As the National Bank Open continues in Montreal, a different match is playing out over its future home To some, Jarry Park is a tennis destination. To others, including Michel Lafleur, it’s the neighbourhood’s backyard. “That’s the green space that we use. We use it for picnics, for the pool, for chilling, for meeting people. For us, that’s a place where we go many times per week,” said Lafleur, president of the Coalition of Friends of Jarry Park. Tennis Canada’s proposal for a potential new stadium includes a 15,000-seat centre court with a retractable roof, a larger secondary stadium, and new indoor and outdoor courts. The project is estimated to cost $400 million. The organization says it would cover about 10 per cent of the cost, adding the project would include using the space where the current stadium stands. “It’s a great opportunity to create some new green spaces in the park and create a new area. That can be interesting, I think, for anyone using the park year-round,” said Valérie Tétreault, tournament director and vice-president of communications and professional events at Tennis Canada. But she says no final decisions have yet been made. Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said in a statement that the city’s “infrastructure must be on par with the tournament its hosting,” but added any project must include consultation with citizens. Adam van Koeverden , the federal secretary of state for sport, also supports the project, saying in a statement that it would help inspire future athletes and “will help increase participation and make the sport more accessible to everyone.” “Canada is home to one of the world’s largest tennis communities, and this facility will play a key role in building on that legacy. The athletes competing here will inspire the next generation of players, giving young Canadians the opportunity to see the sport played at the highest level and to take to the courts themselves,” he said. However, opponents say they aren’t buying it. For Lafleur, the debate goes far beyond tennis. “When there’s a problem with the heat islands, you have to put more trees, more vegetation. And now that’s the opposite,” he said. The group plans to hold a rally at Jarry Park on Sunday with a simple message: protect every metre of public green space before building anything new.
