Pulverizing the concrete and creating a cloud of Asbestos in the air over Montreal and other toxic fumes / chemicals to sicken residents living in that area ? Not a smart political move.
How much Asbestos is inside Olympic Stadium ? Don't count on the Government to reveal the answer.
Better make sure the workers are wearing masks, they will need them; protect the workers first, the health of residents living in the area is secondary? That is a very poor argument to do a demolition. Giving residents masks to wear won't win the government votes in 2026.
Not a good option to tear it down, removing the Asbestos and other toxic materials that may be inside the walls would be Very expensive to remove. In this case, a cost of $ 700 million to one billion is believable.
If you've been to that area there are thousands of residents that live in and around that sector.
There are many older brick apartment buildings right across the street from the Stadium. The towers that housed the Athletes Village in 1976 are still there, converted to Residential units, right across from Olympic Park at Sherbrooke and Viau.
I still maintain that AFTER the Roof ring (Technical ring as sometimes referred to) is fully Repaired, the Stadium should be left as Open air. Leave the cover off. At least for a year or two.
Let there be Sports events and Concerts in there during 2025 including an Outdoor hockey game and guage public opinion then.
Maybe the public will prefer it to remain Open air. Give it one or two years of events outside and hear what the public has to say, they may like it.
And having the cover off will improve Acoustics immeasurably, less echo / reverb, the sound at concerts will have somewhere to escape.
And if the decision is made to leave it Open air, it will save a ton of money, that may attract public support.
Here it is, No center roof, looks fine to me.
Roof or No roof, which do you prefer ?