It is said to be the fastest ice cream in the world, but it is on borrowed time.
The Calgary Olympic Oval is a legacy of the city’s 1988 Winter Games and the oldest of three indoor speed skating ovals in Canada.
The building, which celebrates its 38th anniversary this year, has been an international sports, academic and community center well beyond its intended life cycle.
Speed skaters who trained there have produced 36 Olympic medals, with Catriona Le May Doan, Cindy Klassen, Clara Hughes and Denny Morrison among the alumni.
Members of the Canadian national long track speed skating team gather for a photo opportunity at the Olympic Oval in Calgary as they prepare to compete in the World Cup speed skating event in the ISU which will take place later this month.
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The Olympic Oval’s ability to make ice is nearing the end of its useful life as brine leaks multiply between the 400 pipe connections beneath its vast floor.
“Anything that can be maintained, we’ve done it,” said Oval manager Mark Messer, who has worked at the facility since its inception.
“The only way to solve this problem is to replace the floor. This is the most urgent. If we can’t make ice, we’re not an ice building.
“We have more leaks now, so it’s only a matter of time before we have a catastrophic failure and can’t make ice anymore.”
The Oval will once again attract the world’s fastest skaters, Friday through Sunday, for one of the many World Cups it has hosted over the years, in addition to more than a dozen world championships.
Two Olympic medalists on Canada’s long track team are concerned about an ice problem ahead of next year’s Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
“We are not even sure that the ice system will hold up until we leave for the next Games,” declared Ivanie Blondin.
“It’s hanging by a thread right now. It’s certainly an uncomfortable feeling for all athletes.
Teammate Isabelle Weidemann said: “It breaks my heart a little bit that Mark Messer and his team of guys on this maintenance crew are working so hard to limp forward.
“He’s definitely on the team that we may not make it to 2026. The fact that we may not even make it is really crushing.”
An estimated $60 million in repairs are needed to the Olympic Oval’s extensive cooling system to extend the life of the facility.
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Nearly a dozen players from Canada’s Olympic women’s hockey teams, including Hayley Wickenheiser, played club hockey at the Oval.
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More than 300 speed skating world records have been set in Calgary by Canadian and international skaters, although the younger oval in Salt Lake City recently gained the upper hand in the long-running competition between the two venues for the title fastest ice cream in the world.
The Oval, completed in 1987, was built on the University of Calgary campus for $40 million.
It funds its operations through an endowment established in 1988, with about $1 million a year coming from the university and revenue it generates through programs such as learn-to-skate sessions and summer events like car shows and basketball tournaments.
However, there is not enough money for major capital improvements, and there is a large bill to pay.
Funds from the provincial and federal governments are now being sought for a $60 million renovation that includes, among other things, floor replacement, ice plant upgrades, a new running track and improved accessibility for people disabled.
“For us to complete our 37th year is remarkable,” Messer said. “We were built as a 25-year-old building. My main priority now is to keep the building running for another 35 years.
“We are lobbying hard with our federal and provincial governments because no one in the private sector wants to step in and do this.”
Alberta Sports Minister Joseph Schow lobbied the federal government to co-fund the renovation.
“The Oval has been an important part of sporting infrastructure for almost four decades and is a legacy of the 1988 Olympic Games.
Minister Schow has been calling on the federal government to recognize the importance of the Oval and co-invest in its repairs since it first entered the Tourism and Sport portfolio in June 2023, and we do not We have yet to see any progress,” said a statement from Schow’s office.
“The Alberta government will continue to pressure this stagnant federal government to partner with the province to preserve the legacy of the 1988 Olympic Games.”
Nicknamed “the fastest ice in the world,” the Calgary Olympic Oval was originally built for the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Courtesy: CBC Sports
The Calgary Oval’s location on the university campus contributes to its financial viability, but makes applying for government funding more complex.
A statement from the office of new federal Sports Minister Terry Duguid says that due to the Oval’s unique ownership structure, it is not eligible for certain infrastructure grants.
“The Olympic Oval is a vital part of Canada’s sporting heritage, and we understand its importance to Calgary’s athletes and community,” the statement said. “We remain committed to finding solutions to ensure the Oval continues to serve Canadians for years to come.” »
The Intact Assurance Ice Center in Quebec, opened in 2021 at a cost of $68.7 million, has hosted international speed skating competitions. The $44 million Pomeroy Sports Center in Fort St. John, British Columbia, opened in 2010.
The $178 million Richmond Oval, built for the 2010 Olympics in British Columbia, did not retain long-track ice but was reconfigured for multi-use.
Originally built at a cost of $40 million for the 1988 Olympics, a growing number of leaks in the facility’s cooling system means it requires repairs worth an estimated $60 million. dollars.
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Selling the naming rights to the Calgary Oval could help cover operational costs, but would not provide enough money for the overhaul it needs now, said Messer, who was also reluctant to part with the naming “Olympic” Ring in its name.
“We have an international reputation,” he said. “If we get the building title and sell a title sponsor for the building, we can never be called the Olympic Oval again. We won’t get $60 million for naming rights.
Both Blondin and Weidemann moved from Ottawa to Calgary years ago to train at the Oval.
They are aware that a place that is like a second home to them and that contributed to Canada’s success at the Winter Olympics is at a crossroads.
“Losing the ice here would be devastating for everyone,” Blondin said.