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.

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.