CFL officials, local politicians, and the media were invited to tour the new stadium at Lansdowne Park, future home to the Ottawa Redblacks. The project has passed a symbolic midway point – the topping-off ceremony to mark the completion of the concrete structure of the south side stands.
Philip Goulet, the Project Manager for Pomerleau Inc., says the structure took some 50,000 cubic metres of concrete to complete. He says they took the rare step of building a concrete plant on site. "We estimate that we took about 15,000 truckloads off of the streets of Ottawa by keeping it here," he says.
The focus now switches to the finishing work, including the installation of the stadium’s 24,000 new seats.
Visitors got a glimpse of where the locker rooms, team hot tubs, and 24 new executive suites will go. It was a first look inside the facility for many. "Everything I've been looking at so far has been on paper. So to be able to kind of put it to reality is a lot of fun and to see what our space is going to be like less than a year from now is very exciting," says Redblacks General Manager Marcel Desjardins.
CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon is also excited by what he sees. "You know I've got a big smile on my face because it shows that it's coming to life now," he says.
There is still plenty of work to be done. But Roger Greenberg of the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Groups says the project is on schedule and will be completed in time for the Redblacks’ debut in 2014. The stadium is part of the $290 million redevelopment of Lansdowne Park.
