Don’t roof the stadium: Les Amis
Supporters of Jarry Park hope to stop a plan to put a roof on the park’s tennis stadium, which would make the park little more than a front lawn for a venue. Michel Lafleur, who heads Les Amis du Parc Jarry, says “We believe that the development of event facilities in a public park owned by taxpayers is a quality of life issue” and he’s right. There’s a petition against it.
I can’t even pretend to be objective on this. That park is of inestimable value to both the Park Ex and Villeray sides of the track, where people mostly don’t have back yards of their own. The city shouldn’t be shilling out the park more than it already is.
JP 09:44 on 2019-07-31 Permalink
Agreed. When we were kids, we lived in Parc Ex, and we often went over to Jarry Park in the spring and summer. It was nice to have a big park to take walks and play. I have so many memories from there. As you say, it’s important to have a park like that nearby for people who mostly live in apartments and don’t have backyards of their own. I actually do attend the tennis events at the Rogers Cup and enjoy it, but I do hope they don’t go ahead with the roof.
Joey 10:10 on 2019-07-31 Permalink
I’m skeptical that the only thing keeping the tennis stadium from becoming a major event site (i.e., 10+ non-tennis events per year drawing 1000+ attendees) is the lack of a roof. Though I think I went to a show on the site about 20 years ago (it was held indoors), I can’t say I’ve seen more than a dozen ads for events not affiliated with the tennis tournament over the years. Hard to imagine Jarry Park becoming a bustling concert venue, roof or not. While it’s a huge waste of taxpayer money, I suspect the actual impact on the rest of the park will be basically nil – hardly turning it into “a front lawn for a venue.” Jarry Park might be the most vibrant space in Montreal; adding a roof to an existing adjacent tennis stadium won’t change that.
ProposMontreal 12:16 on 2019-07-31 Permalink
I work in the event industry and I often have events in the insides practice portions of the stadium. So there is events and yes a roof would help. That being said I understand that a park like Jarry is more than an assets for the neighbourhood and should not be tempered with more than it is currently. I didn’t see sketches or plans yet for the roof so I’m wondering how a roof over an existing building will affect the park itself?
I’m a bit bias since I would welcome a roof, but I’m open to change my mind.
Mr.Chinaski 22:40 on 2019-07-31 Permalink
I went to see Bob Dylan there in 1997! Back then it was called Stade DuMaurier, and it was the live debut of Blind Willie McTell. My weirdest Dylan show.
CE 08:24 on 2019-08-01 Permalink
Tennis Canada is saying they need the roof to make the tournament more profitable. If it’s such a good investment, why do they need the government to pay for it? I’m sure a bank or a wealthy tennis loving investor would love to put some money into a roof that’s so certain to provide a good return.
EmilyG 21:17 on 2019-08-01 Permalink
Yeah. When I lived in Villeray, I’d call the park my backyard.