Once Montreal had been awarded the Games, the city formed the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (known by its French acronym, COJO). This organization was in charge of selecting the competition sites, ensuring that everything ran smoothly, accommodating the athletes and putting together a program of cultural events.
The main Olympic sites were built in Montreal’s east end. For Mayor Drapeau, it was a strategic choice: many French-speaking residents lived in this less wealthy area, and he wanted Olympic spending to stimulate its development and help revitalize it. He believed that the Games were much more than a sporting event and could transform the neighbourhood and improve the lives of its inhabitants.
However, not everyone agreed with his vision. Many Montrealers were opposed to the idea because it meant destroying a large green space near the Botanical Garden, which included a very popular golf course. Citizens mobilized to express their objections. In the end, part of the golf course was preserved, but half of its original acreage was used to build the Olympic Village to house the athletes.