CP Olympic History
Today we are the official rail freight services provider, but our involvement with the Olympic games is legendary.
Canadian Pacific has been a part of the Olympic Games for over 80 years. Our earliest connection is with the 1924 Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, France. The Canadian hockey team won the gold medal - Canada's only medal in the 1924 Winter Games. That year, the Staff Bulletin reported that the championship team sailed back to Canada aboard a Canadian Pacific Steamship.
Our involvement with the Olympic Games goes far beyond just being a proud sponsor. In fact, over the years many of our employees have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games. Ray Lewis, the first Canadian-born black athlete to receive an Olympic medal worked as a railway porter on the Canadian Pacific Railway, often running alongside the train tracks when the train was stopped on the prairies — training anywhere he could to keep his dream of athletic excellence alive. “ Rapid Ray” won a bronze medal as part of the 4x400 meter relay team at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
During the 1976 XXI Olympic Games in Montreal, we operated a special round-trip passenger train from Windsor Station to the equestrian event in Bromont, QC.
In 1985, the Canadian Pacific Group of Companies became the first corporate sponsor for the XV Winter Olympics held in Calgary in 1988. The Companies, represented by Canadian Pacific Enterprises, paid for the design and construction of the Olympic Centre in Palliser Square -- a value of about $5 million. The Centre had reception and hospitality areas, a 100-seat theatre as well as an exhibition gallery.
In 1988, we delivered a 38 metre-long log to be used as a flagpole at the Canada Olympic Park site. The log, which took three CP flatcars to deliver, flew the Olympic flag for the 1988 Winter Games. Also in 1988, four CP employees ran in the torch run with the Olympic flame and countless others volunteered their time.
Our Olympic involvement continued when the Olympic Torch traveled by CPR Train on the SOO line for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. The flame moved aboard a specially built car on a 19-car train carrying guests and sponsors of the Olympics. The rear car displayed the glowing flame in the open, unaffected by train speeds up to 100km/h.
In 2002 we were a major supporter of the Canadian women's bobsleigh team leading to the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games. Also that year our Royal Canadian Pacific made a special journey to the Winter Games.
In January 2007, CP was “on track” to deliver Canada’s 2010 Winter Games when we were named the Official Rail Freight Services provider. Canadian Pacific’s commitment provides for cash and in-kind logistics, freight rail service and truck service as well as special community event -- the Canadian Pacific Spirit Train. The six-year partnership designates CP as an Official Supporter of the 2010 Winter Games, including sponsorship rights for the Canadian teams participating at the Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Olympic Games.