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Never before has silence been so engaging…Sample the Silent Disco experience, an original concept born in the Netherlands where the DJ broadcasts a wide variety of music to participants wearing wireless headphones. While dancing to DJ Groovy Jack’s music, let the walls of this extraordinary site speak to you and share with you the history of a site identified by Heritage Montreal as one of our city’s threatened heritage sites.
We are pleased to announce that Sid Lee, one of our partners in the Guaranteed Pure Milk project, was the recipient of the Grafika Grand prize in the category Social Issues at the awards ceremony held on February 4th 2010. The annual Grafika awards aim at celebrating the best in graphic design in Québec. The contest is organised by Infopresse in collaboration with la Société des designers graphiques du Québec (SDGQ).
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As part of our annual end of year Membership and Fundraising Drive, Heritage Montreal is delighted to offer to all our Donors the unique opportunity to win one of the following exciting prizes!
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To commemorate operation “Save the Milk Bottle”, Héritage Montréal has produced a very limited edition T-shirt! Here is how to obtain one of these great collectibles :
Phyllis Lambert, Architect, Founding Director and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Dimitri Roussopoulos, founder of the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre, and Dinu Bumbaru, our own Policy Director at Héritage Montréal announced at a press conference on October 14th (anniversary of the inauguration of the Montreal metro), the creation of a new think tank for Montreal: IPAM.
For Immediate Release
New ! Course on Sustainable Development
Montreal, February 23 – Heritage Montreal’s announces the return of its popular Home Renovation Courses. The registration period is now open for this notable event in the world of residential renovation.
This year, we are pleased to announce the addition of a new trend-setting course to our core programme. Architect Ron Rayside and Emmanuel Cosgrove, senior evaluator for LEED Canada will introduce participants to the renovation and restoration practices that respect the environment in light of current sustainable development principles.
Taught by architects, engineers and other housing professionals, our courses are an ideal way for home owners and prospective buyers to learn what they need to know about maintaining, renovating and restoring homes of any age or architectural style.
Home owners are ideally placed to preserve the harmony and beauty of the built environment that make up much of our city’s charming neighbourhoods. Heritage Montreal has been giving these highly regarded courses since 1981. The courses look at routine problems and their causes and examine solutions that suit the different architectural features of various homes. Armed with the knowledge they need, homeowners go away feeling more confident about making the substantial financial commitments that their projects require.
For just $299, the series of eight thematic courses is offered in English at Dawson College every Thursday evening from March 25 to May 10 (note that the last course will be held on a Monday), and in French at Université de Montréal, 2940 Côte-Sainte-Catherine, every Tuesday evening from March 23 to May 11. Courses run from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. and will cover the following topics:
• Montreal residential architecture through history
• General home inspection
• Renovation planning and administration
• Foundations and structure
• Exterior walls, roofs and insulation
• Doors, windows and exterior woodwork
• Mechanical and electrical systems
• Sustainable Development
Take advantage of this opportunity to become a member of the Foundation for only 50$ and accordingly benefit from a reduced course rate of 249$. Our members may also benefit from an additional rebate of 50$ when registering as a DUO (2 members).
Registration can be done by telephone with Julia Dawson, Coordinator of the Home Renovation Courses at (514) 286-2662, extension 26 or online at www.heritagemontreal.org.
For over 30 years, Héritage Montréal has worked to promote and protect the architectural, historic, natural and cultural heritage of Greater Montreal, its neighbourhoods and communities. This private non-profit organization is at the heart of an extensive network of partners, working through education and representation to celebrate, develop and preserve Montreal’s identity and uniqueness.
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Information :
Julia Dawson
Coordinator – Renovation Courses
Héritage Montréal
renovation@heritagemontreal.org
514-286-2662, ext. 26
Amélie Renouf
Head Programs and activities
Héritage Montréal
education@heritagemontreal.org
514 286-2662, ext. 26
LET’S RAISE OUR GLASS TO THE MILK BOTTLE!
Montreal, October 26, 2009. Today, Heritage Montreal and its partners are proud to present to Montrealers a refurbished heritage symbol: the giant Milk Bottle of the former Guaranteed Pure Milk dairy. Thanks to the collaboration of the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec (FPLQ), the building’s current owners, and several other private companies, Heritage Montreal was able to halt the deterioration of this emblematic site and return it to its rightful place in our collective memory.
Through this innovative project, Heritage Montreal is establishing a model for new partnerships aimed at promoting the protection of our threatened heritage sites. Currently, there are ten threatened emblematic sites identified by Heritage Montreal that are at risk of disappearing forever. The extraordinary giant Guaranteed Pure Milk Bottle is one of those ten sites and the first project to be carried out entirely with the support of private partners.
A remarkable example of Art Deco and a testament to the presence of the dairy industry in the heart of Montreal, the Guaranteed Pure Milk dairy building was designed in 1930 by architects Hutchison, Wood and Miller. A water reservoir in the form of a giant milk bottle was built on the roof. Constructed out of riveted steel and rising almost 32 feet in the air, it weighs 6 tons. Through lack of maintenance and the impact of time and weather, the Milk Bottle’s former lustre had been dulled by rust, as train commuters and regulars at the Bell Centre can no doubt attest.
“In setting out to restore the giant Milk Bottle, Heritage Montreal challenged some of Montreal’s most dynamic companies to support our organization in a way that goes far beyond a single rescue project by participating in a new form of development that takes into account Montreal’s human dimension and its creativity,” explains Robert Turgeon, president of Heritage Montreal. “We would like to take this opportunity to encourage Montreal residents and companies to support Heritage Montreal in future projects to restore threatened sites.”
Nicole Dubé, Marketing Director at the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec, one of the project’s partners, adds that “the Milk Bottle’s historic value to the metropolis is undeniable; it reminds us all of bygone days and of the importance of the dairy industry in Montreal. We are delighted to participate today in the unveiling of this unique symbol, which fires our collective imagination.”
In addition to the Fédération des producteurs de lait, the repainting of the Milk Bottle was made possible through the generous support of many other partners, including the advertising agency Sid Lee, AkzoNobel, Trans-Optique (large format print), Du-For Scaffolding and the public relations firm Ryan Affaires publiques.
Montrealers who wish to participate in the safeguarding of Montreal’s other threatened emblematic sites can visit www.heritagemontreal.org. This site provides information on the history of the Milk Bottle as well as information on the other emblematic sites that Heritage Montreal wishes to save from abandon and neglect, including the La Fontaine and Redpath Houses, the Dow Planetarium, the 9th floor restaurant of the former Eaton’s department store, as well as Montreal’s cherished staircases, balconies and cornices.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Philippe Roy Debbie Cabana
(514) 874-1939 (514) 443-0706
4 COLOURS: Yellow, Green, Orange or Pink
SIZES: Small, Medium, Large and Extra-Large.
Two ways to get one:
1. Get one FOR FREE* by becoming a member of Héritage Montréal by November 30th, 2009. (Regular Membership: $50 Discount Students/Seniors: $25).
Sign up online at: http://www.heritagemontreal.org/en/devenez-membre/
Or call (514) 286-2662.
2. Purchase one for $20 at our offifces or order by phone and get it delivered for an extra $5 covering shipping cost.
Heritage Montreal is financed 100% by people who love Montreal! People like you !
* While quantities last.
Under construction
Montreal, September 24th 2009. Heritage Montreal is moving to save an emblematic downtown landmark : the giant Milk Bottle of the former Guaranteed Pure Milk Dairy Company. In order to do this, a unique partnership has been established between the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec (FPLQ) and Heritage Montreal as well as with the building’s current owners. This initiative, to clean and repaint the Milk Bottle, will ensure its survival, and will at the same time remind Montrealers of an important part of their history.
Through this innovative partnership, Heritage Montreal is establishing a model for new partnerships aimed at promoting the protection of our threatened heritage sites. Currently, there are ten threatened emblematic sites in Montreal that are at risk of disappearing forever. Forgotten and rusted, the extraordinary giant Guaranteed Pure Milk Bottle is one of these ten emblems.
A remarkable example of Art Deco and a testament to the presence of the dairy industry in the heart of Montreal, the Guaranteed Pure Milk Dairy building was designed in 1930 by architects Hutchison, Wood and Miller. A water reservoir in the form of a giant Milk Bottle was built on the roof. Constructed out of riveted steel and measuring close to 32 feet in height, it weighs 6 tons.
Through lack of maintenance and the impact of time and weather, the Milk Bottle’s former radiance has been overcome by rust, as train commuters and regulars at the Bell Centre are no doubt aware.
“Heritage Montreal is often mistakenly thought of as a para-municipal organization whose central mission is to review and evaluate on development projects. In fact, Heritage Montreal is an independent non-profit charitable organization funded through donations from corporations, foundations and individuals who love Montreal and who wish to contribute to the safeguarding and promotion of our heritage in the context of Montreal’s development. In order for us to pursue our goal of safeguarding additional Montreal Heritage Emblems, we are soliciting the financial support of the public at large and of the private sector”, explains Dinu Bumbaru, Heritage Montreal’s Policy Director. « To support Heritage Montreal is to contribute to the preservation of the quality of our city that we all benefit from and that we wish to leave as a legacy to future generations. »
For Nicole Dubé, Marketing Director at the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec, «The Milk Bottle reminds the younger generation that the dairy industry has been part of our city for a long time. To let such a symbol disappear would mean that what we build today won’t have any value fifty years from now ».
In addition to the Fédération des producteurs de lait, the repainting of the Milk Bottle has been made possible thanks to the generous support of many other partners, including the advertising agency Sid Lee, AkzoNobel, Trans-Optique (large format print), Du-For Scaffolding and public relations firm Ryan Affaires publiques.
« As the Canadian leader in the decorative paints market, we are pleased to contribute to preserving one of Montreal’s industrial symbols, and to demonstrate that there is room for colour beyond interior decoration and into architectural projects in the public and urban domains,” said Pierre Dufresne, General Manager, Decorative Paints Canada, AkzoNobel.
Montrealers who wish to participate in the safeguarding of the Milk Bottle and other threatened emblematic Montreal sites can visit www.savethemilkbottle.com. This site provides information on the history of the Milk Bottle as well as information on the other emblematic sites that Heritage Montreal wishes to save from abandon and neglect, among them, the Redpath house, the Dow Planetarium, the 9th floor restaurant of the former Eaton’s department store, as well as Montreal’s cherished staircases, balconies and cornices.
Media Contact :
Philippe Roy
(514) 874-1939
1025 Lucien-L’Allier Street
Architectural value
The Guaranteed Pure Milk Co. dairy is a remarkable Art Deco industrial building built in 1930-32 according to the plans of architects Hutchison, Wood & Miller, who were responsible for many outstanding buildings in the downtown area and Old Montreal. It is topped by a riveted steel water tank shaped like a giant milk bottle, almost ten metres high, built by Dominion Bridge of Lachine. The milk bottle is an almost poetic emblem of the downtown core, a naïve architectural element that contrasts with the more monumental features of the neighbourhood.
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Historic value
The Guaranteed Pure Milk dairy plant and its milk bottle bear witness to the bygone existence of the agrifood industry in the heart of the metropolis and the traditional means of delivering milk. The presence of this industrial activity is also a reminder of the transformation of this downtown sector, a neighbourhood once home to Victorian villas and then terrace houses following construction of Windsor Station in the late 19th century.
The threat
Closed in the 1990s and used as a location for shooting films and television series, which take advantage of its period décor, the former dairy faces an uncertain future with the further development of Cité du commerce électronique The City of Montréal has approved the expansion of the complex preserving only the dairy building’s Art Deco façade. The milk bottle may eventually be moved but, for the moment, it suffers primarily from rust, which threatens not only its physical integrity as a metal structure but also Montrealers’ perception of its value.
Actions of Heritage Montreal
In the 1990s, Heritage Montreal worked with the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal to ensure that the Cité du commerce électronique project would be more respectful of its urban environment and less damaging to the city’s heritage. We made officials aware of the importance of protecting the milk bottle and contributed to discussions with the centre for contemporary art at the Darling Foundry to find a permanent home for the milk bottle if it has to be moved. In the meantime, Heritage Montreal has attempted to bring together the owners and private partners to protect and repaint the milk bottle to stop it from deteriorating and disappearing from our collective memory.
1830 Le Ber Street
Architectural Value
Originally built in the 1850s by the Grand Trunk Railway Company, this complex of railway shops was in large part rebuilt by Canadian National Railways in the 1920s. Despite the loss of some elements in this major reconstruction, the CN shops in Point St. Charles constitute a built and technological ensemble of great interest notably for their large industrial volumes and for their functional architecture enhanced by Art Deco detailing.
Archaeological Value
The land and site of the shops bears the evidence of more than 150 years of construction, technology and history of the railway industry.
Historic Value
The origin of the Point St. Charles railways shops is closely linked to the construction of the Victoria Bridge, one of the major technical feats of the Victorian era, and to the development of the Canadian railways, which transformed Montreal into a commercial and transportation hub linking Canada, the United States and Europe. The railway shops, along with the Lachine Canal (opened in 1825) and the Victoria Bridge (inaugurated in 1860), bear witness to the Industrial Revolution.
The Threat
Despite the expressed desire of Montreal’s Master Plan to conserve the site as an employment node compatible with its industrial heritage and despite public consultations on the subject in 2009, the future of the site is again on hold. Following the closure of the Shops, both a project to convert the property into film studios and a subsequent plan to create an exhibition centre as part of the Peel Basin entertainment complex project have collapsed. Given environmental regulations, a residential reuse project could require total demolition of the buildings and eradication of any archaeological heritage due to the need to decontaminate the soil. On November 14, 2008, a fire of undetermined origin destroyed a large part of one of the buildings. Currently the Agence Métropolitaine de Transport is working on a proposal for repair shops for suburban trains on this site which would maintain the site’s railway vocation, but which would require - in the interests of modern efficiency - rebuilding the shops entirely. There is a danger that the CN shops will suffer the same fate of the Angus Yards in Rosemont, where only four buildings were saved from the 60 that were once there.
Area bordered by Ottawa / Dalhousie / Wellington / Ann
Architectural value
Like many industrial heritage ensembles, here and around the world, the New City Gas Company of Montreal complex was built in several stages by a number of different engineers, contractors, and architects. The New City Gas ensemble was built between 1859 and 1861 in accordance with the plans of John Ostell (1813-1862), a leading 19th-century Montreal architect. Ostell was also a board member and then president of the company, after being a shareholder of the Montreal Gas Light Company, founded in1836. Despite the loss of some parts of the building, largely to make way for the elevated tracks of the Canadian National Railway in the 1920’s, the New City Gas complex is largely intact. Its impressive roofs and stone masonry are a strong and evocative presence in the urban landscape, as seen from neighbouring Griffintown or from the train or highway.
Historic value
The New City Gas Company was built at a time when Montreal was entering a significant phase of its industrialization: the lighting revolution made possible the illumination of streets and buildings through the widespread production and distribution of gas, leading to increased productivity in the workplace. The company was a major participant in this revolution and, through the complex genealogy of gas companies that were later transformed into electric companies, is the ancestor of Hydro-Québec.
The threat
As part of a promising project to redevelop the Bonaventure expressway, the Société du Havre (created at the initiative of the City of Montréal), proposes to create a high-traffic bus corridor linking the South Shore to downtown Montreal along Dalhousie – a narrow street that runs alongside the New City Gas Company and now ends at the Canadian National railroad tracks. This proposal would require the building of a long and costly tunnel under the railroad tracks and result in some 1,400 bus trips past the building each day. The building of the tunnel would seriously threaten the integrity and solidity of this heritage building, and the heavy flow of buses would undermine any plans to revitalize the New City Gas Company.
Actions of Heritage Montreal
In 1987, Heritage Montreal asked the City of Montreal to cite New City Gas as a historic monument to ensure its protection and contribute to its improvement. In 2007, we intervened directly with the developer Devimco to ensure that this complex would be recognized, preserved, and respectfully revitalized within the framework of the (excessive) Griffintown project. In 2009, Heritage Montreal reminded the City of Montreal and the Société du Havre of the importance of this exceptional heritage complex, urging them to withdraw the proposal to concentrate the 1400 bus trips on Dalhousie Street. We also met with the administrators of the Agence métropolitaine de transport and received assurances of their reservations concerning the plan to create this bus corridor. Heritage Montreal is also in communication with the owner of the site and with local residents and organizations, which are also deeply concerned by the proposal for this high-traffic public transit corridor, which was apparently developed in a vacuum with no thought to the impact it would have on the revitalization of this neighbourhood.
Area bordered by René-Lévesque / de Bleury / Viger / Beaver Hall
Architectural and urban value
The Paper Hill sector is an urban and heritage ensemble of great interest because of the high quality of the buildings spanning a number of different periods. It grew up on both sides of De la Gauchetière Street in accordance with the topography. Built in accordance with the plans of Jesuit Father Félix Martin, Saint Patrick’s Basilica was thus constructed on high ground and facing south to give Montréal’s Irish community a symbolic presence on prestigious Victoria Square, down below, from where its steeple has been very visible since its inauguration in 1847. The sector is also home to several industrial buildings of great interest for both their architecture and their use of concrete. These include the Unity Building (1912), designed by architect D. Jerome Spence. Like the Basilica, it has been classified a historic monument and also benefits from its location in a protected area, ensuring that its immediate vicinity is protected by Quebec’s Minister of Culture.
Historic value
Saint Patrick’s Basilica is a powerful witness to the efforts of Montréal’s Irish community to gain recognition and acceptance in early 19th-century Montréal and the assistance it received from Catholic communities. It was the Sulpicians, for example, who gave them the land for the Basilica. The area was dubbed “Paper Hill” in honour of the many printers and paper manufacturers that set up shop in the robust buildings constructed at the turn of the last century; at that time it was traditional to name Montréal neighbourhoods after the communities or trades they housed. Like Paper Hill, the former fur district around Saint James United is one of the most interesting sectors of downtown.
The threat
Long neglected, Paper Hill has benefited in recent years from major investments in the successful rehabilitation and development of some former industrial buildings as part of such award-winning projects as Unity 1 and Unity 2. Some projects now being studied are nevertheless overly ambitious and threaten the scale and integrity of this remarkable heritage ensemble. Commonplace construction and overscaled buildings have been authorized by the City of Montréal, whose regulations seem to disregard the heritage value of this sector. We recently learned that a developer has received the City’s permission to demolish several heritage buildings and erect a 34-floor residential and commercial building that would overwhelm and overshadow two emblematic monuments – the Unity Building and Saint Patrick’s Basilica – obstructing the symbolic view linking the church and the square. Paper Hill is thus threatened with disappearance by the heedlessness of revenue-hungry municipal authorities.
Actions of Héritage Montréal
Héritage Montréal has urged Quebec Culture Minister Christine Saint-Pierre to intervene quickly by rejecting plans for the 34-storey tower. Aside from eliminating heritage buildings such as the Gazette’s former printing plant, this tower would greatly affect the symbolic presence of Saint Patrick’s Basilica and the Unity Building, two historic monuments for which the minister is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the buildings and protecting the surrounding area. We have also informed the mayor and the Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal of our concern and called for their intervention.
1174 Champlain Street
Architectural value
Sainte-Brigide de Kildare was built in 1878-1880 by architect Louis-Gustave Morin using a Romanesque revival vocabulary often associated with Sulpician buildings such as the Notre-Dame de Lourdes chapel built by the Sulpicians during the same period in the Quartier Latin. It has received superior heritage recognition in the inventory of Quebec places of worship. With its remarkable presbytery and its works, it forms an ensemble of interest. Its bell tower and that of Saint-Pierre Apôtre form a remarkable ensemble.
Historic value
The Sainte-Brigide de Kildare Church was built to serve the Irish community in the Faubourg à M’lasse. Saint Brigid of Kildare is one of Ireland’s patron saints, and, in the early 19th century, the Sulpicians had already contributed to the building of an orphanage in her name. The presence of this church illustrates the various dimensions of the presence of the Catholic Church in Montréal neighbourhoods, particularly in terms of organizing activities and serving working-class neighbourhoods.
The threat
The church was recently sold and is now the focus of a project developed with the cooperation of academics and architects to divide up the nave into space for housing, community services, and apparently a small place of worship, conserving only a few fragments of the original building. As demonstrated by recent revelations concerning the closing of the extraordinary Très Saint-Nom de Jésus and Saint-Clément de Viauville churches in the Maisonneuve district, the Sainte-Brigide de Kildare church is not an isolated case, and we must urgently address the issue of the conservation, conversion, and transmission of this heritage. The danger is that events will be allowed to proceed on an ad hoc basis in what appears to be the spirit of a think tank and architectural exploration without any clear commitment to this heritage and its protection.
Actions of Heritage Montreal
For the past twenty years, Héritage Montréal has been reminding Montréal and Québec authorities of their responsibility to this heritage and of the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach rather than reacting to each situation on a case-by-case basis. In 1990, we managed to ensure that the City of Montreal’s master plan continued to include places of worship and religious institutions in a separate category, rather than lumping them together with other buildings. We have also formulated a strategic plan for downtown churches that face particular challenges resulting from the social services they provide, and participated in the extraordinary sittings of the National Assembly on religious heritage. Given the lack of concrete results from the City of Montreal’s promise to develop a coherent strategy to deal with this issue affecting the heritage identity of the metropolis and its neighbourhoods, the general meeting of Heritage Montreal urged the City to immediately mandate the Conseil du patrimoine to hold consultations to develop a Montreal strategy that could be integrated in the master plan to help prevent the state of disarray and demolitions otherwise likely to occur.
700 St. Catherine Street West
Architectural Value
The 9th floor of the former Eaton’s department store and its restaurant constitute a significant and remarkably intact example of Art Deco interior architecture. Its unique design and decoration is evocative of that of the great ocean liners of the era.
Historic Value
In the collective memory of Montrealers, the 9th floor restaurant is remembered as part of the era of the great downtown department stores. Legend has it that this restaurant was modelled after the Île de France ocean liner but the reality is that many architects at the time were inspired by naval structures and forms, creating the Streamlined Moderne style. The French architect who designed the 9th floor restaurant – Jacques Carlu (1890-1976), who also designed the Palais de Chaillot in Paris – was engaged by the Eaton department stores in both Montreal and Toronto and was also active in the United States.
The Threat
The transformation of the old Eaton’s department store into a shopping mall included the demolition of the kitchen of the 9th Floor Restaurant, although some of the original equipment was salvaged and placed in storage. Currently, this magnificent space has been mothballed by the owner under the watchful eye of Quebec’s Minister of Culture and Communications. However, each passing year means that the memory of the restaurant fades a little more, which could in the medium term threaten the conservation of the site and deprive Montrealers of a very special place.
Initiatives of Héritage Montréal
Further to Heritage Montreal’s request, following the bankruptcy of Eaton’s , the Art Deco restaurant on the 9th floor was classified as a historic monument by the Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications, the only authority able to protect interior heritage spaces in Québec. Since then, Heritage Montreal has concentrated its efforts on maintaining the owners’ and authorities’ interest in order for resources to be invested in bringing this extraordinary heritage site back to life and accessible to the public.
3457 Avenue du Musée
Architectural Value
Designed by architect Sir Andrew Taylor and built in 1886, this is one of the rare examples of Queen Anne architecture still standing in Montreal, with its red brick, its slate shingles, its many gables and its tall chimney.
Historic Value
A vestige of the era of Montreal’s fabled Square Mile, that section of downtown bounded to the north by the mountain and to the south by today’s René Lévesque Boulevard where Canada’s business elite lived in remarkable mansions. The Redpath House was built for John Redpath, the wealthy industrialist and builder of the Lachine Canal who founded the sugar refinery that bears his name. The Redpath family was one of the most influential Montreal families of the 19th century.
The Threat
In 1986, Heritage Montreal and Save Montreal obtained an injunction to stop the demolition of this historic building. Despite an out-of-court settlement between the parties, the building and the site, at least as far as maintenance goes, have been abandoned by their owner, who would appear to still hope to demolish the building to make way for high rise construction.
Initiatives of Héritage Montréal
Heritage Montreal has had several meetings with the owner and with municipal authorities. In 2002, the organisation intervened in front of the arbitration commission of the City of Montreal to prevent a demolition permit from being issued. Over the 20 years since demolition was
stopped, Heritage Montreal has continued to remind municipal authorities of the need to preserve the house and to find a way to integrate it into a development project that would respect the heritage and the urban pattern of the Square Mile. We have also proposed that the site and the vestiges of the house be integrated into a pedestrian path that would link the mountain to Sherbrooke Street where the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts hopes to design a sculpture garden as part of its Canadian art pavilion project.
1395 Overdale Street
Architectural and Landscape Value
Constructed in the 1830s, this house, despite certain modifications, is a rare example of the Neo-Classical greystone mansions built in the St. Antoine ward in that era. Its setback from the surrounding streets is a reminder of its original setting on landscaped grounds.
Historic Value
This house was home to one of our most important 19th century politicians, Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine, who was the first Prime Minister of the united Canadas following the 1841 Union of Lower Canada and Upper Canada. LaFontaine was a key player in the creation of the country’s democratic institutions. In April 1849, the house was attacked by the rioters who had burned down the Parliament Building on the site of present-day Place d’Youville , to protest the adoption of the Compensation Act for all damages suffered during the 1837-38 Rebellion.
The Threat
Intervention by Heritage Montreal saved the house from demolition 20 years ago. Although the interior of the house was subsequently refinished, it has sat empty and abandoned for many years. The owner seems uninterested in a use of the house that would be appropriate and that respects its historical and architectural heritage.
Initiatives of Héritage Montréal
In 1987, Heritage Montreal convinced the City of Montreal to cite the house as a historic monument, which prevented its demolition. In 2005, Heritage Montreal called on the Federal Environment Minister to acquire the house and convert it into a site commemorating and interpreting the historic events at the origins of responsible government and parliamentary democracy in Canada. In 2009, following a resolution adopted by its members at its Annual General Meeting, Heritage Montreal once again called on the federal authorities, but to date, regrettably, the Canadian Government continues to exhibit indifference.
1000 Saint-Jacques Street West
Architectural Value
Inaugurated in 1966, the Montreal Planetarium was designed by the architects David, Barrott, Boulva. Its modern architecture is interesting for its play of volumes, notably for the truncated roof that reveals the presence of the spherical central volume and for the modules which spring from the building’s façade suggesting a structure about to launch itself. Its most notable architectural element is on the inside – its spherical core is unique in Montreal and could provide an exceptional opportunity as a site for, for example, contemporary artistic creation. The Planetarium is adjacent to the former Chaboillez Square, most of which was cut off by access roads to the Ville-Marie autoroute. Consequently, the Dow Planetarium plays a significant role as a backdrop for Peel Street, a key axis linking the mountain and the river.
Historic Value
The Montreal Planetarium was the first public planetarium in Canada. Its creation, as a result of a substantial donation from neighboring Dow Breweries, demonstrates the preoccupation with popular scientific education in Montreal during Expo 67 and the era of space exploration.
The Threat
The City of Montreal’s plan to relocate the Planetarium to the vicinity of the Botanical Gardens, part of a project to group together all of the city’s scientific museums (Muséums Nature), may be warranted for practical reasons and a legitimate need to modernise the Planetarium, but it would result in the loss of the primary function of the planetarium structure and could serve as a pretext for its demolition. This would deprive Montreal - a city recently given the prestigious title of a UNESCO City of Design - of an exceptional facility, one that could contribute to the cultural revitalization of this part of downtown that borders the commercial centre of the city, the École de Technologie Supérieure and the Cité du Multimédia.
Initiatives of Héritage Montréal
Taking into consideration the unique character of this building and its potential for creative reuse, Heritage Montreal has contacted government policy makers, the heads of Muséums Nature and the adjacent École de Technologie Supérieure in an effort to sensitize them to the need to preserve and to make use of the remarkable interior in the event that the Planetarium is relocated. The Planetarium’s architectural heritage significance was highlighted during the activities marking the 2009 edition of the Day of World Heritage Sites and Monuments whose theme was Scientific Heritage. Heritage Montreal has also established positive contact with two highly regarded cultural organizations, the Société des Arts Technologiques and the Ligue Nationale d’Improvisation, who have both expressed an interest in the site.
Architectural and artistic value
Designed in 1976 and inaugurated in 1981, Agora was created by sculptor and landscape designer Charles Daudelin (1920-2001), who was commissioned by Quebec’s transport minister, at the suggestion of engineer Bernard Lamarre, to re-establish a significant space on the west side of Square Viger, which had been devastated by the construction of the metro and then of the Ville-Marie expressway. The designer had to deal with constraints imposed by the tunnel running below it such as its ventilation fans. The immense green roof offers a central space framed by basins of water, terraces, and an interweaving of structures and spaces designed to house cafes and shops much like those found in the squares at Expo 67. The original plans also included the planting of scent gardens. Despite years of neglect, Agora maintains great architectural integrity.
Historic value
Square Viger is one of the oldest in Montréal, built on market spaces dating from the 1810s. A prestigious location, as evidenced by the remarkable buildings that surround it – homes, church, railroad station, the former Hautes Études Commerciales – the square was also frequented by the poor and the homeless as early as the 19th century. Agora predates by several years the adoption of the so-called “1% integration of art and architecture policy” and is reminiscent of efforts and initiatives designed to soften the impact of major transportation infrastructures in urban areas – in this case, the Ville-Marie expressway. This initiative also aimed to create a second activity hub to relieve the pressure on Place Jacques-Cartier in Old Montreal.
The threat
The feeling of public rejection felt from the very beginning of the redevelopment of Square Viger by artists is associated with disputes surrounding the expressway and facilities separated from other parts of the square, cut off from the street. This interfered with the completion of the original plans for Agora and, above all, its public use. The square’s urban environment is still inhospitable and dominated by traffic on streets serving the expressway. The lack of real activity in the sector makes it a poorly frequented area, associated with marginality and urban violence, two factors that now serve as a pretext justifying the indifference of the government and its desire to demolish it all without seeking to understand the significance of this site which, in 2009, offers great potential, since its trees have grown and new generations of artists and residents are discovering its possibilities. Agora is now threatened with demolition because of faults unfairly attributed to it.
Actions of Héritage Montréal
Héritage Montréal has expressed its concern about the state of this installation and the indifference of municipal and provincial authorities regarding its development. We expressed our views during consultations regarding the Ville-Marie section of the Master Plan, the downtown CHUM project, and the management of public art in Montréal. Héritage Montréal has also participated in meetings of the arts and heritage communities concerned about the fate of Agora as well as of the Commission des biens culturels du Québec. We have supported an application for classification submitted to the Minister of Culture to ensure the coherence of actions taken to protect monumental works from every era.
Heritage Montreal Takes Action
There are currently 10 threatened emblematic heritage sites in Montreal that risk disappearing. Neglected and rusted the extraordinary giant Guaranteed Pure Milk Bottle is one such icon. Heritage Montreal’s project to repaint the Milk Bottle is the first in a series of projects to be undertaken.
As of October a new Milk Bottle!
The repainting of the Guaranteed Pure Milk Bottle is not only good news for Montreal but is also proof that there is hope for other threatened sites, and provides evidence that together we can succeed in preserving our architectural icons.
Help us promote the preservation of Montreal’s beautiful emblems by contributing generously to Heritage Montreal.
Follow the refurbishing of the Guaranteed Pure Milk Bottle and the unveiling of the corporate sponsors that made this project possible at: www.sauvonslapinte.com or savethemilkbottle.com