Lamport Stadium pictured in September 2017
| |
  Lamport Stadium Location in Toronto Show map of Toronto Lamport Stadium Location in Ontario Show map of Ontario Lamport Stadium Location in Canada Show map of Canada | |
| Full name | Allan A. Lamport Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | 1151 King Street West Toronto, Ontario M6K 1E9 |
| Coordinates | 43°38′20″N 79°25′23″W / 43.63889°N 79.42306°W / 43.63889; -79.42306 |
| Public transit |  504 King |
| Owner | City of Toronto |
| Operator | Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation |
| Capacity | 9,600 |
| Field size | 110 x 75 m |
| Surface | Artificial turf |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1974–1975 |
| Opened | September 19, 1976; 47 years ago (1976-09-19) |
| Renovated | 2007–2008, 2018 |
| 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) | |
Allan A. Lamport Stadium is a multi-purpose stadiumonKing 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 partial home for 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] The stadium was named for long-time Toronto politician Allan Lamport, who was associated with sporting activities in the city.[1]
Lamport Stadium began construction during the winter of 1974 on the site of the Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women.[2][3] Construction was completed on July 1, 1975.[4] The stadium was originally set to open in April 1976[5][6] but was officially opened on September 19, 1976.[4]
As part of a deal with the city to convert BMO Field to natural grass, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment spent CA$1.2 million adding a winter bubble to Lamport Stadium in the winter of 2009–2010.[7][8][9] 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.
Since opening in 1976, the playing surface has been artificial turf.[4] Lamport Stadium's indoor field measures 68 metres by 105 metres, allowing a full eleven-a-side game.[10]
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 over all in the American Semi Professional Football Rankings in 1995.[citation needed]
In 2018, the professional Canadian football team, the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, announced that they would use the stadium as their practice facility.[11]
The Toronto Nationals played their 2010 season at Lamport Stadium before moving to Hamilton.
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.[12]
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.[4]
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 TorontoofLeague1 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 CentretoBMO Field and Lamport Stadium beginning with the 2018 season.[13] 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.[14] The University of Toronto Schools high school team also uses Lamport Stadium as a practice field and for home games.
On 21 May 2012, it was announced that Lamport Stadium would be the new home of the Canada national rugby league team, the Wolverines.[15] Their first game of 2013, the Colonial Cup opener against the United States national rugby league team saw a crowd of nearly 8,000 turn out to witness a comeback from the Wolverines.[citation needed]
The stadium also hosted a professional rugby league club, the Toronto Wolfpack, which began playing there in 2017.[16]
On May 18, 2019, Lamport hosted the inaugural Americas 9s tournament.[17]
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 21, 2012 |  Canada |
18-12 |  Jamaica |
Caribbean Carnival Cup | 4,630[18] |
| August 11, 2012 | Canada |
36-18 |  Lebanon |
Friendly | 2,300[19] |
| October 6, 2012 | Canada |
4-68 |  England |
Friendly | 5,100 |
| July 6, 2013 | Canada |
36-20 |  United States |
Colonial Cup | 7,200[20] |
| July 20, 2013 | Canada |
38-14 | Jamaica |
Caribbean Carnival Cup | 5,700[21] |
| September 7, 2013 | Canada |
20-28 | United States |
Colonial Cup | 3,128[22] |
| September 24, 2013 | Canada |
22-30 | United States |
Colonial Cup | 5,176[23] |
| June 21, 2014 | Canada |
18-40 |  Royal Air Force |
Friendly | |
| July 5, 2014 | Canada |
12-36 | England |
Friendly | |
| July 19, 2014 | Canada |
24-20 | Jamaica |
Caribbean Carnival Cup | 3,129 |
| August 9, 2014 | Canada |
52-14 | United States |
Colonial Cup | 7,356 |
| August 20, 2016 | Canada |
6-38 | England |
Friendly | |
| September 3, 2016 | East Canada |
18-22 | England Young Lions |
Friendly | |
| September 24, 2016 | Canada |
8-14 | United States |
2016 Americas Rugby League Championship, Colonial Cup |
|
| October 15, 2016 | Canada |
10-22 |  South Wales Ironmen |
Club vs. Country | - |
| September 16, 2017 | Canada |
18-38 | United States |
2017 Americas Rugby League Championship | [24] |
In January 2019, Major League Rugby expansion team, the Toronto Arrows announced that they would split home games between Lamport Stadium and Alumni FieldatYork University for their inaugural season.[25] 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.[26]
The Toronto Rush of the Ultimate Frisbee Association will play the 1st half of their 2024 home schedule at Lamport Stadium while their regular home stadium Varsity Stadium is undergoing renovations.[27]
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]
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.[28][29][30]
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