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<\/p>\n\u201cThe Calgary Olympic Oval has produced an extraordinary and probably immeasurable number of Olympic medals, but also memories, heroes and beyond that, I understand you can fit more than a dozen volleyball courts in there. A lot of kids have learned how to skate here as well.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s a tremendously important asset to our community and our country.\u201d <\/p>\n
The oval on the University of Calgary campus was completed in 1987 for $40 million and was the Olympic speedskating venue the following year. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a community, university and high-performance athletic facility and the home of the national speedskating team for almost four decades.<\/p>\n
Canadian speedskaters who trained there have produced 40 Olympic medals, with Catriona Le May Doan, Cindy Klassen, Christine Nesbitt, Clara Hughes, Denny Morrison, Jeremy Wotherspoon, Isabelle Weidemann and Ivanie Blondin among its alumni.<\/p>\n
Almost a dozen players on Canada\u2019s Olympic women\u2019s hockey teams, including Hayley Wickenheiser, played club hockey at the oval.<\/p>\n
But the oval\u2019s ability to make ice is nearing end of its life because of brine leaks among the 400 aging pipe connections under its large floor. <\/p>\n
\u201cPeople came together to save this facility, and it would not have survived, and speedskating would have had to move out of Calgary,\u201d double Olympic gold medallist Weidemann said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that we get to continue the legacy that was grown from the \u201988 Olympics, I have chills. I\u2019m really overwhelmed by the community that\u2019s come together to save it.\u201d<\/p>\n
A new running track and improved accessibility for people using mobility aids are other oval needs, according to its director Mark Messer.<\/p>\n
Fundraising for another $13 million to complete those elements is ongoing, he said, but Monday\u2019s announcement means jackhammers can hit the floor in January of 2028 for what\u2019s expected to be a nine-month replacement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t really get at it until January of 2028 to do the floor, but that is a priority,\u201d said Messer, who has worked at the Oval since its inception. \u201cThat\u2019s where things are deteriorating rather quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis 52 (million), that\u2019ll save us. We know now we can do the project.\u201d <\/p>\n
The venue\u2019s location on the university campus had made applying for government funding complex because it was considered an educational institution. <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s been able to draw $26 million from the federal government\u2019s $51-billion \u201cBuild Communities Strong Fund\u201d for projects across the country, as well as matching provincial money.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis facility is truly a multi-sport facility. We have judo, volleyball, other competitions here,\u201d Alberta Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko said. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely worth investing in and keeping it going.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had it here since \u201988, and hopefully we\u2019ll have it here another 40, 50 years because having such a beautiful big building where people can come and do all these events and competitions is so important for Calgary, the province and for Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n
Added van Koeverden: \u201cI\u2019ve been meeting with Minister Boitchenko for the last year or so. In those engagements, we\u2019ve talked about the most important investments that we are going to collectively make in sport and the Calgary Olympic Oval has been top among those priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dubbed \u201cthe fastest ice in the world\u201d with help from Calgary\u2019s altitude and dry climate, over 300 speedskating world records have been set in Calgary by Canadian and international skaters. <\/p>\n
But Salt Lake City\u2019s younger oval has recently gained the upper hand in the long-standing contest between the two venues for world records.<\/p>\n
Calgary\u2019s is the oldest of Canada\u2019s three indoor ovals. <\/p>\n
Quebec City\u2019s Centre de Glaces Intact Assurance, which opened in 2021 for $68.7 million, has hosted international speedskating competitions.<\/p>\n
The $44-million Pomeroy Sport Centre in Fort St. John, B.C. opened in 2010.<\/p>\n
The feds will also invest just over $4 million into snowboard facilities in Quebec, Yukon and Alberta, and $3.65 million into ski racing facilities in Alberta and B.C.<\/p>\n
The Athlete Assistance Program, or \u201ccarding\u201d, envelope increased to $43 million annually for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, who each currently receive about $2,175 monthly.<\/p>\n
About 1,900 athletes in more than 90 sport disciplines are approved for AAP annually.<\/p>\n
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2026.<\/p>\n
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cThe Calgary Olympic Oval has produced an extraordinary and probably immeasurable number of Olympic medals, but also memories,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":830073,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194293],"tags":[49,2798,48],"class_list":["post-830072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-calgary","tag-ca","tag-calgary","tag-canada"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/830072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=830072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/830072\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/830073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=830072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=830072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=830072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}