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Gary-Carter Stadium
By : Ville de Montréal - Service des Grands Parcs (SGPMRS)
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Landscape & Territories
Categories : Landscape Architecture / Landscape Architecture - Public Space : Gold Certification
Categories : Special Awards / Landscape + Innovative Idea : Silver Certification
Categories : Special Awards / Landscape + New Materials : Silver Certification
A major stadium for all built and local expertise.
In 2023, The City of Montreal broke ground on the rejuvenation of the Gary Carter Baseball Stadium in the hopes of creating an international event hosting space and to create a space encouraging Montrealer to adopt a more active lifestyle. Keen on making it an exemplary project, the City designed a Stadium worthy of professional athletes that meets the highest requirements in terms of sustainable development, ecological resilience, and universal accessibility. These high expectations led to challenges that could only be solved with creativity and innovation by the city of Montreal.
By increasing the capacity of the stands, creating open areas for people with reduced mobility and increasing the dimensions of the field, it now allows professional level sporting events to be hosted at the stadium. These improvements did in fact lead to the Gary Carter Baseball Stadium being selected as the official host of the Montreal Orioles Desjardins, a Quebec Junior Elite League.
The City has moved towards a unique synthetic playing field to offer diversified programming, regardless of the number of hours of weekly use. The modular playing field can be reorganized into three distinct courts, thanks to removable equipment integrated into the playing surface. This innovative material makes it possible to accommodate various categories of players from the ages of 4 to 22.
A stadium concerned about its ecological footprint.
Gary Carter Stadium is the first baseball field in Quebec to integrate crushed walnut shell infill material into its synthetic turf surface. In addition to being made from a natural and renewable material, this infill reduces the ambient temperature by 10 °C, an accomplishment impossible to achieve with conventional materials derived from plastics.
A complex drainage system, integrated into embedded into playing field, allows surface water to be quickly evacuated and stored in an underground retention system. As heavy rains have become more and more frequent, this system ensures that the sewer network is not overloaded during these events.
An ambitious project, in harmony with its environment
Despite a limited space and the proximity of many trees, the ballfield and the main building are very well integrated in the landscape of the park. The raised announcers’ box provides a sheltered area and allows for smooth distribution of spectators in the stands.
The materiality of the building matches its direct environment. The use of bricks, corrugated metal and light covering harmonizes with the buildings surrounding as well as the stands and the fence, two other significant elements on the site. The soffit, made of white cedar, brings warmth and visual continuity between the reception building and the announcers’ box.
Players shelters have been designed to meet all the players’ needs. They are made up of continuous benches on two levels allowing you to sit without having an obstructed view of the field. The shelters are entirely made of composite wood, a material that is both resistant and aesthetic. The storage and the lighting are all integrated into the shelter to maintain the simplicity of the forms. This particular attention to detail is a testimony to the care taken in establishing the objectives and goals of the project.
Collaboration
Landscape Architecture : Ville de Montréal - Service des Grands Parcs (SGPMRS)
Engineering : Poincaré Experts-conseils Inc.
Engineering : Shellex Groupe Conseil
Industrial Designer : Signature Design Communication
