Toronto 2024 Olympic Bid (Dead)

[JasonParis]

And I'd consider that one of the more successful modern games.

 

[AnnetteMeetsJane]

And I'd consider that one of the more successful modern games.

Two words: Boris and Johnson.

 

[WB62]

Thought this would fit here, I made a map of the proposed GO line that was going to serve the Olympics Plaza on the Portlands, though I think this was for the 2008 Olympics and not the 2024 one.

.

 

[afransen]

Thought this would fit here, I made a map of the proposed GO line that was going to serve the Olympics Plaza on the Portlands, though I think this was for the 2008 Olympics and not the 2024 one.View attachment 489110.

Looks like typical Toronto half-assery.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Thought this would fit here, I made a map of the proposed GO line that was going to serve the Olympics Plaza on the Portlands, though I think this was for the 2008 Olympics and not the 2024 one.View attachment 489110.

Well the 2008 bid proposed a station at Cherry Street where the Don Yard is....

AoD

 

[WB62]

Well the 2008 bid proposed a station at Cherry Street where the Don Yard is....

AoD

In 2001 they tested and sent a train all the way down to some random silo in the Portlands lol, my map goes off of this

 

[Northern Light]

In 2001 they tested and sent a train all the way down to some random silo in the Portlands lol, my map goes off of this View attachment 489121View attachment 489122

Ah, the old Villiers tracks.

They were still there in the 2005 aerial photos:

And 2009

The spurs across Cherry were removed between winter '11 and winter '12:

By 2014 all the rails are lifted:

 

[WB62]

Thought this would fit here, I made a map of the proposed GO line that was going to serve the Olympics Plaza on the Portlands, though I think this was for the 2008 Olympics and not the 2024 one.View attachment 489110.

Redid this map to be a bit less ugly, but it still shows a cool piece of development from the Olympic bid, and what could’ve happened:

 

[christiesplits]

Cathal Kelly in The Globe makes his case for Toronto and Montreal co-hosting the 2038 Winter Olympics.

A 2038 Canadian Olympic bid could kick start a national rejuvenation project

Now is the perfect time to bid for a Toronto-Montreal Winter Games

www.theglobeandmail.com

Excerpt (paywall)

What does the IOC like in a host these days? They like a Games that blends into a territory, rather than lands like a debt bomb on a single city. They like places that have shown they can host an event of this size. They prefer spots that can do it on the cheap with existing infrastructure because, as Milan is currently proving, building from scratch can become a PR disaster.

I give you Montreal-Toronto 2038. That has all the little pulls the IOC and the rest of the world love – a Franco-Anglo alliance of familiar world capitals, both of whom have a reputation of throwing a decent party. Big cities, but not too big. A country where you know that everything that is promised will be delivered.

 

[Red October]

In reality that would be like Toronto-Montreal-Mt. Tremblant right? Not like they'll have the downhill skiing events at Earl Bales Park.

 

[Northern Light]

Cathal Kelly in The Globe makes his case for Toronto and Montreal co-hosting the 2038 Winter Olympics.

A 2038 Canadian Olympic bid could kick start a national rejuvenation project

Now is the perfect time to bid for a Toronto-Montreal Winter Games

www.theglobeandmail.com

I have to say, this idea doesn't super excite me.

The idea of tying it to the HSR project maybe to motivate completion would have some merit except that the only segment for which that is plausible is Montreal-Ottawa. There's no way the segment to Toronto is stood up before 2040++

I get Cathal's enthusiasm for sport; and I'm not an Olympic basher per se. But I think if you're going to lay out the big bucks you really want to carefully consider what you can achieve, and that you hit those maximal gains. Generational infrastructure projects, ecological restoration/brownfield remediation, sports/recreation facilities you'll actually retain, housing that will add to rental and affordable supply and tourism and economic development.

All that, and I want to see the costs of hosting drop (especially for the Summer Games). That isn't just a co-hosting deal or being allowed to reuse or adapt some existing facilities; the big one is cutting the number of invited sports.

The idea that 'surfing' is now in the Olympics should just be absurd to everyone. That's not a knock on surfing, its just that we can't include everything under the sun.

If you cut the equivalent of 10 sports or events, you eliminate venue costs of maybe 500M; you also need room for 2,000 fewer athletes and maybe another 200 support staff. That's where the big savings are and I'm not sure the IOC is ready to go there.

****

In eastern Canada, I'm only aware of Quebec City having put together a comprehensive bid package for a winter games. If Toronto has ever considered it, that somehow slipped under my radar.

A summer games is vastly more expensive, but also does have greater potential payoffs if the caveats above are addressed; but for that kind of bid, I'd be looking at the 2044 Summer Games, start the plan now; and tie it together in a fully costed bow. I'm not sure I would support that, but I'd at least be open to it. The 2038 idea sounds more fanciful and without a clear ROI.

 

[DirectionNorth]

In reality that would be like Toronto-Montreal-Mt. Tremblant right? Not like they'll have the downhill skiing events at Earl Bales Park.

The IOC has a minimum vertical drop for skiing events. The only venue in Eastern Canada that comes close (800 metres is the low end) is Le Massif near Quebec City; Tremblant is under 700 metres.

They could maybe do a Toronto-Montreal-Quebec City bid, although I really want to see a high-level cost analysis. The Olympics are expensive to host and the benefits seem unclear to me.

 

[McGillicuddy]

Why stop there? Ottawa can have long-distance skating, Winnipeg can take cross-country skiing, St. John's can host the curling, and we can re-use the stadium in Vancouver for the opening and closing ceremonies... lots of opportunities to save money.

 

[Towered]

Lame idea. No interest. Let it die a painful death.

 

[allabootmatt]

The IOC has a minimum vertical drop for skiing events. The only venue in Eastern Canada that comes close (800 metres is the low end) is Le Massif near Quebec City; Tremblant is under 700 metres.

They could maybe do a Toronto-Montreal-Quebec City bid, although I really want to see a high-level cost analysis. The Olympics are expensive to host and the benefits seem unclear to me.

I believe this applies specifically to the downhill, not to other skiing events, but obviously no one is going to want to split the venues.

That said, it seems there's an appetite for more creative solutions to this stuff -- the 'Paris' surfing competition being held in Tahiti, for example.

I think it's an interesting idea.