Counter-suggestion for tennis arena
A resident of the neighbourhood has made a logical proposal, published by La Presse, that the new tennis stadium (which we need so badly) could be built on the huge Hydro‑Quebec parking lot just north of the park, instead. Then the park’s green space could be enlarged instead of diminished.
It’s such a win-win that it will never get anywhere.
vasi 02:35 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
I love this idea so much.
Mr.Chinaski 09:14 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
It’s too far from the actual grounds. It’s not a great idea at all, during the tennis tournament you would need corridors between both sites that would cut almost half the park.
Kate 09:24 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
The actual grounds would no longer be the grounds. The whole shebang could be moved to the new location, no need for a corridor anywhere.
SMD 09:37 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
Three local mothers suggest today that Tennis Canada has simply outgrown Jarry Park, much as a child outgrows a pair of pants. Time for a new location, and to let the residents have their green space back.
Joey 10:00 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
Definitely worth exploring to me. I have my doubts about Hydro-Quebec willingly ceding the land (even if compensated at market rates), but it would seem to resolve pretty much all the issues for all parties here. HQ would presumably maintain underground parking access when the tournament isn’t on, Tennis Canada would get all new facilities, and Jarry Park would be a little more of a park. The cost would be quite a bit higher since the land would have to be acquired from HQ and a larger number of net new installations would have to be built – you can’t just take the main tennis stadium and transport it, you’d have to build all new stuff. But the end result would be enough of an improvement over the status quo and other options that it would likely be worthwhile.
Mr.Chinaski 11:55 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
The existing grounds won’t be demolished. There is an already big stadium and another smaller one, with a big interior tennis building. If you keep this and that new space, you basically will need to connect both sites, thus cutting 50% of the park during the events.
You don’t demolish faciilities that were created not long ago, unless you have free money.
Josh Cuppage 12:43 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
In addition to what Mr. Chinaski says, it would also significantly extend the walk from the metro to the stadium. People here will scoff at what would be a ~20-minute walk, but the people who ride the metro to the tournament (many of whom are tourists and/or only ride the metro to big events like this) will not, and Tennis Canada knows this.
Nicholas 13:06 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
Looking at the size on the satellite I don’t see how it’ll all fit even without the expansion that’s wanted. Even with the whole parking lot it’s just not that much space, and there are still a decent number of people parked in that lot. And the metro issue Josh mentions is important as tourists won’t walk that far, but while it’s much farther than the old site to Castelnau, it’s a similar distance to Jarry metro, which is also more convenient being on the Orange Line. They can also run more 193 in that segment if they want.
Maybe there’s a way to make this work by turning the soccer fields into tennis courts and moving soccer to the current stadium site. And then they’ll probably want a tunnel under Jarry to keep the site together, though maybe you could just have stamps on hands to reenter and a nice crosswalk. Don’t forget the parking at the current site, which Tennis Canada will want and is probably smaller than they’d like.
Kate 13:14 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
Josh C., when there was talk about putting a stadium in the Peel Basin, nobody worried about access by metro. Arrangements can always be made.
In fact, it might make the most sense to put the new stadium IN the Peel Basin.
Joey 14:03 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
@Nicholas I think the plan would include moving the parking spaces from ground level to underground, so that’s not an insurmountable issue. The Metro is farther but I think the tournament has in years past run shuttles or had the STM expand 55 service during the tournament – if the STM can efficiently ferry 10K+ people to and from Molson Stadium by shuttle bus, that could work here too.
It could also remain split, with some of the practice courts, etc., remaining in the park, and the major installations elsewhere. The players can ride golf carts…
Kate 14:09 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
Joey, I remember seeing special STM buses from Jarry metro to the tennis stadium, in previous summers, but I can’t find any mention of them this year. In fact, the official site keeps repeating that this year, a ticket to the tournament does not include free access to the STM.
Josh Cuppage 17:29 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
Kate: If you think transit talk would not have quickly followed a Peel Basin stadium (or have occurred with the actual planning of the stadium that never was), I’m not sure what to tell you. Projects of this nature across the country at this point are pretty consistently, naturally followed by the question, “What about the transit?”
Kate 19:15 on 2026-08-05 Permalink
Josh C., you suggested that an extended walk from the metro was an argument against the proposed north‑of‑Jarry location. My response was the opposite of what you seem to think. Of course there would be shuttles from Jarry and de Castelnau metro stations if the tennis stadium was there.
Never gonna happen, but it’s nice to think of the park not being chopped up.
SMD 08:27 on 2026-08-06 Permalink
Gathering and protest on Sunday against any expansion into the park: https://www.facebook.com/share/18dDHLoHGU/.
Kate 13:06 on 2026-08-06 Permalink
Thank you, SMD. I think I may drop by, although I’m not clear what a family protest is.
MarcG 13:48 on 2026-08-06 Permalink
The cops use kid-friendly tearless tear gas