The 1988 Winter Olympics torch relay was run from November 15, 1987, to February 13, 1988, prior to the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics.
Organization
The planning of the Torch Relay required significant research and testing, with each kilometer of the relay test-driven three times, and estimates that each torch bearer would travel at a speed of 7 km/h. The relay kept to secondary highways as much as possible and used snowmobiles for 2,750 km between Shanty Bay, Ontario and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Overall the torch travelled approximately 11,000 km on land and 7,000 km by air or sea.
Relay sponsor Petro Canada issued entry forms allowing citizens the chance to become one of 6,214 people to carry the torch for , torch bears were either chosen on merit or selected through random draws. Organizers, who initially expected to receive 250,000 entries, were inundated with over 6.6 million forms and called the response a sign that the Olympics had "fired the imagination of Canada". Part of the success for the number of applications was the OCO in February 1987 sending approximately 10 million applications out to virtually every Canadian household. The relay, called "Share the Flame", also saw the torch travel by boat, snowmobile and dogsled.
The Olympic Torch relay involved a convoy of 80 people in 40 support vehicles travelling 125 kilometers per day.
Relay
The Olympic torch relay began when the torch was lit at Olympia and Greek runner Stelios Bisbas began what was called "the longest torch run in history". The flame arrived in St. John's, Newfoundland on the Atlantic Ocean two days later and over 88 days, traveled west across Canada. It passed through each provincial capital and many major cities, north to the Arctic Ocean at Inuvik, Northwest Territories, then west to the Pacific Ocean at Victoria, British Columbia before returning east to Alberta, and finally Calgary. The route was designed in a way that 90 per cent of Canadians lived within a 2-hour drive of the route. The torch covered a distance of , the greatest distance for a torch relay in Olympic history until the 2000 Sydney Games, and a sharp contrast to the 1976 Montreal Games when the relay covered only .
The identity of the final torchbearer who would light the Olympic cauldron was one of OCO'88's most closely guarded secrets. The relay began at St. John's with Barbara Ann Scott, a 1948 gold medalist in figure skating and Ferd Hayward, the first Newfoundlander to represent Canada at an Olympic games in 1952, both representing Canada's past Olympians. The relay and ended with Ken Read and Cathy Priestner carrying the torch into McMahon Stadium representing the nation's current Olympians. They then stopped to acknowledge the contribution of para-athlete Rick Hansen and his "Man in Motion" tour before handing the torch to 12-year-old Robyn Perry, an aspiring figure skater who was selected to represent future Olympians, to light the cauldron. The choice of Perry was an unusual departure from most Games as the cauldron has typically been lit by a famous individual or group from the host nation.
Protest
The relay was subject to peaceful protests by members and supporters of the Lubicon Cree First Nation at several stops in Ontario and Alberta in protest of ongoing land claim disputes between the band and the Crown, as well as discontent over an exhibit at Calgary's Glenbow Museum called "The Spirit Sings" that featured numerous artifacts stolen from native land.
Olympic Torch
The design of the Olympic Torch for the Calgary games was influenced by the landmark building of the Calgary skyline, the Calgary Tower. The National Research Council Canada developed the design for the Torch, which was constructed of maple, aluminum, and hardened steel, entirely Canadian materials, the torch was designed to remain lit despite the sometimes adverse conditions of Canadian winters. The Torch had to be light enough for relay runners to carry comfortably, and the final design came in at 60 centimeters in length and 1.7 kilograms in weight. The maple handle portion included laser-incised pictograms of the 10 official Olympic Winter sports, and lettering was engraved on the steel cauldron portion. The torch used a combination of gasoline, kerosene and alcohol to allow a continuous burn during the unpredictable Canadian winter. Approximately 100 torches were manufactured for the Games.
The Calgary Tower itself was retrofitted to install a cauldron at its peak and was lit for the duration of the Games, one of several "replica cauldrons" constructed at Olympic venues throughout Calgary and Canmore.
Notable torch bearers
Alwyn Morris - Montreal, Quebec - 1984 Olympic kayaking champion. Linda Thom - Kingston, Ontario - 1984 Olympic gold medalist in shooting. Ben Johnson - Toronto, Ontario - Day 37 - Canadian Olympic Sprinter. Angella Taylor-Issajenko - Toronto, Ontario - Day 37 - Canadian sprinter and silver medalist at the 1984 Olympic Games. Maurice Vachon - Montreal, Quebec - Canadian wrestler in the 1948 Summer Olympics and professional wrestler. Marilyn Brain - Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan - Canadian rower silver medalist in 1984 Summer Olympics. Lori Fung - Vancouver, British Columbia - Canadian gymnast won gold medal in 1984 Summer Olympics.
Route Date Locations visited"Torch relay Olympians", Calgary Herald, November 17, 1987, page F11.Daily updates on the torch's location were shown on the front page of the Calgary Herald from November 18, 1987 through February 5, 1988; see Newspapers.com. Map November 17 Newfoundland and Labrador:Signal HillSt. John'sHolyrood November 18 HolyroodPlacentia"Olympic torch bearers running before daybreak", Canadian Press, via the Vancouver Sun, November 18, 1987, page A7.
Nova Scotia:Sydney November 19 SydneySt. Peter's November 20 St. Peter'sAntigonish November 21 AntigonishSheet Harbour November 22 Sheet HarbourPort DufferinDartmouth November 23 DartmouthHalifaxTruro November 24 TruroCaribou"Olympic flame begins journey through P.E.I.", Canadian Press, via the Moncton Times-Transcript, November 25, 1987, page 14.
Prince Edward Island:Wood IslandsCharlottetown November 25 CharlottetownBorden
New Brunswick:Cape Tormentine November 26 Cape TormentinePort Elgin Nova Scotia:Amherst
New Brunswick:SackvilleDorchesterSt. JosephDieppeMoncton"Olympic Torch Arrives In N.B. Tonight", Saint John Times-Globe, November 25, 1987. November 27 MonctonRiverviewSalisburyPetitcodiacSussexApohaquiNortonHampton November 28 HamptonQuispamsisSaint JohnGrand BayOromocto November 29 OromoctoFrederictonWoodstock November 30 WoodstockHartlandFlorencevilleBristolBathPerth-AndoverGrand Falls December 1 Grand FallsEdmundstonSaint-Jacques
Quebec:Cabano December 2 CabanoKamouraska December 3 KamouraskaSaint-Michel December 4 Saint-MichelQuebec CityDonnacona December 5 DonnaconaShawinigan December 6 ShawiniganSorel-Tracy December 7 Sorel-TracyVictoriaville December 8 VictoriavilleArthabaskaWarwickKingsey FallsDanvilleRichmondWindsorBromptonvilleFleurimontSherbrooke"Torchbearer, 10, envy of schoolmates", Montreal Gazette, December 8, 1987, page A-6. December 9 SherbrookeRock ForestDeauvilleOmervilleMagogEastmanWaterlooGranbySaint-PaulSt. Pie"Blind jogger eager to tote Olympic torch", Montreal Gazette, December 9, 1987, page A-5. December 10 St. PieSaint-DominiqueSaint-HyacintheSainte-MadeleineBeloeilMcMastervilleSaint-Bruno-de-MontarvilleSaint-HubertLongueuilSaint-LambertBrossardGreenfield ParkChamblyIberville"The long haul uptown", Montreal Gazette, December 10, 1987, page A-10. December 11 IbervilleSaint-Jean-sur-RichelieuSaint-LucLa PrairieCandiacDelsonSaint-ConstantSainte-CatherineKahnawakeChâteauguayMelochevilleSaint-TimothéeSalaberry-de-ValleyfieldCoteau-du-LacScott, Marian. "Sharing flame 'the most wonderful thing'", Montreal Gazette, December 11, 1987, page A-7. December 12 DorionPincourtL'Île-PerrotSainte-Anne-de-BellevueBaie-D'UrféBeaconsfieldPointe ClaireDorvalLachineMontrealRepentigny"Here's where you can see the flame", Montreal Gazette, December 12, 1987, page A-3. December 13 RepentignyMontrealSaint-LéonardSaint-LaurentPierrefondsLavalSaint-Eustache December 14 Saint-EustacheLavalLachutePointe-au-Chêne December 15 Pointe-au-ChênePapineauvillePlaisanceThursoMassonGatineauHullAuthier, Philip. "Former Olympian eager to see torch again", Ottawa Citizen, December 15, 1987, page C3. December 16 Hull
Ontario:OttawaCasselmanMonklandBonvilleSt. AndrewsCornwallAuthier, Philip. "Valley prepares welcome for Olympic torch", Ottawa Citizen, December 11, 1987, page B3. December 17 CornwallInglesideMorrisburgIroquoisCardinalJohnstownPrescottMaitlandBrockville December 18 BrockvilleLynMallorytownWatertonGananoqueKingstonAmherstviewMillhaven"The torch passes by . . . from Brockville to Belleville", December 17, 1987, page 24. December 19 MillhavenMorvenNapaneeDeserontoMarysvilleShannonvilleBellevilleColborne December 20 ColborneOmemee December 21 OmemeePickering December 22 PickeringMarkhamUnionvilleWhitchurch-StouffvilleNewmarketRichmond Hill December 23 Richmond HillTorontoMississaugaClarksonDuffy, Andrew. "Flame given a rousing welcome on its way to Metro's outskirts", Toronto Star, December 23, 1987, page A11. December 24 ClarksonOakvilleBronteBurlingtonWaterdownClappisons CornersDundasCopetownLyndenOsborne CornersParis"When and where you can see the Olympic torch", Brantford Expositor, December 22, 1987, page 15. December 25 ParisBrantfordCainsvilleLangfordAlbertonDuffs CornerAncasterHamiltonStoney Creek December 26 Stoney CreekFruitlandGrimsbyBeamsvilleVinelandJordanSt. CatharinesNiagara-on-the-LakeVirgilSt. DavidsNiagara FallsFort Erie"Where you can see the torch", St. Catharines Standard, December 24, 1987, page nine. December 27 Fort ErieGaslinePort ColborneWellandThoroldPelhamFonthillRidgevilleFenwickWest LincolnWellandportDunnville December 28 DunnvilleCanboroughCanfieldCayugaDecewsvilleNelles CornersBalmoralJarvisRentonSimcoeDelhiCourtlandTillsonburgAylmer"Torch travelling through Haldimand-Norfolk", Brantford Expositor, December 26, 1987, page A10. December 29 AylmerRodney December 30 RodneyHighgateRidgetownBlenheimCedar SpringsWheatleyLeamington"The Olympic Torch Relay Is Coming", The Windsor Star, December 30, 1987, back page. December 31 LeamingtonKingsvilleHarrowMalden CentreAmherstburgRiver CanardSandwich WestWindsorTecumseh"Hearts warmed by a passing flame", The Windsor Star, January 2, 1988, front page and page A4. January 1 TecumsehPuceEmeryvilleBelle RiverSt. JoachimTilburyChatham January 2 ChathamReece's Corners January 3 Reece's CornersLondon January 4 LondonStratfordShakespeareNew HamburgThomas, Allison. "New Hamburg school has two reasons to cheer torch", Waterloo Region Record, December 28, 1987, page B1. January 5 New HamburgPetersburgKitchenerCambridgeGuelphOrangevilleBarrick, Frances. "Ceremony to mark flame's Kitchener stop", Waterloo Region Record, December 29, 1987, page B1. January 6 OrangevilleShanty Bay January 7 Shanty BayHawkestoneOrilliaSevern BridgeKahshe LakeGravenhurstBracebridgeHuntsvilleMelissaNovarKatrineSundridgeSouth RiverTrout CreekPowassanCallander"Day 52: Olympic Torch Relay", North Bay Nugget, January 6, 1988, City Page. January 8 CallanderNorth BayNipissingSturgeon FallsVernerWarrenHagarMarkstayWahnapitaeConistonSudburyNairn CentreMcKerrow"Day 53: Olympic Torch Relay", North Bay Nugget, January 7, 1988, City Page. January 9 McKerrowWalfordSpanishCutlerSerpent RiverSpraggeAlgoma MillsBlind RiverIron BridgeThessalonBruce MinesDesbaratsEcho BayGarden RiverHeydenAstles, Anne. "Blind River ready to 'Share the Flame', The Sault Star, January 8, 1988, page A11. January 10 HeydenBatchawana BayMontreal River HarbourWawaWhite River January 11 White RiverNipigon January 12 NipigonShabaqua Corners January 13 Shabaqua CornersDryden January 14 Dryden