Work will have to be carried out in the coming months in the playing area of the Olympic Stadium and will disrupt the schedule of activities held there. CF Montreal will therefore not be able to hold its training sessions at the Stadium in January or present its first match of the season there in the spring.
The Olympic Park announced on Tuesday that exploratory work would be carried out as part of the development of the business case for the project to replace the roof of the Olympic Stadium. In particular, engineering and architectural analyzes are required, as well as core drilling and inspections. The mobile stands will also have to be dismantled over the coming weeks. “The roof is 25 years old. It is burdened with 20,000 holes. It won’t last another 10 years. The government is asking us to have the cost of dismantling and wintering,” Duty the President and CEO of the Olympic Park, Michel Labrecque, to justify the work over the coming months.
For the moment, the Olympic Park does not know the required duration of the works, but has already asked its partners and event promoters to consider relocation options. CF Montreal, which is used to holding training sessions in January at the stadium and launching its season there, has already announced that the team’s first match will be held at the Saputo stadium next April.
Mr. Labrecque emphasizes, however, that the Home Show can be maintained since other rooms will be available to host the event.
The Olympic Park has been working on the project to replace the stadium roof for years. The file is complex. Last July, the organization announced that it was canceling the current call for proposals and launching a notice of intent in order to conclude a private agreement with the Pomerleau-Canam Group. The Olympic Park also announced that the Stadium oval will have to be replaced to comply with the Building Code.
The Olympic Park organization expects the Quebec government to announce its decision regarding the replacement of the Stadium roof in early 2024. Quebec could give the green light to replacing the current canvas with a rigid roof, attached to the Tower and the 38 consoles, with an estimated lifespan of 50 years. However, the government could abandon this project. The Olympic Park should then present a plan to dismantle the roof and winterize the Stadium.
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