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| - I put up a few photos of Montreal's Parc Olympique, the Olympic Park, and I was prompted to write a review. I thought I already had. I had actually reviewed venues within it, such as the Inclined Tower and the Biodome.
The reality is that Parc Olympique features even more than these two venues ... quite a bit more. First of all, it's a park covering an extensive area in a quadrant of Montreal bounded by four major streets. Then, in addition to the tower and the Biodome is its centerpiece, the stadium, home of the Montreal Alouettes football team, but also previously home to the Montreal Expos baseball team.
The other thing to note is that there is a Sports Centre (Canadian spelling), which includes the natatorium used in the Olympics when they were hosted here, as well as a gymnasium and even a sports therapy center. Montreal wasn't going to let these sit as monuments. Instead, they generate revenue. The general public can use the Sports Centre to swim and exercise, though I don't know how much that costs.
Getting to the Parc Olympique is easy. It's really the only major attraction quite a ways east of Centre-Ville and the Metro can get you there. The stations to use are Viau and Pie IX, and they are on the Green Line in the direction of the Honore Beaugrand terminus. Getting to the Parc Olympique by car is also doable. One just needs to follow Sherbrooke eastward from Centre-Ville and the 60 story angled tower and stadium will readily announce when you have arrived. Parking is expensive, and I have found that patience, reading neighborhood parking signs (only in French), and some distance may reward one with a free parking space on the street, based on the times that I have driven to the complex.
The thing that is most striking about the complex is how complex it is. I'm referring to all the curves and swoops built out of reinforced concrete. It is amazing and awe inspiring. Hearing of the budget overruns, however, is shocking. In various visits to the Parc Olympique, I have been to the top of the Inclined Tower twice and to the Biodome once. At other times, it's just a great place and space to walk around and see the complex, and all the ramps and plazas around it. Hoodlums on skateboards seems to think so, too. One of the Metro stations is tucked underneath one corner of the complex, or so it seems. In terms of pricing, the attractions are predictably in the mid-range, can be grouped into packages of 2 or 3 venues, and the AAA/CAA card can help knock off a few dollars.
As for demerits, there are a few. Be careful when walking on the grass, let alone sitting on the grass. It's Canada, meaning there are Canadian geese. Use your imagination. Also, at times, the complex looks a little desolate and, in some spots, you will encounter graffiti and reinforced concrete that is spalling. It's a little long in the tooth, so I'm sure it requires a lot of upkeep.
Lastly, note that Montreal's botanical garden and insectarium are across the street. I always sort of shined on the idea of the city's botanical garden, but I eventually learned that it is actually very nice, both in terms of its contents and its tranquility, and worth visiting at least once.
Given that this is 2016, this means it's the 40th anniversary of the Parc Olympique. It hosted the 1976 Olympics, when Montreal was experiencing rapid growth, the metro area had two major airports, and I'm sure that the complex, looking both avant garde and spic and span at the same time, was quite a sight. It still is and it's worthy of nothing less than 4 stars. Every trip to Montreal has included a visit to the Parc Olympique, even if just to look at it, walk around, and take photos.
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