Architects

Controversy over whether Montreal’s Olympic Stadium should be preserved

The deteriorating membrane roof atop the Olympic Stadium in Montreal needs to be replaced, but some say the entire structure should be torn down. The roof ripped more than 1,000 times in 2012, and the cost for repairs reached about $310,000. Opened in 1976 for the Summer Olympics, the structure is a prominent fixture in the city’s skyline.
April 22, 2013
66fb166069139626834b9f3a Olympique

The deteriorating membrane roof atop the Olympic Stadium in Montreal needs to be replaced, but some say the entire structure should be torn down. The roof ripped more than 1,000 times in 2012, and the cost for repairs reached about $310,000. Opened in 1976 for the Summer Olympics, the structure is a prominent fixture in the city’s skyline.

But because of safety concerns, the stadium can’t be used during winter. Montreal Gazette columnist Bill Brownstein said he thinks it’s time to tear down the stadium. “Enough is enough, I mean blow up the sucker. You can’t even use it in the winter, parking is a problem. Inside, structurally there are problems galore. How long do we have to continue paying for all of this?” he said. But Quebec’s tourism minister Pascal Bérubé countered that maintaining the historic building is important. “It’s like an icon for Montreal,” he said.

(http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/plans-to-replace-big-o-roof-expected-by-end-of-2013-1.1353627)

About the Author

Drew Ballensky

Drew Ballensky is general manager of Duro-Last Roofing, Inc.’s central U.S. facility in Iowa and company spokesman for Duro-Last’s cool roofing, sustainability and architectural education programs. He is past-president of the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association and chairman of CFFA’s Vinyl Roofing Division. Drew earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the University of Northern Iowa and master’s degree in business administration from Florida State University. Drew has over 29 years experience in business and industry in various engineering and managerial capacities. He has worked in the U.S. and Canadian operations for a major international manufacturer of pre-engineered steel buildings, was a financial analyst with a major athletic apparel manufacturer and was an owner of a general contracting company.
Sign up for Building Design+Construction Newsletters