Stade Canac in Québec City, Canada is set for major renovation work as part of plans announced by the city government.
The city announced in December 2023 that C$20m (£11.6m/€13.5m/$14.6m) had been set aside to rejuvenate the stadium, which has a capacity of 4,300 and primarily serves as the home of the Québec Capitales baseball team.
A timeline for the project has now been confirmed, with the work set to be carried out over the next four years. The project will seek to ensure the sustainability of Stade Canac, with the city also working closely with its partners to improve existing facilities.
This year, the stadium’s field lighting and sound system will be replaced, with structural repair work to be carried out from 2025 to 2028. The exterior facades of the stadium will be renovated from 2026 to 2027, and the same timeframe has been announced for improving the accessibility of the venue and replacing its maintenance garage.
Interior spaces and concrete slabs will be repaired from 2026 to 2028. The demolition and construction of a new annex for the administration and eastern sector will be carried out in 2027 and 2028.
All work will take place from October to April to limit the impacts on the Capitales season.
Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Québec, said: “For more than 20 years, from 1977 to 1999, this stadium was abandoned. However, the arrival of the Capitales de Québec and the work accomplished by the Complexe baseball Victoria organisation have breathed new life into this emblematic stadium.
“Eighty-six years after its construction, the replacement of the plaster on the exterior facades with brick will restore this stadium to its former glory and arouse pride for generations to come.”
As well as serving as the home stadium of the Capitales, Stade Canac is used by educational establishments and sports organisations, which represent nearly 88% of the occupancy of the premises during the year. This has been facilitated by the installation of an inflatable dome in 2017.
The development project will include the construction of a reception chalet for young people, locker rooms, a training room, and office spaces.
The popularity of baseball has increased considerably in Québec over the past six years, with a 12% rise in registrations in minor and adult leagues.
