Parc Jean-Drapeau: new amphitheatre will hold bigger crowds

Montreal will redevelop its festival spaceon Parc Jean-Drapeau to increase capacity from 45,000 to 65,000, but it won't be done in time for the city's 375th-anniversary celebrations, as planned.

The $70.4-million project envisionsthe construction of a natural amphitheatre on what is now justa large gravel terrainand a wider promenade leading from the Jean-Drapeau metro station to the Trois Disques sculpture at the southwestern edge of le Sainte-Hlne.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, Quebec Transport Minister Robert Poti and thepresident of the board of the Socit du parc Jean-Drapeau (SPJD), Danile Henkel, announced the details of the project Friday morning.

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The goal of the project is to attract more mega-showstothe park. Osheaga, Heavy MTL and IleSoniqare the only festivalsthat nowbook thatspace. Occasional one-off shows, such asArcade Fire's homecoming concert in 2013, have also usedthe site.

"This project aims to revive a unique location and fulfill our commitment to reposition Jean-Drapeau Parkas a tourist destination of international calibre," Henkel said.

Saint-Lambert noise complaints considered

The project is likely to renew tensionsbetween the City ofMontreal and its South Shoreneighbours: The main stage of the amphitheatre will face Saint-Lambert across the river.

Saint-Lambert'sresidents have complained about concert noisein the past, and the city lost a legal fight last summer to force concert promoter Evenko and the City of Montreal to turn down the volume at summer music events.

"I hope the city of Montreal willimplement the many recommendations we gave them in order to reduce the sound," Saint-Lambert Mayor AlainDpatie said Friday.

"We don't want the show to stop. It's an economic boost for the area. Butwe would like some peace and quieton Saturdayand Sundaynight."

Thepotential for more conflict doesn't seem to faze Coderre, who saidthe redevelopment will address the noise concern.

"We invested $2 million in this project precisely to ensure that there are mitigation measures for the noise level," Coderresaid.

He said sound tests have been carried out, and the levels conformto noise regulations.

Asked what he would say toDpatie if noise remains a nuisance, Coderre responded, "All I really have to say to him is, 'Have a nice day.'"

City opposition skeptical

Although it was originally planned for Montreal's375th anniversary in 2017, irregularities in contracts forced the city to postpone the project, which won't be completed until2019.

The cost of the two-year project is tobe evenly split between the City of Montreal and Quebec City.

Henkel says the SPJD isworking with sponsors and event organizers to find alternativesites for Osheaga and other festivalsduring the project's construction period.

In an interview with Radio-Canada, city opposition leaderLuc Ferrandezsaid he doesn't favour the amphitheatreproject, which he said mostly serves to lower the costs to event organizers like Evenko.

"At first glance, I do not see the point of the project...I think we should question the expansion of these events and leave the costs of holding these festivals to the organizers," Ferrandez said.