TD Place Stadium
The playing field at Lansdowne Park first appeared in the 1870s when workers cleared the land for equestrian events and early forms of rugby. A permanent grandstand rose on the north side of that field in 1908, marking the transition from open ground to a structured stadium. That original structure stood until 1967, when it was torn down to make room for an ice hockey arena known as the Ottawa Civic Centre. A smaller grandstand appeared on the south side during the 1920s and received replacements in 1960 and again in the 1970s. By 2008, before any major demolition began, the facility could hold 30,927 spectators for football games. The grass surface used from 1908 through 1983 gave way to Astroturf in 1984, which remained until the turn of the millennium.
In the late 1990s, city councillor Jim Watson led a municipal drive to allow private developers to reconfigure the entire park into residential housing. Those proposals would have erased the football stadium entirely, sparking massive public opposition across Ottawa. Residents realized that losing the venue meant losing all hope of bringing Canadian Football League teams back to the capital. The regional government intervened to stop the scheme after recognizing the community's fierce attachment to the site. This campaign preserved the location for future use instead of allowing it to become a housing development. The threat of demolition had been real, but the collective voice of the people kept the field intact for another generation.
Cracks appeared in the lower south side stands during September 2007, forcing officials to close that section immediately. An engineering study later condemned the structure, leading to a controlled implosion on the 20th of July 2008 at 8:03 am. A consortium called Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group formed in the summer of 2008 to bid for a new CFL franchise with strict upgrade conditions. They proposed turning part of the park into commercial retail space to fund the rebuild under a plan named Lansdowne Live! City Council approved the redevelopment in June 2010, agreeing to rent the stadium free for thirty years while sharing proceeds from the retail precinct. Demolition of the upper south-side stands began in November 2011 and finished by January 2012, recycling concrete and steel for other city projects. Frank Clair Stadium and the Civic Centre Arena received their current name, TD Place, on the 7th of January 2014 through a sponsorship deal with the Toronto-Dominion Bank. The renovated facility opened for its first Redblacks home game on the 18th of July 2014.
The Ottawa Rough Riders played at this field from their inception in 1876 until operations ceased in 1996. A successor team known as the Ottawa Renegades occupied the venue from 2002 through 2005 before another hiatus. The third CFL team, the Redblacks, has called the stadium home since 2014. Seven Grey Cup games have been hosted here, starting with Ottawa's victory in 1925. Additional championships occurred in 1939, 1967, 1988, and 2004. The 55th Grey Cup in 1967 was held during Confederation Centennial celebrations, while the 105th Grey Cup took place in 2017 to mark 150 years of Confederation. The annual Panda Game between the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and Carleton University Ravens also takes place here, though an accident in 1987 injured at least 25 students when a railing collapsed. Minor-league baseball teams like the Ottawa Giants and Ottawa Athletics once used the same grounds for their seasons.
During the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, this stadium hosted five soccer matches despite being located far from the main host city. It served as one of six venues for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup with a capacity listed at 28,826 spectators. Six group stage matches, two Round of 16 fixtures, and one quarter-final match were played here during the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Attendance figures varied widely across those games, ranging from 14,522 to 24,141 people per match. A portion of FieldTurf and field-level stands suffered minor fire damage on the 18th of July 2018 after flares ignited by supporters set off fireworks. Atlético Ottawa joined the Canadian Premier League in 2020 using the venue, while Ottawa Rapid FC kicked off their inaugural season in April 2025 with a crowd of 6,980 watching a 2, 1 victory.
David Bowie performed before 29,000 fans on the 28th of August 1987, drawing the largest crowd ever recorded for an Ottawa concert at that time. Pink Floyd played to 26,062 attendees on the 9th of September 1987, generating $495,099 in revenue from their A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour. The Rolling Stones appeared on the 28th of August 2005, selling out 43,000 tickets for their A Bigger Bang tour. AC/DC headlined the first major concert event at the renovated stadium on the 3rd of September 2015, filling all 32,000 seats. Guns N' Roses drew 21,204 paying customers on the 21st of August 2017, bringing in $2,144,550 from their Not in This Lifetime... Tour. These performances established the venue as a premier destination for international music acts while contributing significantly to local economic activity through ticket sales and associated spending.
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Common questions
When did TD Place Stadium first appear as a playing field?
The playing field at Lansdowne Park first appeared in the 1870s when workers cleared the land for equestrian events and early forms of rugby. A permanent grandstand rose on the north side of that field in 1908, marking the transition from open ground to a structured stadium.
Who led the campaign to save TD Place Stadium from demolition in the late 1990s?
City councillor Jim Watson led a municipal drive to allow private developers to reconfigure the entire park into residential housing during the late 1990s. The regional government intervened to stop the scheme after recognizing the community's fierce attachment to the site.
What date was the original structure of TD Place Stadium imploded?
An engineering study condemned the structure following cracks discovered in September 2007, leading to a controlled implosion on the 20th of July 2008 at 8:03 am. Demolition of the upper south-side stands began in November 2011 and finished by January 2012.
When did TD Place Stadium receive its current name through sponsorship?
Frank Clair Stadium and the Civic Centre Arena received their current name, TD Place, on the 7th of January 2014 through a sponsorship deal with the Toronto-Dominion Bank. The renovated facility opened for its first Redblacks home game on the 18th of July 2014.
How many Grey Cup games have been hosted at TD Place Stadium since 1925?
Seven Grey Cup games have been hosted here, starting with Ottawa's victory in 1925. Additional championships occurred in 1939, 1967, 1988, and 2004, including the 55th Grey Cup in 1967 and the 105th Grey Cup in 2017.