Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s vision of new sporting venues across the boroughs fizzled, and New York lost its bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. But what if the city had tried to get the Winter Olympics instead? It would probably take more hubris than even this city can muster, but the exercise provides some telling measures of scale.

The Downhill

Alpine events would be challenging. But if you could fashion a facsimile of the 2.2-mile downhill course at Rosa Khutor Alpine Center, it would tower over Central Park. Starting above 59th Street at a height of two Empire State Buildings, the course (without many of its notorious turns) would end on the ballfields of the North Meadow.

Ski Jumping

The New York Public Library and Bryant Park provide a surfeit of air rights, and scaffolding repurposed from the Fashion Week tent could support the jumps and starting box. Competitors could finish with a breathtaking hockey stop just short of Sixth Avenue, spraying snow and scattering pigeons.

Speedskating

The trickle of traffic that now uses Broadway south of Times Square would hardly be inconvenienced by the installation of a long ice sheet for the 5,000-meter speedskating between Madison Square Park and Battery Park.