Neighborhood Non-profits: Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation

Photo: The Flying Aces Perform at Utah Olympic Park – photo: Courtesy of the UOLF

Officially recognized as a non-profit in 1995, the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation’s (UOLF) mission is to cultivate champions in sport and in life, deliver experiences that inspire communities, and celebrate our Olympic legacy for generations to come. The foundation aims to transform Olympic memories into lasting benefits for the community and continue the positive impacts of the 2002 Winter Games.

Kole Nordmann, the UOLF Marketing and Media Production Manager, describes a few ways the organization fulfills its mission. “We offer winter sports training for all ages and ability levels, fun summer activities for families in which we try to introduce them to aspects of winter sport, and host a myriad of events throughout the year to celebrate the fact that we are keeping all of these stunning facilities open and running,” he explains.

The UOLF has three venues, including the Utah Olympic Park (Park City), the Utah Olympic Oval (Salt Lake), and Soldier Hollow Nordic Center (Midway). Olympic and winter athletes continue to utilize these facilities for training.

“We train a vast majority of all winter Olympic sports and have become a hub for training not only for Team USA but Olympians from all over the world,” Kole describes.

While the venues are a critical resource for athletes, they also provide educational and recreational opportunities for the community. Throughout the year, visitors find a host of family-friendly experiences at the Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow Nordic Center.

“Utah Olympic Park offers a unique mix of 11 different activities during the summer ranging from Extreme Tubing and Zip Lines to our Summer Bobsled Experience,” Kole describes, “Soldier Hollow Nordic Center offers miles of Mountain Biking trails in the summer as well as Cross Country skiing and Winter Tubing during the winter season.”

A favorite community event is witnessing the astounding Flying Aces All-Stars Freestyle Shows at the Utah Olympic Park. Olympians and National Team skiers and snowboarders fly up to 60 feet in the air while spinning and twisting through space, then land in the Park’s Spence Eccles Olympic Freestyle Pool. The 30-minute choreographed show begins in mid-June, with weekend performances throughout the summer.

Kole’s top recommendation includes learning about the Olympic heritage. “At Utah Olympic Park, I highly recommend touring our two museums and taking a guided tour. These are very informative and a great way to learn the history of our storied venue,” he says.

The ideal option for individuals who want to contribute to the UOLF is to show up and have some fun. “The best way to support the UOLF is to participate in any one of our many public activities,” Kole explains, “Public activity revenue is a vital part of keeping the Olympic legacy alive and also a fun way to experience these great venues.