Olympic Stadium roof deteriorating at rapid rate

The Olympic Stadium's retractable roof is at the end of its life and tearing at a faster rate every year.

Radio-Canada has found that in the last year, the Big O's roof tore 677 times, compared to the previous year when it ripped 496 times.

In the last 10 years, 7,453 tears have had to be repaired.

Although there is no indication that the 20-year-old roof presents any danger, "it needs to be replaced in the coming years," according to the Rgie des installations olympiques (RIO).

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According to RIO's annual report, which was recently tabled at the National Assembly, the roof is deteriorating at a rapid rate and maintenance costs for this year are $498,000.

Although the Couillard government has been studying the idea of replacing the roof for more than two years, "there are questions being raised by the Treasury Board and the Quebec Infrastructure Society," said Tourism Minister Julie Boulet.

The next step would be to issue a call for tender, seeking bids for the roof's replacement.

Replacing the roof would cost the government at least $200 million. A retractable roof would add anywhere from $60 million to $100 million to the price tag.

Boulet says a plan to deal with the roofshould be tabled in the fall.

'What do we want to do with that structure?'

Until then, the Quebec government is looking for a company to "operate and manage" the stadium, its promenade area and the parking lots. A call for tender was launched at the end of March.

"What we want to know, before investing in the roof, is: What do we want to do with that structure? Are there promoters interested in using it?" Boulet said.

The deadline for calls for tender has been pushed from April 28 to May 9.

Tenant moving in

There are factors that could prompt activities coming back to the the site.

The tower of the Olympic Stadium, which has stood vacant since its construction was finished in 1986, will finally have a tenant.

In October 2015, the Desjardins Group signed an agreement with RIO to move about 1,300 employees there to run in its management centre for bank-card operations.

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The offices should be completed in 2018. Desjardins Group is expected to be a tenant there for at least 15 years.