![]() ![]() My mom, Marci, joined the volunteer Medical Staff at the Media HQ downtown in the Salt Palace. The year before the games, volunteers were heavily recruited. Ongoing construction and developments around the games were a constant source of news in all our local outlets.Īs a child, the year 2002 seemed eons away, but as the years ticked by, I entered my teens alongside the rapidly changing face of Salt Lake City. The looming games brought about a huge infusion of cash to improve local infrastructure and we actually have the Olympics to thank for our UTA TRAX light rail system. These included the Utah Olympic Oval, Utah Olympic Park, an ice rink in Ogden, Soldier Hollow at Wasatch Mountain State Park, the E-Center in West Valley City and the Peaks Ice Arena in Provo. The city was electric that night and I recall my grandparents attending an Olympic Bid celebration party.įourteen venues were constructed or revamped over the course of the seven years leading up to the games. In June of 1995, over 50,000 people gathered outside the Salt Lake Mayor’s office to learn of the result of the bid. After four unsuccessful attempts, Salt Lake City secured a bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The prodigious snow and relatively mild climate Utah enjoys had long been appreciated by local skiers and winter enthusiasts but the world had yet to discover what Utah could offer. After all the hard work, it wasn't until this moment that it began to dawn on all of us Utahns what a spectacular place we call home. I was just 15 years old when the thunder of multiple pyrotechnic displays reverberated throughout the valley during the Opening Ceremony, welcoming the world to my doorstep. It was admittedly surreal, after so much time, when the games finally did arrive. For years we’d worked tirelessly to build venues, improve roads, create public transit and organize the complex flow of events and people. ![]() ![]() Twenty years after the torch was extinguished at the 2002 Closing Ceremony, we look back to reflect on the profound impact of the games on Utah. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |