Norwood remembers the 1999 Pan Am Games

St. Boniface

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/10/2024 (401 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Aug. 8, the old gang got together in the Norwood Flats to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Pan American Games, which dominated two weeks of Winnipeg’s summer of 1999.

This dedicated group gave up a chunk of their lives during that summer to transform the Norwood Community Centre into the Games’ only ‘volunteer social venue’, a unique space that became the hotspot for Games volunteers to unwind after long days, share stories about the 5,000 athletes from 42 countries, and compare special achievements from 34 sports and 42 disciplines.

It was the only place at the Games where volunteers could hang out at a good old-fashioned Manitoba social to quaff a cold one for $2.50, dance the night away until the a.m., and chow down on burgers, hot dogs, and assorted goodies.

The 2024 partygoers did their best to rekindle the spirit of that time. They dredged up original salmon jackets, golf shirts and T-shirts, hung a large 1999 official Pan Am Games banner that was stored in a neighbour’s garage, and shared copies of newspapers from 1999 that someone saved.

Norwood Flats resident Lynda Geary, chair of the volunteer social venue committee, tendered the proposal to Pan Am representatives who were quickly sold on the green space, the balcony, the view of the Golden Boy, the central location, and the vantage point for viewing fireworks during the Games.

During the reunion evening, she shared the original documents and minutes that revealed the numerous moving parts of hosting a packed community centre every night for two weeks – the financials, vendor and partnership contracts, accomplished musicians and bands (including a Guess Who hybrid called the Bill Wallace Band, The Dust Rhinos, and Rocki Rolletti), Pan Am clothing and merchandise sales, volunteer lists, nightly draws, special dignitaries, food/beverage supply chains, and clean-up schedules.

Volunteer co-ordinator Bill Duthoit took on the challenge of finding at least 20 people per night from different streets and groups in the neighbourhood. Does anyone recall Miller Time, Fundale, the Robertson Group, Friday Night Hockey, Tacké Avenue, and the Lawndale Loonies donating their time to the cause?

The 1999 Pan Am Games showcased Winnipeg’s volunteer spirit and earned plaudits for being one of the best-run Games ever, a typical outcome for a city that always seems to find its best self when challenged with implementing a world-class event.

Those two weeks left a legacy that continues to this day. The committee donated a $20,000 profit to the construction of a multi-purpose addition that morphed into the Norwood Nursery School.

The partygoers reminisced about volunteer engagement and commitment, celebrated the power of community, and shared special stories with neighbours who hoped to make a difference, and did.

For one brief night in August, well into the evening, those volunteers partied like it was 1999.