Olympic Stadium awards $254K emergency waterproofing contract after experiments left roof exposed

Montreal’s Olympic Park has awarded an emergency contract to protect part of the Olympic Stadium’s concrete exterior from winter damage after a section was left exposed to the elements. 

The $254,000 contract was awarded this month to Aquabloc to install waterproofing materials on one of the 35 concrete structures that make up the stadium’s exterior. 

The call for tenders states the work is to address water infiltration, prevent damage during the winter months, and protect people and property.

Olympic Park says the emergency repairs were separate from the efforts to replace the stadium’s roof and that the short-term efforts doesn’t impact the schedule of the replace work.

The emergency contract comes after a portion of the exterior concrete was left without its protective membrane after it was removed during an experiment.

“The urgent nature of the contract stems precisely from this situation: it was necessary to protect this area before winter conditions set in to prevent water infiltration and freeze-thaw cycles from damaging the concrete structure,” the park officials added.

Olympic Park says it was testing a longer-lasting waterproofing solution on a 372-sq. m section to reduce the need for regular maintenance.

“Conducting this trial required the removal of the existing waterproofing membrane in the targeted area,” the park officials told CityNews in an email. “Analyzing and optimizing the various technical alternatives took additional time.”

Avi Friedman, an architecture professor at Mcgill University, says he is surprised that the park officials let the work till this point.

“This is a classic example of poor project management,” Friedman said. “In other words, the idea of waiting to the last minute is unfortunately results in additional expenses and a rush.”

“In construction, when you leave out things and you wait too long, there is always consequences that will reside in the building’s stability,” he added.

The contract comes as the stadium undergoes major renovations, including an $870-million roof replacement expected to be completed by 2028.

Montrealers appeared divided on the high expenses incurred in maintaining the Big-O.

“I think it’s a lot of money for the building,” said Normand Cayer told CityNews. “It doesn’t house anybody, there’s a lot of people living on the streets. I think that’s a pretty sad state of affairs.”

“We can’t let it collapse in on itself,” said Jérémie Gelb. “It’s something we have to live with, and we need to plan for these things from the beginning.”

“It’s difficult to turn back once commitments have been made at this stage,” said Sylvain Larivière.

Even as the emergency contract raised eyebrows, concerns remain about how much more work the aging structure may need.

“The type of work that is undertaken now will have to be repeated,” Friedman said. “There is no way that you will do once any new insulation and it will be good for the next few years.”