Late Bloomer

Champlainers against an epic backdrop of international flags. As future world leaders we march triumphantly ... back to our dormitory.

These photos were taken around the old Olympic Stadium. I say the "old" Olympic Stadium because it was used for the Olympics only once, all the way back in 1976. Since then it's primarily been used for field sports such as soccer, football, and baseball. However, the structure is constantly falling apart. The roof continues to rip (it actually rips on average about 55 times a year) and pieces of it have collapsed due to heavy snowfall and ice. The concrete base is coated with grime and chipping away. The tower, which is the tallest slanted structure in the world, is also going to pieces. Chunks of it have fallen during gameplay, which does not look good for Montreal. And worst of all... it's the largest stadium in Canada, but it's not being used for hockey. What's the deal with that? Some Montrealers want it demolished, but it turns out that destroying the building would cost at least three times as much as what it took to build it. On top of that, the Metro runs right underneath the place and thus any kind of demolition project carries a degree of risk. But from a distance, the stadium still looks pretty.