City stands by plan to turn Big O tower into ski jump
Plan to turn Olympic Stadium’s tower into slope has not yet materialized
It was an ambitious idea that seemed to be a perfect fit for the city of Montreal’s grandiose 375th-anniversary plans: turn the Olympic Stadium’s tower into a ski slope and invite the world’s best freestyle skiers to use it as a 395-foot jump ramp.
But two years after awarding a $250,000 grant for the project, opposition Projet Montréal now says the city has nothing to show for it — the Olympic Stadium is currently surrounded by cranes as it undergoes renovations, and the skiing spectacle hasn’t materialized yet.
“In the end, it was nothing more than another attempt at making headlines,” Projet city councillor for Hochelaga, Éric Alan Caldwell, said from city hall on Thursday. “It’s a blatant example of bad management.”
Caldwell said the money granted was supposed to be used for building the ski ramp, doing live tests on it in 2016 and securing private funding.
And though it was never officially considered one of the city ’s 375thanniversary projects, he said it was treated as such in 2015.
“Like many other projects for the 375th anniversary, the city was quick to announce it, but never followed up on it,” he said.
“We want to know what happened. How come the Coderre administration gave the money, yet there are no results?”
The City of Montreal, for its part, said it stands by the project and the money spent on it so far, maintaining that it will happen, only in 2018 instead of this year.
The grant was awarded to Corporation Skying Montréal after a call for projects in the winter of 2015, and was to be used for feasibility testing and preparations.
It was funded through a city program with money earmarked for projects that would help revitalize east-end Montreal.
“It’s true to say the project has experienced some delays, mostly because of the renovation work being done on the Olympic Stadium’s tower,” said city spokesperson Philippe Sabourin, adding that the project was unanimously approved by the city’s executive committee, municipal council and agglomeration council.
Sabourin said the event — officially called Skying Montreal “Big Air” — would be a first of its kind in the world.
Planned to be held over four days, broadcasted internationally and be attended by 80,000 people, he said, it’s expected to bring $12 million back to the city.
Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough mayor Réal Ménard agreed.
“I recognize that between the initial scenario and the current situation, there have been delays and changes,” Ménard said.
“But it’s a project that we will continue to support.”
According to Projet Montréal, the city has so far handed over $230,000 to Corporation Skying Montréal: $40,000 in August 2015, $100,000 in December 2015 and $90,000 in June of 2016.
What Caldwell said he doesn’t understand is why the grant money was still being given, when, by June of last year, it was obvious the money would not be used the way it was initially agreed upon.
“We’re demanding that the last $20,000 not be given,” he said.
“There was no ramp built, there were no tests done, and it didn’t create any jobs.”
Ménard, who’s also on the city’s executive committee, said the city is waiting for further paperwork from the corporation before signing off on the remaining grant money.
Corporation Skying Montréal’s president Tom Czerniecki said the project has been postponed for two major reasons: the renovation work on the Olympic Stadium and financial difficulties.
He said the grant money was used for feasibility studies and everyone was properly informed about the delays. Renovations to the stadium are scheduled to end in spring 2018.
“There’s no question of not doing it,” Czerniecki said.
“It’s incredible visibility for the city, it’s a great opportunity for the skiers, and it’s also a way to draw attention to the Olympic Stadium complex,” he added. “A way to get people to like the stadium again.”
There was no ramp built, there were no tests done, and it didn’t create any jobs.