Calgary learned it had been awarded the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in 1983. Shortly after, the Olympic Committee began their search for the ideal site to host the alpine events. Mount Shark and Mount Sparrowhawk were early favourites, but Mount Allen in Kananaskis Country was ultimately chosen. In the end Mount Allen checked more boxes, in particular it met FIS (International Ski Federation) regulations, already had some infrastructure in place (such as roads and utilities), and was the closest option to Calgary. Organizers also wanted it to be used recreationally after the Olympics had concluded, so that factored into the final decision.
Construction began in earnest to prepare for the coming Games. In 1985 the ski area was bestowed with the Cree name ‘Nakiska’, which translates to ‘meeting place’, a fitting moniker, especially with the official slogan being, “come together in Calgary”. In the fall of 1986 Nakiska opened to the public for skiing. It had three aptly named chairlifts (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) and 30 runs. They also temporarily installed the Olympic Platter above the Gold Chair for the sole purpose of transporting athletes and officials to the top of the men’s downhill. That lift was removed after the Olympics to minimize impacts to the resident Rocky Mountain Sheep population.
The next test was playing host to World Cup races, an Olympic precursor used to gauge the viability of the slopes, the course, and the hosts. With a little help from the snowmaking machines, Nakiska passed and the FIS granted their approval. The alpine events for the ‘88 Winter Games would go on as scheduled in two year’s time.
Final preparations prior to the Games included the installation of the Olympic Chair and the construction of more than 30 km of water pipelines and 246 snowmaking hydrants. Olympic organizers didn’t want to rely solely on Mother Nature to provide the snow, so they built-in a backup to ensure the events would happen regardless of how much natural snow was on the ground.
Overall the alpine events went smoothly, albeit with some interruptions from the wind. Banff resident, Karen Percy, was the hometown favourite and won the crowd with her bronze-medal performances in the Ladies Downhill and Super G events.
During the closing ceremonies International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch proudly declared that the Calgary Olympics was, “the most successful Olympic Games ever”. That statement was a feather in the proverbial cowboy hat of organizers, volunteers, and all of those that made the 1988 Olympic Games a roaring success.
Today Nakiska Ski Area prides itself on being a family-friendly destination for budding skiers and snowboarders, while still providing terrain for their advanced clientele. They have also been the Alpine Canada National Training Centre since officially being appointed in 2008.
For similar stories please see my previous work including, Vintage Photographs of Skiing from Across Alberta, Vintage Photographs of Mount Norquay in Banff, Vintage Photos of Banff’s Sunshine Village, Historic Photos from Marmot Basin, and Old Photographs from Fortress Mountain Ski Resort.
The photos above were collected from Archives Canada. If you’re interested, additional information can be found for 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.
