Forbidden Montreal: Inside the Big O

Forbidden Montreal: Inside the Big O Forty years after its opening, CTV reporter Annie Demelt got a tour of parts of the Big O normally off-limits to the public.

Forty years after it first opened, the Olympic Stadium leaves nobody neutral. But whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying it has become one of Montreal’s most recognizable symbols.

“Every Montrealer has a souvenir, a memory attached to the Olympic Stadium,” said Olympic Park spokesperson Cedric Essiminy. “If not, they know somebody who worked on building the stadium.”

The construction was plagued with problems from the start. It took 10,000 workers and massive cost overruns to finish in time for the 1976 Olympic Games.

The finished product includes labyrinthian tunnels normally off-limits to the public, emergency escape routes for athletes and more than a few urban legends.

There’s also wildlife – employees talk about the three foxes who make regular appearances.

Watch the full report for more of the secrets of the Olympic Stadium.