Another Expo 86?
The surge of excitement most of us feel these days is reminiscent of something that happened in Vancouver a generation ago.
Expo 86 was a six-month fair that attracted more than 22 million visitors. Like the Olympics, it earned a lot of criticism from political opponents. And like the Olympics, Expo 86 also had its share of glitches, which no one remembers today.
Another similarity between Expo 86 and the 2010 Games few have noted, is that an Irish-Canadian provided the leadership for each big event. Expo’s Commissioner General Patrick Reid like his counterpart John Furlong, CEO of VANOC, is a proud Canadian who speaks with a soft Irish accent.
Reached by phone this week, Reid offered his thoughts of the 2010 Games, and whether the Olympics might forever change Vancouver the way Expo 86 did.
“Expo was a more gentle occasion, as it were, than a sporting event like the Olympics,” comments Reid. “It took much longer to build up the public’s excitement. Whereas with our athletes doing well we’re seeing an outpouring of emotion.”
Reid remembers his “gentle occasion” as having a very different dynamic in terms of security, saying, “I don’t think we even had a separate line on the budget for security.”
Describing Vancouver in 1986, he reminds me that it was a far less diverse city than it is today. He credits, in part, the presence of 54 international pavilions at Expo for creating an exposure that translated into higher immigration here.
“There is no question that Expo 86 propelled Vancouver into international prominence,” he said.
There have been some who’ve said to me that now that the Games are here, they feel that the way the public has embraced the celebration as an important sign of change. I put the question to Reid as to whether the 2010 Games could be a significant turning point for the city. Will Vancouver be as hard to recognize in another generation, as the Expo city is today?
Reid reflects for a moment. “I’m not quite sure about that myself, but if all goes well – and I’m sure it will – and Canadians, British Columbians and Vancouverites in particular are satisfied with the experience – then it’s probably more psychological than practical. If that increases our morale and capacity, then the Olympics will have done a very fine job.”
On that point, I believe Patrick Reid is on the mark.
The 2010 Games can give us the confidence to embrace our future. And someday down the road, we might trace that success back to these amazing 17 days.
