particular). Right now there simply isn't that confidence and money is tight. Telling your fellow citizens that they should ante up a couple of grand (that they might not even have) just so that your kids can play a certain sport is pretty arrogant. I don't insist on others funding my kids extra-curricular activities, they should reciprocate.

[Mr Flyguy]

Got a lot more respect for Calgarians now. Heck, might even root for them to win the Grey Cup

[Crankbait]

I have never been to, nor have anyone in my family or anyone I know, have set foot in a massive structure built for Speed Skating.

Go to a bank and pitch the idea for a loan on why you think a speed skating oval or a ski jump is a great idea and worth $100 million.

Let's go a bit further; some people received $30 million to promote something under the guise that we all benefit from the thing they want built so their daughter can watch them toboggan in 8 years time (I tobbagganed at Edworthy before they filled it in, and Turtle Hill). that $30 million went to a few pricey dinner at La Chamierre and 10,000 plastic placards with a word printed YES.

Ok, and being a hunting/fishing forum; let's say Trout Unlimited got the $30 million and used it to improve willow growth on the SSR, NSR, Bow and Oldman with some left over for improved trails and anti erosion measures.

That 30 million would actually be used by tourists, cyclists, mountain bikers, seniors with walkers or in wheel chairs, flyguides, bird watchers, hikers, fishermen, photographers, special needs, first kisses, weddings, boaters, skinny dippers, the homeless, kindergartners, kids burning ants with magnifying glasses or catching frogs or whatever. Everybody uses a pathway along the rivers we have... I will repeat that EVERYBODY USES THE PATHWAYS. It's not exclusive to a speed skater or a tobagganer or a person who likes to jump a long way for a six figure salary.

The best seats at the 88 Oly Games were pretty much snatched up by an insider group pushing Yes, Yes, Yes.

I'm not anti skiing or anti skating but without expletives,, we have like 10 hills already a stones throw away and more ponds and lakes for free skating for 8 months of the year.

So I'll close with this; My heart is heavy for a tobagganer who will still get to toboggan somewhere and catch a nasty STD that our health system will have to address upon her return.

[JeanCretien]

Thank you Calgary for standing up to the professional lobbyists that make there livings doing these bids and running off with the dough.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[omega50]

Can the instigators of Yes be sued for costs?

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by Crankbait

That 30 million would actually be used by tourists, cyclists, mountain bikers, seniors with walkers or in wheel chairs, flyguides, bird watchers, hikers, fishermen, photographers, special needs, first kisses, weddings, boaters, skinny dippers, the homeless, kindergartners, kids burning ants with magnifying glasses or catching frogs or whatever. Everybody uses a pathway along the rivers we have... I will repeat that EVERYBODY USES THE PATHWAYS. It's not exclusive to a speed skater or a tobagganer or a person who likes to jump a long way for a six figure salary.

You can sway the stats anyway you'd like. But I can just as easily say, why go as low as $30 million, a $500 million Next Center would actually be used by tourists, seniors with walkers or in wheel chairs, photographs, special needs, kindergartners, families, sporting fans, for concerts, special events, monster truck rallies, boxing matches, wrestling matches, MMA events, by corporations or whatever. I'm from out of town, so I've never visited Calgary to walk along the pathways and likely never will, but I have been in the Saddledome multiple times. The majority of winter Olympic events centers are not limited to an incredibly small portion of the population. Yes, some are, not alot of people bobsled, luge, or skeleton, but skiing, curling, skating, and snow boarding are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people.

Also, I'm pretty sure long jumpers don't earn $100k a year. I couldn't find long jump athletes specifically, but from the CBC regarding winter Olympians: "A senior card is now worth $1,765 a month for a $265 increase. Development card athletes get $1,060, which is a top-up of $160.". Link

[Crankbait]

Originally Posted by Trochu

You can sway the stats anyway you'd like. But I can just as easily say, why go as low as $30 million, a $500 million Next Center would actually be used by tourists, seniors with walkers or in wheel chairs, photographs, special needs, kindergartners, families, sporting fans, for concerts, special events, monster truck rallies, boxing matches, wrestling matches, MMA events, by corporations or whatever. I'm from out of town, so I've never visited Calgary to walk along the pathways and likely never will, but I have been in the Saddledome multiple times. The majority of winter Olympic events centers are not limited to an incredibly small portion of the population. Yes, some are, not alot of people bobsled, luge, or skeleton, but skiing, curling, skating, and snow boarding are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of people.

Also, I'm pretty sure long jumpers don't earn $100k a year. I couldn't find long jump athletes specifically, but from the CBC regarding winter Olympians: "A senior card is now worth $1,765 a month for a $265 increase. Development card athletes get $1,060, which is a top-up of $160.". Link

Sure, but the bill isn't 500 million sheckles, it's around 8 times that and then add 25% of that for over run. If the total bill for the Oly's was $500 million, it would have been a yes across the board. Besides, I was talking about the exorbitant cost of "Volunteers" pushing the yes side, of which not one came a knockin or ringin me up. Of course, I don't live in Mount Royal, so why would I expect as much.

[Crankbait]

Originally Posted by Trochu

I'm from out of town, so I've never visited Calgary to walk along the pathways and likely never will[/URL]

I did include the NSR, SSR and Oldman.

Do you Fish?

I can send you a few holes to cast a line in the Bow that will give you a bigger bang for your buck than a ten dollar brew of coors draught.

And, if anyone gets paid whatever to jump or go sledding or shoot a pellet gun after cross country skiing a bit, they can get their pay cheque from someone else. Just a random thought, but how does one work that into a resume;

"Dear Mr. Power Engineering Company,
The strengths I can bring to the company is jumping, I can jump and sometimes far. My weakness is sometimes I fall over after landing from jumping, but I can jump really good as long as it isn't too foggy, then I'm a weak jumper, but an honest weak jumper. I'd also like to recommend my friend to work here too, he likes tobogganing. I look forward to the opportunity to prove my work ethic by jumping and landing with your company."

[Crankbait]

Originally Posted by muirsy

You mustn't have kids who are among the thousands who use that big "toboggan" hill called COP/WinSport that was created because of something that happened 30 years ago.

weird, I learned to ski there years before we bid for the 88 Oly's.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by Crankbait

weird, I learned to ski there years before we bid for the 88 Oly's.

I learned to ski at Paskapoo back when the bindings on the rental skis clamped to the boots from the sides...

[roper1]

Fairly resounding NO. Bit of a surprise given the big budget promo & big guns trotted out to sway to a yes. Proud of Calgarians voting with their brains. Nenshi hearing footsteps ??