Ottawa Redblacks facing two years of reduced capacity to accommodate proposed north stand reconstruction

Photo courtesy: City of Ottawa

The Ottawa Redblacks will be subjected to some serious growing pains as part of the proposed renovation of Lansdowne Park.

The expansive project, which is centred around the construction of a new hockey arena to replace the current outdated venue, will continue with the proposed demolition of the north stand of TD Place Stadium following the 2027 season. It is expected to take two years for the stands to be rebuilt with improved seating and amenities, in addition to the retail podium and extended parking behind it.

In the meantime, Don Brennan of the Ottawa Citizen reports that stadium capacity will be reduced to just 14,000 for the 2028 and 2029 seasons — 10,000 less than the building currently holds. Even with temporary stands, that is expected to be a financial strain on a CFL team that averaged 18,792 fans in attendance last year and regularly drew sellout crowds pre-pandemic.

The hope is that the short-term pain associated with the massive renovations will result in long-term gains, with the facility upgrades opening up the possibility for future Grey Cups and other major events. The hockey arena, which is currently playing host to the IIHF World Junior Tournament, is nearing obsolescence and currently falls beneath the standard expected for world-class competition.

The City of Ottawa first recommended the demolition of the arena and TD Place’s northside stand in June of 2021 following extensive investigation by two working groups. Last year, the City Council put forth a tentative budget of $420 million for the project, beginning the process of getting zoning approval and accepting bids from contractors. The final approval vote will occur following the culmination of the planning phase on October 22, 2025.

Plans for the north side stand are currently up for public review, with the City of Ottawa providing the artist’s renderings included in this article. Two public information sessions are scheduled to be held concerning the stands, with an in-person event inside Gate 2 at TD Arena on Wednesday, January 15 beginning at 6:30 p.m. and a virtual follow-up taking place at the same time on the following day.