(Montreal) Premier François Legault believes it’s time we stop seeing a negative symbol when we look at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium. He wants to restore her reputation, even if he knows the operation will be expensive.
Last July, the Olympic Park Development and Development Corporation, the former Olympic Facilities Authority, announced that it would have to replace the technical loop of the majestic building until it could install a new roof.
However, an operation of this size will blow up the costs of an already complex project that has been continually postponed for many years.
The news has reignited debate about the true significance of replacing the stadium’s roof, whose age-related wrinkles are increasingly difficult to hide.
During a press conference held Monday evening on the sidelines of the launch of a book about the career of hockey player Mike Bossy, Mr. Legault was clear: A new roof must be installed on the Olympic Stadium.
He explained: “The challenge I face with the Olympic Stadium is that we are changing from a negative symbol to a positive symbol,” noting that the stadium’s surroundings and its leaning tower are among the icons that make the city shine globally.
“There are a lot of French people, among others, who would like to see the Olympic Stadium when they come to Montreal. It requires a roof and we are looking at different scenarios,” the Prime Minister added.
The existing roof has already passed the end of its useful life. In 2017, Philippe Couillard’s Liberal government announced its replacement at a cost of between £200 and £250 million, with delivery scheduled for 2022.
But in 2019, the deadline was postponed to 2024, while the “complexity of the file” was mentioned. This new schedule will also not be implemented, and no new date has been set.
But it is known that installing a new roof will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The Prime Minister is well aware of this.
He insisted, saying: “Yes, it will be expensive, but I think it is important that the Olympic Stadium has a roof.”
With information from Pierre Saint-Arnaud, The Canadian Press
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