Why a P.E.I. Paralympian is 'so disappointed' Calgary voted against 2026 Olympic bid

A no vote in a plebiscite in Calgary appears to have ended that city's bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and sledge hockey Paralympian Billy Bridges is struggling to figure out why.

"I didn't even think it would be that much of a question — that the city, the whole country, would want it," said Bridges, one of two Prince Edward Islanders to compete at the Paralympics this year in Pyeongchang.

"I really am just so disappointed."

The no side won with 56 per cent of the vote.

Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988, and the infrastructure left behind has made the city a national centre for winter sports training. But this would have been the first opportunity for the city to host the Paralympics, and that would have left its mark on the city itself, said Bridges.

"Accessible infrastructure in Calgary would have skyrocketed," he said.

Bridges is especially concerned that the question appeared to come down to money, without enough reference to some of the intangible benefits.

"There's five guys on our team that saw the Paralympics in Vancouver either first hand or on TV and really got inspired to play," he said.

"You can see the inspiration that it brings up from disabled youth and just kids in general."

Even having the Olympics and Paralympics in your time zone can make a big difference, said Bridges, because it means children can watch. He would like his own daughter, now two, to have that experience.

"Be able to be inspired by that, and see all the strong, female Canadian leaders," he said.

Currently two cities remain in the running for the 2026 Olympics: Stockholm and Milan.

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With files from Island Morning