Lamport Stadium
{{Short description|Rugby league stadium in Toronto, Canada}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Lamport Stadium
| nickname =
| image = Lamport Stadium (37511251886).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Lamport Stadium pictured in September 2017
| fullname = Allan A. Lamport Stadium
| location = 1151 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
M6K 1E9
| coordinates = {{coord|43|38|20|N|79|25|23|W|region:CA-ON_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Canada Toronto#Canada Ontario#Canada
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Toronto##Location in Ontario##Location in Canada
| publictransit = {{rint|toronto|streetcar|504}} King
| broke_ground =
| built = 1974–1975
| opened = {{start date and age|1976|09|19}}
| renovated = 2007–2008, 2018
| expanded =
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = City of Toronto
| operator = Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation
| surface = Artificial turf
| construction_cost =
| architect =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer =
| general_contractor=
| project_manager =
| main_contractors =
| former_names =
| tenants = Rugby League
Canada national rugby league team (2013–present)
Toronto Wolfpack (TWCC) (2017–present)
Rugby Union
Toronto Arrows (MLR) (2019)
Soccer
TFC Academy (CSL) (2008–2012)
SC Toronto (CSL) (2008–2012)
Toronto FC II (USL) (2018)
Internacional de Toronto (L1O) (2014)
Serbian White Eagles FC (CSL) (1975–79, 2014)
Lacrosse
Toronto Nationals (MLL) (2010)
Athletics
Ryerson Rams (U Sports) (2012)
Toronto Rush (Ultimate Frisbee Association) (2024)
| seating_capacity = 9,600
| dimensions = 110 x 75 m
}}
Allan A. Lamport Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium on King Street West in the Liberty Village neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the practice facility for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. It is also a part-time home for the Canada national rugby league team. The playing surface of the 9,600 seating capacity stadium is also dually marked for soccer and field hockey.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}} The stadium was named for long-time Toronto politician Allan Lamport, who was associated with sporting activities in the city.{{cite news |last=Best |first=Michael |title=Allan Lamport's work deserves a memorial |work=The Toronto Star |date=June 25, 1975 |location=Toronto |page=D1}}
History
Lamport Stadium began construction during the winter of 1974 on the site of the Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women.{{cite news |title=Stadium named for Allan Lamport |work=The Toronto Star |date=June 14, 1974 |location=Toronto |page=A8}}{{cite news|title=Government loan launches stadium on old Mercer site |work=The Toronto Star|date=October 31, 1974|location=Toronto|page=C3}} Construction was completed on July 1, 1975.{{cite web |url=https://www.urbanbookcircle.com/the-time-partizan-played-in-toronto.html |last=Vujcic|first=Djuradj|agency=Urban Book Circle |title=The Time Partizan Played in Toronto |access-date=2024-06-06 |date=2021-10-25 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329002624/http://www.urbanbookcircle.com/the-time-partizan-played-in-toronto.html |archive-date=29 March 2024 |url-status=}} The stadium was originally set to open in April 1976[https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/uploads/r/northern-bc-archives-special-collections/1/3/133024/NBCA_2009_6_13_49_0327.jpg?token=fc5fda40b221586354a14a6e679f7ac6377973bfd77e0b9e85929c834bee2a1b UNBC photo][https://digitalarchiveontario.ca/objects/323767/former-mayor-allan-lamport-right-tells-crowd-hes-a-proud-a TPL photo] but was officially opened on September 19, 1976.
File:Lamport Stadium Field.jpg
As part of a deal with the city to convert BMO Field to natural grass, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment spent {{CAD|1.2 million}} adding a winter bubble to Lamport Stadium in the winter of 2009–2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-23709.pdf|title=Upgrades to BMO Field at Exhibition Place and Allan Lamport Stadium|date=2009-09-22|access-date=2019-03-17|publisher=City of Toronto government}}{{cite web|url=https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-23710.pdf|title=Upgrades to BMO Field at Exhibition Place and Allan Lamport Stadium|date=2009-09-09|access-date=2019-03-17|publisher=City of Toronto government}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/grass-bmo-field-attains-final-approval|title=Grass at BMO Field Attains Final Approval|date=January 23, 2010|access-date=January 1, 2014|publisher=Major League Soccer}} MLSE manages the operations of the facility during the winter season, when the field is covered by the dome and community soccer programs are held.
Facilities
Since opening in 1976, the playing surface has been artificial turf. Lamport Stadium's indoor field measures 68 metres by 105 metres, allowing a full eleven-a-side game.{{cite web |publisher=Ontario Soccer Association |title=Lamport Stadium |url=http://www.ontariosoccer.net/facilities/lamportstadium.aspx |access-date=June 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513122707/http://www.ontariosoccer.net/Facilities/LamportStadium.aspx |archive-date=May 13, 2012 |url-status=dead }}
Sports usage
=Canadian football=
The home games of the semi-professional American football team Toronto Athletics Football Team were played at the stadium from 1993 to 1996. The team provided players looking to keep playing sought to be scouted by professional gridiron football teams. The Athletics won the Mid-Continental League Championship in 1993, and was ranked as high as 9th overall in the American Semi Professional Football Rankings in 1995.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}
In 2018, the professional Canadian football team, the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, announced that they would use the stadium as their practice facility.{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/argonauts-to-relocate-football-operations-staff-1.1100509|title=Argonauts to relocate football-operations staff|date=2018-06-01|access-date=2018-06-01|publisher=The Sports Network}}
=Lacrosse=
The Toronto Nationals played their 2010 season at Lamport Stadium before moving to Hamilton.
=Soccer=
Since the opening of Lamport Stadium, the National Soccer League used the stadium as a home venue for many of its clubs based in Toronto.{{Cite news|last=Kernaghan|first=Jim|date=June 13, 1975|title=One league in control of city's new stadium|page=C1|work=Toronto Star}}
In 1980, Lamport was one of the hosts of a friendly tournament known as the Toronto International Soccer Cup which featured Benfica and Partizan Belgrade.
Both SC Toronto and Major League Soccer team Toronto FC's Academy side played their Canadian Soccer League home games at Lamport Stadium. The OUA's Ryerson Rams soccer teams also call the stadium home. In 2014, the Serbian White Eagles of the Canadian Soccer League and Internacional de Toronto of League1 Ontario also played their home games at the stadium. Toronto FC II announced in August 2017 that it would move its home games from the Ontario Soccer Centre to BMO Field and Lamport Stadium beginning with the 2018 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/sports-story/7526188-tfc-ii-leaving-vaughan-for-toronto-after-3-season-run-stadium-size-at-issue/|title=TFC II leaving Vaughan for Toronto after 3-season run; stadium size at issue|first=Tim|last=Kelly|date=2017-08-29|access-date=2017-09-05|newspaper=Vaughan Citizen}} However, with their drop to the division 3 USL League One for the 2019 season, the team moved their home games to BMO Training Ground.{{cite web|url=https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2018/12/10/toronto-fc-ii-2019-usl-league-one-regular-season-schedule-announced|title=Toronto FC II 2019 USL League One Regular Season Schedule Announced|date=2018-12-10|access-date=2019-01-06|publisher=Toronto FC}} The University of Toronto Schools high school team also uses Lamport Stadium as a practice field and for home games.
=Rugby league=
On 21 May 2012, it was announced that Lamport Stadium would be the new home of the Canada national rugby league team, the Wolverines.{{cite news|last=RLFC|first=Canada|title=Canada Wolverines to take on the World at Lamport Stadium|url=http://www.canadarugbyleague.com/site/eng/news/article.php?id=10175|access-date=May 21, 2012|newspaper=Canada RLFC News|date=May 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617162032/http://www.canadarugbyleague.com/site/eng/news/article.php?id=10175|archive-date=June 17, 2012|url-status=dead}} The 2013 Colonial Cup opener against the United States national rugby league team saw a crowd of 7,168 turn out to witness a comeback victory for the Wolverines.{{cite web |title=Colonial Cup 2013 |url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/colonial-cup-2013/game-1/canada-vs-united-states-of-america/summary.html |website=Rugby League Project |access-date=22 October 2024}}
The stadium also hosted a professional rugby league club, the Toronto Wolfpack which played there between 2017 and 2019.{{cite web|url=https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/toronto-announced-home-worlds-first-110000984.html|title=Rugby Football League officials joined by Mayor John Tory to unveil team brand and league information|date=April 25, 2016|access-date=April 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426174917/https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/toronto-announced-home-worlds-first-110000984.html|archive-date=April 26, 2016|url-status=dead}}
File:Toronto Wolfpack v London Broncos 3 - June 9, 2018.jpg at Lamport Stadium in 2018]]
On May 18, 2019, Lamport hosted the inaugural Americas 9s tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/canada/inaugural-americas-nines-tournament-in-toronto|title=Inaugural Americas Nines tournament in Toronto | Rugby League Planet|date=March 4, 2019 }}
==International matches==
| class = "wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" | |||||
| colspan=6|Canada's International Record at Lamport | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition
! Played ! Won ! Drawn ! Lost ! % Won | |||||
| style="text-align:left;"| Caribbean Carnival Cup | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | {{#expr:3/3*100 round 2}}% |
| style="text-align:left;"| Colonial Cup | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | {{#expr:2/7*100 round 2}}% |
| style="text-align:left;"| International Friendly | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | {{#expr:2/4*100 round 2}}% |
| Total || 14 || 7 || 0 || 7 || {{#expr:7/14*100 round 2}}% |
Updated 22 October 2024
==Toronto Wolfpack Attendance==
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; width:80%; text-align:center;" |
| colspan="5" class="unsortable" style="width:45%; background:Black|{{center|1=Toronto Wolfpack}} |
| style="width:15%;"| League
! style="width:5%;"| Fixtures ! style="width:10%;"| Average Attendance ! style="width:10%;"| Highest ! style="width:10%;"| Lowest |
|---|
| 2017 League 1
|10 |7,656 |7,972 |5,646 |
| 2018 RFL Championship
|7 |7,604 |8,217 |5,287 |
| 2018 Rugby League Qualifiers
|5 |8,133 |9,266 |7,540 |
| 2019 RFL Championship
|12 |7,882 |9,974 |6,735 |
=Rugby union=
In January 2019, Major League Rugby expansion team, the Toronto Arrows announced that they would split home games between Lamport Stadium and Alumni Field at York University for their inaugural season.{{cite news |publisher=National Post |date=January 17, 2019 |url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/sports-pmn/toronto-arrows-to-split-major-league-rugby-home-games-between-york-and-lamport |title=Toronto Arrows to split Major League Rugby home games between York and Lamport |access-date=March 3, 2019}} They were scheduled to play games at the stadium in 2020, but the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team moved their home games to York Lions Stadium for the 2022 season.{{cite web|url=https://torontoarrows.com/news/schedule-2022/|title=Arrows Announce 2022 Regular Season Schedule |date=November 9, 2021|access-date=November 10, 2021|publisher=Toronto Arrows}}
=Ultimate Frisbee=
The Toronto Rush of the Ultimate Frisbee Association played the 1st half of their 2024 home schedule at Lamport Stadium while their regular home stadium Varsity Stadium was undergoing renovations.{{cite web | url=https://www.watchufa.com/rush/news/toronto-rush-split-2024-home-games-historic-lamport-varsity-stadiums | title=Toronto Rush to Split 2024 Home Games at Historic Lamport & Varsity Stadiums | date=April 23, 2024 }}
Non-sports usage
Besides sporting events, the stadium also hosts a major Caribana event each summer: the crowning ceremony for the King and Queen of Caribana.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}
=Homeless encampment=
The area around the stadium became a homeless encampment for a period of time, but was cleared by police and city staff on July 21, 2021, resulting in arrests of both homeless people who had been staying there and protestors standing in solidarity with them. Images of police brutality from the incident were heavily circulated on various social media platforms as well as getting coverage from a variety of news outlets.{{cite news |last1=Patton, Rocca |first1=Jessica, Ryan |title=26 arrested as City of Toronto officials, police move to clear Lamport Stadium encampment |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/8046320/toronto-homeless-encampment-clearing-lamport-stadium/ |website=Global News |access-date=March 3, 2022}}{{cite web |title=26 arrested at Toronto's Lamport Stadium park as city, police clear encampment |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/lamport-stadium-encampment-homelessness-toronto-1.6110697 |website=CBC News |access-date=March 3, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Manisha |first1=Krishnan |title=Toronto Cops Say They Did 'Tremendous Job' After Beating People, Destroying Homeless Camp |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3xgza/toronto-cops-say-they-did-tremendous-job-after-beating-people-destroying-homeless-camp |website=Vice World News |date=July 22, 2021 |access-date=March 3, 2022}}
See also
{{Portal|Sports|Canada}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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{{Toronto Wolfpack}}
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Category:Soccer venues in Ontario
Category:Rugby union stadiums in Ontario
Category:Rugby league stadiums in Canada
Category:Sports venues in Toronto
Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in Canada
Category:Sports venues completed in 1975
Category:1975 establishments in Ontario
Category:1976 establishments in Ontario
Category:Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
Category:Former Major League Lacrosse venues
Category:USL Championship stadiums
Category:Major League Rugby stadiums
Category:Toronto Arrows stadiums