Olympics redux

While we remember the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City mostly for the wrong reasons … the “off-stage” riots and massacres in part a response to protests against the frivolity of the games themselves in a country beset with more serious problems, and the howls of outrage in the United States when John Carlos and Tommie Smith staged a tiny protest against racism — but those games left an indelible mark on the City as well.

While it’s become standard, when hosting the games to plan for reuse or continued use, of the purpose built Olympic venues and facilities, Mexico City wins the gold and a world record in reusing Olympic facilities … with 21 of the 23 facilities erected for use for those few weeks in October 1968 still in use, many still for their original purpose.

The Olympic Stadium… the “giant sombrero” … is still here, the home of the UNAM Pumas. The Palacio des Esportes … while it still has various sporting events… is also a major concert venue, as well as used as a gym by both the Mexico City police, and the Normal Superior for training future Phys Ed teachers. The pools and bicycle velodrome in Balbuena are public recreation centers (the metro stop logo is a bicyclist) , and … of course… “Villa Olympia” — was built not as a temporary dormitory, but to be repurposed as social housing, and remains so today.

Other Olympic facilities have been folded into related facilities — the equestrian center at the military base, still used by the army, although they also use the facility for dog training. Canoing and rowing channels have been incorporated in the city parks,