Wow! Walk down the streets of Lake Placid today — if you can get through the crowds, along with groups that stand around BS-ing while totally blocking the sidewalk — business is booming and that is what tourism is all about.

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“It’s déjà vu all over again”

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Don’t you just love Yogi Berra’s wit?

This story is especially for my colleague, Ashley Milne, a member of the Harrietstown Town Council, who also holds a position on the staff of the World University Games (FISU – Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire) to be held in Lake Placid in 2023. The opening ceremonies will be Jan. 12 and the closing ceremonies Jan. 22, attracting thousands of athletes from more than 50 nations.

Lake Placid last hosted the FISU games in 1972. Following is an excerpt from that 1971 LPN story — a “fact sheet” on the games:

“What is FISU? – It is the governing body for international collegiate sports competitions. It sanctions both biennial summer and winter games for participation of its member countries.

“What is the official name for the games to be held here? ‘The 1972 Lake Placid Universiade.’

“What University is game host? The State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

“Where will the athletes be housed? Present plans call for housing all competitors and officials at the Lake Placid Club Clubhouse.

[In 2023 the athletes will be housed at Paul Smith’s College, the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid and at the Great Escape Hotel in Lake George for FISU events held at Gore Mountain.]

“What is the estimated cost of the FISU Games? The Lake Placid Organizing Committee is currently working with an estimated budget of under $200,000. Sources of the money are anticipated gate receipts, budgeted funds from the Town of North Elba and the New York State Temporary Study Commission for the FISU Games.

[A recent Lake Placid News story claims that New York State will spend $240 million “to improve the ORDA properties.”]

“Who is President of the Lake Placid FISU Organizing Committee? Ronald M. MacKenzie, retired Lake Placid postmaster, former Adirondack Mountain Authority member and ardent skier, daily if possible. He is a Sports Council member, ex-President of the Lake Placid Ski Club, Director of the USEASA Ski Association, Alpine and Nordic Skiing Judge and technical official.”

[Ron MacKenzie, 75, then president of the Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee, died of a heart attack seated in a chair in the judge’s tower at the Olympic ski jumps in December 1978. He had been cross-country skiing in the morning, the competition was being held as a dedication ceremony for the jumps. Ron died just before the first skier came down. His wife insisted that the event continue. All of Lake Placid was in shock. I had traveled in Europe with him and other committee members. He was one of the nicest men one could ever meet. Later as a member of the Olympic Games staff, writing the official reports to the IOC, Ron was required to be the first person to read and edit those reports. There is a tunnel under the 120 meter jump leading to the judge’s tower and it was described in the report as a pedestrian walk-through. Ron said to me, as he read the report, ‘that tunnel has to be big enough to get a vehicle through’ — as it turned out, it was already vehicle dimensions; the pedestrian description was a technical error in the report. The first vehicle to use the tunnel was the rescue van used to remove him when he died.]

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Msgr. “Bill” Lavallee

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What a different world 51 years ago. Here is a page one story about a friend who was just arriving in Lake Placid. I am sure there are many who remember this gentle, kind, gracious man.

“The Rt. Rev. Msgr. William E. LaVallee, until now education director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg, will replace the Rev. William Coffey as pastor at St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid.

“Both Father Coffey and his newly appointed assistant pastor, the Rev. James Kane will be leaving St. Agnes for posts elsewhere.

“The change, according to Father Coffey, came as part of several changes in the diocese because the loss of some priests through death and retirement.

“The new pastor received his education at St. Bernard’s School in Saranac Lake and graduated from Saranac Lake High School. After attending Paul Smith’s and Potsdam Colleges, he graduated from Wadhams Hall in Ogdensburg in 1954. He attended St. Mary’s University in Baltimore and was ordained in May 1958. He also received a master’s degree in history from St. Michael’s College in Winooski, Vermont.”

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Figure skating contest attracts 120

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“The dance rhythms of the tango, the waltzes, the paso doble and the fox trot will sound through the Olympic Arena for two days of ice dance competition Friday and Saturday this week.

“Sixty ice dance couples have already registered for the Annual Dance Competition, a popular event among skaters throughout the country. [I am sure Lake Placid has become too big to host such an event today… I hope I’m wrong.]

“The competitions will include places for those relatively new to ice dancing and for serious competitors more advanced. And there is a place for the over 30 and the over 50 veterans in the veterans dance for the Walter K. Bachrach Veteran’s trophy.” [I knew it, there they go again, age discrimination; no place for those over 90.]

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Happy Jack, not so happy

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“Jack Wikoff of Lake Placid appeared before Tuesday’s session of the North Elba Town Board as a representative of the Adirondack Champlain Festival to request more money from the town. It seems that the Festival, which has created some controversy over the past season, will face a $12,500 deficit unless more money can be raised. The request was denied.”

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Winter festival to be revived

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“Plans to revive the North American Festival of winter sports competition are in the works. ‘We’ll start out again … maybe a little smaller this year,’ said organizer James (Bunny) Sheffield, ‘but we’ll get back up there.’

“Sheffield told the Sports Council this week of some preliminary ideas for the Festival, now about 17 years old. Sports organizers generally agree the old festival suffered from lack of attention in recent years, due to emphasis and promotion of the Kennedy Games for three winters.

“Sports Director J. Bernard Fell told the Council that the North American competitions would have to be beefed up because ‘after FISU, we have nothing, we have to have something.’

“‘By keeping it alive,’ Fell said, ‘we can concentrate on it and use contacts made through FISU.’ At this same meeting, Town Justice Jack Shea announced that he had asked the state officials to replace him as a member of the Temporary Commission for FISU because he was the only member of the North Elba Town Board to have voiced open opposition to the games.” [Town Justices in New York were at that time members of the Town Board.]