What fun to get so many offers from Chestermerians of ’88 Winter Olympic memorabilia for a new display at the Chestermere Public Library. Thanks to the McDonald, Spanko, Speck, Lorne, Howard, Domstad, and Forth families. It has been thirty years since that great event at which many worked and many more of us attended. The torch came down the highway from Edmonton, and parking your car and running alongside it in the dark near Balzac was amazing. Our own Marla Forth was a runner for ’88 (and 2010!). You can see her colourful ’88 jacket in this display. Another Chestermere resident, the late George Hansen, was involved in making each of the wooden, Calgary Tower like torches used in 1988. See pictures of George with Marla and their torches. Do you still have some PetroCanada glassware? Or a red plastic candle holder? Or some Hidy and Howdy pins? Or a big nylon banner? One project that excited local kids was creating unique nylon Olympic banners to be hung in venues all around Calgary. Designs chosen from those submitted by the school children were sewn by parents, hung in various venues during the Olympics and then displayed in the Conrich school gym for several years. Drop by for a walk down Olympic memory lane. The display will be up until later in the spring. Thanks to the library for getting into the spirit for Winter Olympics 2018. Watch for posts on their FB page and send them your favourite Olympic ’88 memory! https://www.facebook.com/ChestermerePublicLibrary/
Chestermere Historical Foundation continues with its programs on Tuesday February 20th 7:30pm at the Library with “Sports Excellence in Chestermere Over the Years.” Expect to hear about some Olympians in that one hour presentation by Bill Peddlesden. It is free, family friendly, so joins us to hear some fun sports related Chestermere facts. For more information on the Historical Foundation and membership go to www.chestermerehistoricalfoundation.org
