When I was six, my hometown of Calgary hosted the 1988 Olympics.

The whole city went Olympics crazy. I remember my brother and I had a small collection of Olympic pins and a couple Heidi and Howdy dolls (the Games’ mascots). I think we also had some Olympic cups from the gas station, similar to the ones available now.

As a little kid I was told by television and radio ads that it was big deal. All the adults would say how lucky we were to host the Olympics. Even at school we had Olympic activities such as a mock torch run around the school.

Even though the Games were hosted in my city, I never got to see any sporting events, attend the opening ceremonies or anything like that.

Looking back now, I am not bothered by it. But as a kid, I felt like I was missing out.

I can remember sitting on the living room floor with my brother, asking my mom if she could take us to the Olympics. The advertising and the hype had gotten to us, but her answer was, “No, it costs too much money.”

“Not even just one sport?” I pleaded, but still we were not going to the Olympics.

At the time my mom was a single mother attending university full-time and supporting us kids without the help of our father. We knew how hard she worked for us and we weren’t upset with her that we couldn’t go.

We lived a short walk from the Olympic Oval, where the speed skating events were held.

One day, a speed skater — I’m not sure from what country — came wandering through our complex. My mother grabbed the camera and took a photo of me with the Olympian. She must still have the photo in an album tucked away in a box somewhere.

That was my Olympic experience.

As a kid I felt a little ripped off, given the hype of the Games. I am sure there are a ton of kids in Victoria and Vancouver who will have that same feeling.

Yes, it’s special to have the Games come to your home, but a relatively few number of people in the city will truly get to experience it.

Granted, there are plenty of people who don’t want to be a part of it and that is fine too, but there should be several activities available to those who want to be.

Like the Olympic torch run, which last week travelled through Greater Victoria. I hope that all the kids who want to feel like they’re a part of the Games made it out to see it.

Free public events like this are good because they allow everyone to participate in and embrace the Games, regardless of their financial status.

Despite what I may think about the Olympics, I understand that competing in them is huge for an athlete.

I don’t know whether they care if a six-year-old gets to see them compete. For athletes, that’s probably not the point — qualifying for the Olympics takes dedication and determination. I can admire anyone who sets a goal like that and reaches it.

Once the Olympics packed up and moved on in 1988, Calgary was left with facilities that I did get to use.

Almost every school-aged child in town took a field trip to the Olympic Oval and got to experience the ice on speed skates. I also went to Canada Olympic Park, rode an elevator to the top of the ski jumps and looked down.

I had friends who even took luge lessons at the former Olympic track.

Who knows, maybe some of the kids who wind up feeling ripped off by the 2010 Olympics will one day get to have fun with Olympic leftovers.

Charla Huber is a reporter with the Goldstream News Gazette.

news@goldstreamgazette.com