Percival Molson Stadium: A new lease on life

Thanks to support from three levels of government, McGill University's Percival Molson Stadium is getting a new lease on life. At a press conference today, Quebec Energy Minister Rita Dionne-Marsolais; the Honourable Lucienne Robillard, president of the Treasury Board of Canada and deputy for the riding of Westmount-Ville-Marie; and Mr Cosmo Maciocia, member of the City of Montreal Executive Committee responsible for Sports, Recreation, Parks and Green Spaces announced that McGill would receive a total of $12,797,748 under the Canada-Quebec Infrastructure Program, for the purposes of renovating the 80-year-old stadium. The Alouettes Football Club will also contribute to this project.

Home in recent years to the Montreal Alouettes football team as well as to McGill's sports teams, the Percival Molson Stadium was named for an outstanding young McGill graduate who was killed in the First World War. It is renowned for its charm, cozy dimensions and great sight lines, but has needed a major facelift to welcome the public who have packed the Stadium in recent years.

The improvements to the Percival Molson Stadium include rebuilding the areas under both the north and south stands, and overhauling the dressing rooms, showers, officials' rooms, concession stands and washrooms, and replacement of the 13-year-old synthetic turf surface. An important part of the upgrading is the enhancement of lighting. Construction of a new press gallery, vital to nationally-televised broadcasts of McGill and Alouettes' games, will also be made possible, thanks to government support.

According to Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) Morty Yalovsky, who welcomed government officials to the press conference on behalf of Principal Heather Munroe-Blum, "this multigovernment agreement for a major infrastructure grant to Percival Molson Stadium represents the first significant improvement to the facility in 40 years." He added, "the Stadium will now be more functional, more comfortable and more attractive to spectators and competitors alike. Everyone is a winner -- the University and its students, the Alouettes, and our partners at the City of Montreal, and in Quebec and Ottawa, all of whom understand the importance of preserving this landmark as one of the finest outdoor stadium venues in the country."