The Canmore Nordic Centre was born out of Calgary’s role as host of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Originally constructed in the mid-1980s just west of the town of Canmore, it was chosen as the venue for the cross-country skiing, biathlon, and Nordic combined events due to its reliable winter conditions and spectacular mountain setting, replacing an earlier planned site at Bragg Creek. A purpose-built trail system, day lodge, and competition infrastructure were developed so international athletes could compete at the highest level. The venue opened in time for the Games in February 1988. It marked one of the earliest facilities of its kind in North America, featuring innovative snowmaking and professionally designed courses to meet Olympic standards.
Following the Olympics, the Nordic Centre transitioned from a one-time Games site to a world-class, year-round training and recreation destination. In the 1990s and early 2000s its trail network expanded well beyond the original Olympic courses, and substantial redevelopment completed in 2008 brought competition and biathlon facilities back to full international standards, allowing the Centre to host World Cup events and national championships.
Today, as Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, it offers more than 60-kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails, lit loops for night skiing, and a major biathlon range in winter, while in summer the same terrain becomes a hub for mountain biking, trail running, disc golf, and hiking. It also continues to serve as a training home for Canada’s national ski and biathlon teams, while welcoming recreational visitors from around the world who come to enjoy its trails and the Rocky Mountain landscape.
For even more Olympic content, please see these previous stories: Old Photographs from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and Old Photographs from the Nakiska Ski Hill.
The photos above were collected from Archives Canada. For more information, you can find additional details about each photograph on their website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from across Alberta and Western Canada. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
