Day two of our anniversary trip in Montreal was as good as day one! We got an early start, thankfully without an alarm.
Our first stop was Parc Olympique where the 1976 Summer Olympics were held. You know the one; when Nadia Comenici scored the first perfect 10 in gymnastics. Driving up, we was struck by the park, it’s in the middle of a bustling neighborhood. We were also surprised at how compact it is. Growing up in California, the 1984 Olympics were spread out across all of Southern California. Even the 2002 Winter Olympics venues in Salt Lake City were greatly spread out. We were not prepared for so many venues to be so close together.
The stadium is the star of the show with its giant roof and large tower that holds the roof in place. We parked close to the new soccer stadium because we are cheap when it comes to parking. I’ll walk farther, thank you very much. I’m glad we did because it was a nice little walk around different venue buildings.
We had some time before the next tour started so after we bought our tickets we walked upstairs through the display area. You forget just how long ago 1976 was until you see actual stuff from the Olympics. The dorm furniture was wild. I kept thinking there was no way the millionaire basketball players would fit, let alone stay in a three person dorm set up in a bunk fashion.
We also got to hold one of the torches and pretend to light the Olympic flame.
Our tour guide led the tour in both English and French and he was very thorough. He had all kinds of interesting tidbits about the stadium and the Olympics.
Did you know that the Olympic committee altered the traditional Olympic rings logo to incorporate an M for Montreal? That’s a fun fact you can amaze and astound your friends with.
Another fun fact is the way the stadium was built. The architect was adamant that there be no support beams that would obstruct the view for patrons. The stadium is a complicated erector set of sorts and designed to hold the weight. Each piece was numbered and put in place and the stadium was finished just in the nick of time.
Our next stop on the stadium tour was the pool; built inside the stadium! The competition pool has an adjustable depth, which is a fantastic fun fact. It can be as shallow as a beach entry. It was empty during our tour which made it easier to see the depth adjustment. There was a diving team practicing when we were there, lots of kids ranging in age on both platforms. The pool is open as part of their Sports Centre and can be used for open swim. The old athlete fitness area is now a fitness center open for anyone to use. It’s a smart way to utilize the facilities after the Olympics are over.
Our next stop was inside the stadium. I was excited to see this. I’m a big baseball fan and I was hoping it would still be set up like a baseball field from when the Expos played there. Silly me. They utilize the inside of the stadium year round for all sorts of events. This day was a big gamer competition. Standing on the concourse there were computers everywhere. Every square inch of the stadium floor was covered with computer screens and gamers deep into their game. It was quite the site. Our tour guide told us the stadium has been used for track and field competitions, motocross races, corporate parties, concerts and a mass led by the Pope. When North America hosts the upcoming Soccer World Cup, games will be played here. That will be cool to see and I’ll try to find the spot where we were standing on our tour.
After the tour was done we went up in the tower. It’s a giant glass elevator that probably holds 30 people and rises to an observation room. The views from up there are amazing. You can literally see forever from up there. It’s a great vantage point to see all of the other sport venues located in Olympic Park.
While looking out across the park we saw the Olympic flame; of course we had to go see it up close. We were really getting our steps in today. On our way back to the car we stopped into the soccer stadium and watched what looked like an adult league tournament.
From there we took the car back to the hotel and set out for church. We’d seen this cute little chapel Friday night and they had a Saturday English Mass. Notre Dame de Bon Secours Chapel dates back to 1655. The service was just as I remember from my childhood in the Catholic Church. It was nice to sit in this neighborhood church, this welcoming little chapel. I left feeling content and uplifted.
After dinner we walked around the cobblestone streets. The Notre Dame Basilica is a center point of activity both day and night. It’s pretty anytime of day but at night when it’s lit, the basilica before you is breathtaking. We sat on a bench and listened to musicians and watched people sing and dance. Our Saturday in Montreal was one for the books and we walked 8 miles!
Sunday was going to be even better…
Check out our other fun days in Montreal here:
Walking Montreal and St. Joseph’s Oratory