'Significant damage' found at Montreal Olympic Park esplanade: engineering report

The Esplanade at the Olympic Park is in need of repairs, adding to the number of jobs needed to be completed at the iconic Montreal site. (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News)

In addition to repairing the 20-odd thousand holes in the Olympic Stadium roof and the 450-metre concrete ring along the roofline of the Big O, the Montreal Olympic Park Esplanade is also in dire need of repair.

Olympic Park spokesperson Cedric Essiminy said an engineering report found that corrective work is needed on part of the Olympic Park esplanade.

"Although the area in question shows significant damage, this is not due to a lack of strength, but rather to the incorrect positioning of expansion joints dating back to the construction of the parking lots," Essiminy said. "The affected area has been fenced off to prevent overloading."

Fencing around the around 1,500 square-foot pedestrian area, often the site of festivals and other events, at the western end of the esplanade, was installed in 2021.

Though work is needed, Essiminy said there has been no major impact on events on the esplanade and no parking spaces located underneath the area were condemned.

"There was no risk to the safety of users, and we could continue to use these spaces in complete safety," he said. "The only restriction emanating from the GBI report suggests limiting operating overloads on the esplanade in the sector."

Groupe Diamantex was awarded the contract to repair the section and will begin work that is scheduled to be completed in the summer. The work will require 232 parking spaces to be requisitioned.

The Olympic Park says it invests an average of $2.6 million per year to maintain its parking lots.