However, by late , there was substantial agreement that a new larger stadium was the best option. There were some debates over the form that stadium might take and discussions around possible locations, but by January , Edmonton City Council had settled on construction of a huge, over 40, person capacity, stadium adjacent to the old Clarke Stadium.
Construction of the new Commonwealth Stadium was a massive undertaking. This photograph, taken in August shows work on the excavations for the field level and the start of work on the recreation centre and field house at the south end of the stadium.
In addition, Council approved construction of the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre for swimming and diving events, and the Argyll Velodrome for cycling, while badminton, wrestling and some other sports would be staged using University of Alberta sports facilities. Despite considerable opposition from residents and community groups in the new stadium area, construction began on the new facility in March.
Edmontonians were regularly informed by the news media about the scale, and cost, of the project. Construction required removal of , cubic yards of dirt for the stadium infield. This excavation work required 40 trucks, eight earth movers, backhoes, excavators, and other heavy equipment. The construction was not without problems.
There was even a long and often heated debate about whether or not the stadium needed a roof or dome to make it impervious to the elements.
By early , these issues seemed resolved, though there was some concern expressed by a few athletes about footing on the Pro Turf surface used for the track, and for some field events such as javelin and high jump. Otherwise, the stadium and other facilities were finished in good time, more or less on budget, and with minimal controversy.
Diane Jones-Konihowski was one of Canada's best-known and most successful female athletes in , and she lived up to high national expectations by winning the pentathlon. In total 1, athletes and officials from 46 Commonwealth countries participated. Edmonton swelled with pride for hosting such a large and exciting sporting event. One newspaper report suggested after the grand opening that the " There was an atmosphere of quiet pride, friendship and expectation.
It was a mental high that would never be repeated. The mental high of the reporter was matched by 10 days of sporting highs as well, from the official opening on August 3, to the closing ceremonies on August A total of medals were awarded in separate team and individual competitions. Canada, as host country, sent a particularly large and well-prepared team to the games, and for the first time, Canada led the overall medal count over traditional Commonwealth sporting powers such as Australia and England.
In total, Canadian athletes captured medals, or just over a quarter of all medals awarded. This unprecedented medal total also included 45 gold medals, meaning Canadian athletes finished first in about one third of all the games competitions. Day after day, the sports pages were filled with accounts of new Canadian sports heroes, and few new international stars as well. Fans of athletics, swimming, diving and other sports would also watch a number of well-established or emerging international stars such as Daley Thompson of England in the decathlon, Henry Rono of Kenya in a number of running distance events, and Australian swimmers Tracey Wickham and Michelle Ford.
A major feature of the Commonwealth Games bid, and one of the reasons why Edmontonians were so supportive of the idea of hosting the games, was the prospect of a legacy of first-class sports venues in the city.
Although the Games Committee struggled to keep costs down, and some criticism was leveled by athletes and officials at the Commonwealth Stadium track and other facilities, by the end of the games most felt that the venues and organization of this massive undertaking had been excellent. When the Commonwealth Games flag was raised at the opening ceremonies on August 3, , the long years of planning, fundraising and construction were finally complete.
At the Games in Victoria, Canada received medals, 40 of them gold. At the Games, Canada finished with 99 medals 30 gold, 31 silver and 38 bronze behind Australia's and England's Host Malaysia, which provided superb facilities and hospitality in the steamy September heat, had 36 medals for fourth place. Among notable Canadian performances were Erika-Leigh Stirton, with 5 gold and one silver medal in rhythmic gymnastics; swimmers Mark Versfeld and Joanne Malar, with 2 gold and a bronze and one gold, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes respectively; weightlifter Akos Sandor, 3 gold; shooter Sharon Bowes, whose 2 golds and 2 silvers gave her 10 medals over 3 Games; and year-old Alexandre DESPATIE , winner of the platform diving competition with a record score, the youngest medal winner in the Games' history.
In at Manchester, England, Canada's Alexandre Despatie captured an additional 2 gold medals in diving and Claire Carver-Dias won gold in synchronized swimming. Sports for the disabled were also fully integrated in ; some exhibition events for the disabled had been included in the Games, but had been dropped in In at Melbourne, Australia, Canadians won a total of 86 medals 26 gold, 29 silver and 31 bronze , placing Canada 3rd in the overall medal count behind the US and Australia.
For the first time basketball was in the team sports repertoire. Over athletes from 71 countries competed, including Canadians. Canada placed fourth in overall standings, behind Australia, India and England, amassing a total of 76 medals 26 gold, 17 silver and 33 bronze. Canadian diver Alexandre Despatie achieved a personal best in diving, and in so doing he became Canada's most-decorated Commonwealth Games athlete, winning a total of nine gold and two bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games, including three gold medals in New Delhi.
The last time the games were held in Canada was in at Victoria, where 66 Commonwealth nations participated. That year disabled athletes joined the Commonwealth Games for the first time. Search The Canadian Encyclopedia. There are going to be four Canadian host cities named for that, and we expect that announcement to be made in March. We have had discussions about one of the youth or junior world championships in athletics for a later year, maybe or ATR: In terms of a potential bid for the Commonwealth Games, would that reuse a portion of the venues?
What sort of construction would that require? CS: The city owns and operates the two principal legacy venues from that experience: Commonwealth Stadium, which is a 60,seat outdoor, artificial turf stadium; and our aquatics facility.
In the case of a Commonwealth Games bid or a Universiade bid, a multi-sport bid, we would plan to use those facilities and do the minor renovations that might be required.
Those facilities have served us really well, and we look to them to continue to serve us well over the next couple of decades.
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