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The Olympic flag, which had been kept safe in Lake Placid for four years since the 1980 Winter Games, was passed to its new four-year owner, Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, at the opening ceremony last week. In the photo, at left, is Mayor Robert Peacock, center is IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch and at right is Sarajevo’s mayor, Uglieza Uzelac. Lake Placid’s Convention Director James McKenna helped carry the flag into the stadium. When he handed it over, he said, “This is just a loan.” Mr. McKenna is also president of the 2000 Club, dedicated to bringing the Olympic Games back to Lake Placid before the year 2000.

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ORDA upgrades

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The Olympic Regional Development Authority’s board of commissioners recently approved a capital improvements and maintenance plan of more than $1.3 million for the 1984-85 fiscal year. The plan is part of a larger project to pump more than $1 million a year into the venues through 1989-90.

“To date, we’ve spent about $1.3 million on the capital improvement and maintenance fund, with things like plastic matting on the ski jumps and seating in the Olympic Center. This is something that we plan to keep up to maintain all the Olympic facilities through the years,” ORDA spokesman Don Krone said.

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Toboggan races

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New York City Mayor Ed Koch declined a spot in this Saturday’s 18th Annual North American Toboggan Championships — Stroh’s Cup Special Mayors Race — but the Lake Placid toboggan chute should be lined with a record number of competitors anyway.

The three-race event, sponsored by the Lake Placid Lions Club, is open to toboggan enthusiasts in the unlimited two- and three-man races bracketing the special mayors’ race.

The annual race raises money for the Lake Placid Lions Club Sight Conservation project.

Competition starts Saturday at 5 p.m. with the Bank of Lake Placid Toboggan Race. At 6 p.m., the three-person race will launch the championships. There is no limit to the number of teams that can enter that competition. The Stroh’s Cup Special Mayors Race, traditionally open to mayors, town supervisors or their official delegates, begins at 7:30 p.m. The two-person race at 8:30 p.m. completes the event.

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Big-band music

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The big-band sounds of Count Basie, Glenn Miller or a comparable group will stretch and fill Lake Placid with upbeat tempos and a little bit of swing this spring if the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce has its way.

The big-band appearance, tentatively called “June Hop,” is part of a larger scheme to draw tourists in late May or early June.

And there is a tentative festival called “Everything You Need to Know to Have a Great Summer,” an idea chamber officials say could be as popular as the chamber’s past Oktoberfests that were held in the fall. Officials envision a possible arts festival, flea market or craft show, plus demonstrations that could show tourists how to “have a great summer.”

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Archives

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To explore the Lake Placid News digital archives, visit the NYS Historic Newspapers website at nyshistoricnewspapers.org. Find the Lake Placid News by clicking on Essex County.