A New Replacement for the Village’s Multicolored Balls

boules multicolores du village

Last fall, the Village’s multicolored balls were removed for good. Since 2011, this floating tapestry had given a new identity to the neighbourhood. We even included it in almost all of our exterior renderings of Le Bourbon, to show its significance in our urban scenery.

bourbon condominium

Saucy & Controversial Slogans

 

This winter, the Société de développement commercial (SDC) du Village stirred up controversy by placing billboards with daring slogans. Some of them had messages such as : “J’aime quand tu viens” (I like it when you come), and “Drag-moi où tu veux” (Drag me where you want), which seemed to convey stereotypes on the LGBTQ+ community. The SDC du Village reacted swiftly, removing the most controversial slogans. We can still find some plays on words such as “Beau de jour, belle de nuit” (Handsome by day, pretty by night) and “L’avenir sera rose” (The future is pink).

All in all, these slogans are temporary. They don’t replace the famous pink and multicolored balls designed by landscape architect Claude Cormier.

Instead, a more ambitious expo called “La Tête dans les nuages” (The Head in the Clouds) will take over Sainte Catherine Street.

A Clouded Sky

These cones, connected by metal cables, will represent “drops or clouds” to the eyes of pedestrians, on the Village’s main street between St-Hubert and Papineau. The cabling used for the multicolored balls will be kept, as it has been there without any issues since 2011.

This idea is rooted in the collaboration between two architecture firms: Collectif Escargo (Québec) and WXY Studio (New York). They won an international design contest organized by the SDC du Village.

Here’s a glimpse of the new expo, obtained in the City of Montréal’s archives:

la tête dans les nuages
City of Montréal’s archives

Next time you take a stroll on Sainte-Catherine E, will you have the head in the clouds? What are your thoughts? Comment below!

Experience the Nuit Blanche at Montreal en Lumière Winter Fest

nuit blanche montreal en lumière

An original idea imported from Paris, the Nuit Blanche is now a Montreal tradition. The major cultural, artistic and gourmet happening will take over the city on the night of February 29th to March 1st 2020, as part of the Montréal en Lumière winter festival.

One of the city’s most popular events, the Nuit Blanche attracts over 300,000 festivalgoers, who tackle the winter head on by participating in over 200 cultural activities, while taking advantage of the metro, which is exceptionally open all night.

In case you’ve never been to Nuit Blanche, here’s a recap from last year’s event:

In 2019, twelve bars in the Quartier Latin served their clients until 6 AM during Nuit Blanche. For this 17th installment, sixteen bars were able to prolong their alcohol license until dawn. We are delighted to learn that some of these establishments are reputable staples in the Village.

Here’s a full list of the bars that will remain open until; 6 AM during Nuit blanche:

  • District Video Lounge, 1365 rue Sainte-Catherine Est
  • Bar Renard, 1272 rue Sainte-Catherine Est
  • Le Date Karaoke, 1218 rue Sainte-Catherine Est
  • Arcade MTL, 2031 rue Saint-Denis
  • Les 3 Brasseurs, 1658 rue Saint-Denis
  • Pub L’Abreuvoir, 403 rue Ontario Est
  • Bistro à Jojo, 1627 rue Saint-Denis
  • Edgar Hyper Lodge, 1738 rue Saint-Denis
  • Pub L’Île Noire, 1649 rue Saint-Denis
  • Café Hookah Lounge/Patrick’s Irish Pub, 1699 rue Saint-Denis
  • Le Saint-Bock Brasserie artisanale, 1749 rue Saint-Denis
  • Turbo Haüs, 2040 rue Saint-Denis
  • Meltdown, 2035 rue Saint-Denis
  • Le Saint-Houblon, 1567 rue Saint-Denis
  • Le Petit Moscou, 323 rue Ontario Est

The Nuit Blanche takes place in a few key areas in the heart of Montreal, including the Old Port, the Quays of the Old Port, Plateau Mont-Royal, Mile-End, Quartier des Spectacles, the Village and Maisonneuve. Most cultural activities are free, including performances, music and exhibitions. The Place des Festivals, in downtown Montréal’s Quartier des Spectacles, will become a winter wonderland, and the Art Souterrain temporary expo will bring life to our beloved downtown underground network.

For more information on the Nuit Blanche and Montréal en Lumière, be sure to check out the festival’s website.