Hello From Calgary Exploring C.o.p. canada Olympic Park
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Travel Leisure -> subcategory Vacations.
Exploring Canada Olympic Park: A Calgary Adventure
Introduction
During our exciting tour guided by Jocelyne Morrison from Time Out for Touring, we explored Alberta’s second most popular attraction, Canada Olympic Park (COP). Drawing over 1.3 million visitors annually, this park was the central hub for the 1988 Winter Olympics hosted in Calgary. Conveniently located just 15 minutes from downtown, it stands as a gateway to the majestic Rocky Mountains.
What Makes Canada Olympic Park Special?
Canada Olympic Park operates year-round as a versatile facility for competitions, training, and recreational activities. In winter, the park attracts nearly 300,000 skiers and snowboarders and hosts the country’s second-largest snow academy offering lessons for all levels. In summer, it transforms into a mountain biking haven with over 25 kilometers of trails, an obstacle course, a trials park, and facilities for BMX bikers and freeriders.
Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum
We began our journey at the Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum, a treasure trove of Olympic-themed exhibits. It’s the only Canadian museum dedicated entirely to the Olympic Games, and the largest in North America. With exhibits spanning two floors, it chronicles Canada’s participation in the Winter Games since 1924, including 20 of the 31 Olympic torches dating back to the 1936 Berlin Games.
Highlights include the Jamaican bobsleigh team’s sled from the 1988 Olympics, the inspiration for the movie "Cool Runnings," a 1956 hockey jacket that influenced the 1988 Olympic attire, and medals from all 12 sports held in Calgary in 1988.
Snowboarding and the Ice House
For snowboarding enthusiasts, the Superpipe, opened in 2002, is the only one in Alberta with walls over 15 feet high. It serves as a training ground for Canadian athletes aiming for international competitions.
Jocelyne also led us to the Ice House, the world’s only indoor refrigerated track for luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton athletes. Here, cutting-edge technology with multiple cameras and timing mechanisms allows athletes to perfect their push-start techniques. The facility also attracts international teams for training.
Ice House Stats
- Length: 143 meters, nearly a football field
- Height: Four stories
- Cooling: 9 kilometers of steel piping
- Temperature: Constant -2 to -3 degrees Celsius
- Features: A monorail returns sleds for continuous training, video systems with DVD playback
Up the Hill and Beyond
Next, we toured the Olympic Bobsleigh Track, famous for the Jamaican team’s debut, still hosting World Cup events. Our journey continued to the 90-meter ski jump tower, the highest vantage point in Calgary. Though modern techniques have rendered it obsolete for longer jumps, the elevator ride to the observation level offered breathtaking views of downtown.
Jocelyne also shared that the park is an archaeological site, once a buffalo jump used by indigenous tribes for hunting.
Conclusion
Canada Olympic Park is not just a relic of past glory?"it’s an active training ground for future Olympians. With many athletes who shined in the 2006 Torino Olympics having trained here, Canada Olympic Park remains a symbol of Canadian sporting excellence and a promising venue for future champions.
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