Montréal, Wednesday, July 9, 2008 – Today's ceremony marking the unveiling of the mock-ups for the Place du Quartier des spectacles was attended by Gérald Tremblay, Mayor of Montréal, Christine St-Pierre, Quebec Minister of Culture, Communications and the Status of Women, Raymond Bachand, Quebec Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Exports and Tourism, and Steven Blaney, MP for Lévis–Bellechasse. The dignitaries also visited the construction site. This initial phase of the Quartier des spectacles project will be completed on schedule, in time for the 30th anniversary of the International Jazz Festival in June 2009.
"The Quartier des spectacles project is a priority for the City of Montréal, and I am very proud of the work accomplished to date. By undertaking this project and completing it by June 2009, we are moving forward with the development of a cultural icon for Montréal," stated Gérald Tremblay. "We want the Quartier des spectacles to be an exceptional venue that will earn us an enviable international reputation," added the Mayor of Montréal.
"The goal of this major urban development project is not only to a revitalize a crucial sector of the city, but also to make the Quartier des spectacles the epitome of Montréal's vibrant creative spirit. This public space will do justice to the immense artistic potential in our city," said Minister St-Pierre.
"The Quartier des spectacles will provide a prestigious and permanent showcase for culture, in addition to creating work for hundreds of workers in the cultural sector and generating economic and tourism spinoff. The Quartier des spectacles project is directly linked to the concept of Montréal as a cultural hub, and will make a significant contribution to boosting the international reach of Quebec as a whole," indicated Minister Raymond Bachand.
"Through the Building Canada plan, the Government of Canada is proud to support the Quartier des spectacles cultural precinct project. The aim of the Building Canada plan is to ensure access to high-quality infrastructure and to support culture-related infrastructure projects that generate significant regional or economic benefits," stated Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
"Within the framework of Building Canada, our government is ensuring that Canadians have access to the infrastructure they need to express, preserve, develop and promote their culture," said MP Steven Blaney.
The Quartier des spectacles cultural precinct project was made possible through total funding of $120 million from three partners, namely the City of Montréal, the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada. These funds will provide Montréal with a modern Quartier des spectacles and state-of-the-art urban facilities, as well as new spaces that will allow organizers of large-scale events to improve the quality of their shows. It will also help attract new festivals and events. Indeed, the attractiveness of the Quartier des spectacles is expected to generate substantial spinoff for the city through increased attendance at entertainment facilities and creative venues in the sector.
The Place du Quartier des spectacles development concept that was unveiled is the result of close co-operation between the City of Montréal, the Société d'habitation et de développement de Montréal (SHDM), Quartier international, and designing firm Daoust Lestage. The Quartier des spectacles was designed to be a major drawing card for Montréal, the goal being to reinforce the city's image as a cultural hub. The project meets strict criteria in terms of accessibility, cleanliness, sustainable development and continuity. Montréalers and visitors alike will benefit from this new, user friendly meeting and entertainment space, which will be decorated with hundreds of fountains and a floodlight system. Developed by the Quartier des spectacles Partnership, the lighting system will help create a strong and unifying visual identity for the new space. It should be remembered that the Place du Quartier des spectacles is only the first phase of a much more extensive development project that is expected to be completed by 2012.
A busy site
The SHDM, which was given the mandate to carry out the first phase of the Quartier des spectacles cultural project, has completed preparatory work at the Balmoral block involving gently sloping the ground down to the level of Jeanne-Mance Street. In order to prepare the Place du Quartier des spectacles site, trucks had to make over 3,000 trips to remove 50,000 tonnes of earth. For further information about the progress of the project, the public is invited to visit the City of Montréal Web site at ville.montreal.qc.ca/quartierdesspectacles.
For more information, visit www.buildingcanada.gc.ca.
For further information contact:
Media Relations, Communications Officer
Media Relations
City of Montréal
514-872-4641
Karine White
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
