The New City Gas complex – at the centre of the controversy over a plan to raze the Bonaventure Highway – is opening its doors to the public this weekend.
Griffintown: Developing Culture will include poetry readings, lectures, art exhibits, walking tours, music and a "silent disco." It's part of the Montreal High Lights Festival.
Events run from 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 to 2 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 28. The full schedule is here. There's no admission charge.
The New City Gas Co. complex was built between 1849-1861. The company, seen as a forerunner of Hydro-Québec, distributed gas throughout the city, allowing for the illumination of streets and buildings. Much of the original complex remains intact.
(Photos of the New City Gas complex, taken in 2008: Allen McInnis, The Gazette)
HAVE FUN & REMEMBER VERDUN
4 comments:
I used to play all around this area,when I was a kid,exploring the area's around my oldmans shop.Ahh the great places to explore as a kid, train tracks ,old commercial factory's , the waterfront......hahahaha The old cobble stone streets around there, Yup pretty much would freak any parent out nowadays ,their kid roaming around the Harbour,or the Train Tracks ......now we bubble wrap the kids to keep them safe from everything.......
_ The times they are a changing--------Bob Dylan HF&RV
I had some photos on the wall at that show and volunteered for the day. It was an amazing success. I ve been involved in tons of art shows and this one was exceptionally well done! Will it help save Griffintown? Hard to say right now but some serious seeds got planted with this event. The people who own New City Gas live in a church in Verdun - extraordinary folks, whose laissez-faire approach to the whole thing really made it happen.
I remember going down to your old man's shop with you at least once, Les. It was, as they say today, awesome! You don't see too many businesses like that today, especially in neighborhoods like that. Probably where I started my life long fascination with the south west of Montreal.
Ken McLaughlin
a quick quote from the article mentioning the 'controversy over the plan to raze the Bonaventure Expressway...I find this funny,.as the reason my oldman's shop was expropriated by the Jean Drapeau Nazi's of the day, was to rid the area of possible unsightly commercial shops that may have been seen,while travelling at highway speeds towards the soon to be Expo 67 site, as well as the rest of the Bonaventure,...so in effect , there was controversy over the plans to 'raze' my oldmans shop as well as others in the neighbourhood,to make way for the Bonaventure.............hahahaha "The more things Change ....the more they stay the same" Btw: My oldman did alright in the courtrooms against the City of Montreal at the time who wanted to literally steal the property,However they didn't...(not totally)
Glad your involved with the South-West Ken, good to hear you are involved: HF&RV
at the centre of the controversy over a plan to raze the Bonaventure Highway – is opening its doors to the public this weekend.
Les,
Thanks for posting those old photos of Griffintown. That area may disapear in the near future with the new development planned for the area. At least we will have the photos.
Guy
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