Fatal bobsled accident not preventable by guards, Winsport's former security manager tells inquiry

The former security chief atWinSportbelieves those guarding the Canada Olympic Park in Calgary two years ago couldn't have done more to stopteens whobroke in one night and rode toboggans down the bobsled track a prank that cost twin brothers their lives and badly injured others.

A fatality inquiry into the 2016 tragedy started Monday in Calgary. OnWednesday morning, the inquiry heardfrom Bryon Hardy, the formersenior manager of security atWinSportand a former police officer who now works as a pastor in Manitoba.

He said there were two guards working on the night in February 2016when twins Evan andJordan Caldwell, 17, died.Some of the six surviving teens received serious, life-altering injuries. Others walked away unhurt after the crash.

Hardy told the inquiry he believes, in hindsight, that there weren't any lapses in security that contributed to the tragedy.

• Fatality inquiry hears COP staff rode down track on shovels in past
• Parents of teen thrill-seekers hope safety changes emerge from inquiry into bobsled-track deaths

"I believe you could have had more security guards working and this still could have happened," he testified, adding that the practices and the equipment that were in place were "sufficient."

The twins' parents told CBC News earlier in the week they hoped the inquiry would result in security and safety changes around the track.

The inquiry madea field trip to the site on Tuesday afternoon.

WinSport'schief operating officer, John Sutherland, gave a tourwith a specific focus on the bobsled track to the judge and counsel conductingthe inquiry, and members ofthe media.

Since the incident,WinSport has taken steps to improve security at the site, adding extra fences and gates at all access points.

Procedures were alsocreated to monitorstart houses at the top of the trackand make sure they are open only one hour prior to race sessions and closed immediately after.

Hardy also testified that he was not aware of any other cases of unauthorized uses of the track prior to the fatal crash.

But on Tuesday, the inquiry heard fromTylerSeitz, the senior manager of track and building operations, who said he was aware of incidents in the 1980s and 1990sofstaff ridingdown the track onshovels.

The role of the judge in a fatality inquiry is not to assign legal blamebut to make recommendations to help prevent similar incidents from happening.

The inquiry is expected to wrap up on Thursday.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS|Okotoks Oilers vow to honour Humboldt with 'good hard clean hockey' in run for AJHL championship
• MORE CALGARY NEWS|Trans Mountain pipeline rally draws hundreds to McDougall Centre in Calgary