Calgary lights up to raise awareness about plebiscite
Posted Nov 8, 2018 5:41 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – Tourism Calgary has arranged to have some Olympic landmarks light up over the next few days in hopes of raising awareness about the city’s plebiscite.
In less than a week, Calgarians will be going to the polls to decide whether the city is interested in putting forth a bid for the 2026 Olympic Games. There are only two other cities in the running.
Calgary’s three Olympic cauldrons will be lit for 20 minutes and 26 seconds at 8:26 pm each evening except for November 11, which is Remembrance Day.
“It’s a nostalgic look back to ’88 and what that looked like in our city,” said Tourism Calgary CEO Cindy Ady, whose looking at this as a once in a generation-type vote. “It’s very rare that we vote on something that’s yes/no and I say we’re going to chart the future for the city of Calgary.”
More than 54,000 Calgarians have already cast their ballot in the advanced polls and all other eligible voters will be asked to weigh in on the decision on November 13, 2018.
The move is being funded by the Calgary Hotel Association along with private donors who agreed to sponsor the lighting in hopes of encouraging votes.
“The Calgary Hotel Association is pleased to demonstrate its support for the Calgary 2026 bid in such an iconic and public way,” said Richard Main, chair of the Calgary Hotel Association in a statement.
“They called us and said it was an important component and we agreed but said we can’t be using any public dollars for it,” said Ady.
The Calgary Tower will also be lit red and white every night between November 7 to 13 and on Vote Day, it’ll be joined by Telus Spark, Olympic Plaza, Arts Commons, Glenbow Museum, and Reconciliation Bridge.
