Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard

The walking tour season has finally arrived! As usual, it starts with the 7th edition of Jane’s Walks coordinated by the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre. There’s a vast choice, more than 80 walks offered free of charge on 1, 2 and 3 May 2015 by citizens, city councillors or community groups. This annual event is organized in memory of author and urban activist Jane Jacobs.

Join us on Sunday morning, 3 May, to explore 10 Moments on the Main and environs in Little Italy.

Part of Jane’s Walks, a walking tour led by Bernard Vallée (in French)
In collaboration with MontréalExplorations

10 Moments in Little Italy

This neighbourhood was created at the beginning of the 2oth century, on the edge of Montreal’s urban territory. It housed a working-class population attracted by the industrial zone around the Canadian Pacific Railway, traversed by a tram line that served the nearby Irish lacrosse stadium. Among the initial French-Canadian population, newly-arrived Italian families moved in to benefit from reasonably priced land and the possibility of gardening on unbuilt patches of land. Soon an Italian parish, patriotic associations and local shops would imprint Italian colours and flavours on the area. Today, most of the citizens of Italian origin have left the neighbourhood. The 10 moments of the walking tour will give a taste of today’s Little Italy and let you discover a rich heritage of institutional, religious and cultural buildings.

Details on the Jane’s Walk web site. Note that the tour will be offered in French only, though questions and comments may be made in English or French.

The tour is full on both days. Thank you for the huge display of interest!

An innovative tour to learn about the history of cinema on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, now back for a second year!

Saint-Laurent Boulevard is an iconic street in Montreal, well-known as the point of arrival for successive waves of immigrants and as the bridge between Montreal’s two principal linguistic communities. But did you know that it also plays a role in the history of cinema? The first film screening in North America took place on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in 1896.

Numerous places on the Main between Sherbrooke Street and Mont-Royal Avenue have been significant for the film industry, such as the Cinema Parallèle, Excentris and the old Cinema Élysée, now demolished.

Come along on this tour led by Québécois filmmaker Luc Bourdon, and be one of the few to see behind the scenes at the Cinema l’Amour, or to learn more about the history of Excentris…

Don’t miss the opportunity!

Walking tour – Saturday, October 11 or Saturday, October 18, 2014 – 10 am – 12 am

Reservation required: web form or 514-286-0334

Meeting point: Cinéma l’Amour, 4015 Saint-Laurent Boulevard

Cost: voluntary contribution – suggested $10

An activity offered by the Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard, organised with the participation of the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma.

The 18^th Journées de la culture is proud to introduce you to the Saint-Laurent Boulevard once again.

Particularly thanks to the murals painted during the 2^nd edition of the Mural Festival, the Main continues to change, beautify and modernize – all while keeping an iconic and historical past that is not found anywhere else in Montreal.

It will therefore be the Amis du Boulevard and LNDMRK who will take care of making you discover historical sites and murals on the Saint-Laurent Boulevard and its surroundings. The tour will be led by Miguel Simão Andrade (Saturday) or Justin Bur (Sunday) for the historical part, and by Sarah Girard for the murals.

The Journées de la culture on the Saint-Laurent Boulevard will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 27^th and 28^th, from 11am to 1pm.

We’ll be walking for the activity and the meeting point will be at Parc du Portugal.

In case of rain, the event will unfortunately be cancelled. But it never rains two days in a row in Montreal… everyone knows that! So it’ll all work itself out!

Registration is this way.

For more information, contact us at 514-286-0334 or at info@sdbsl.ca.

Sunday 25 May – a full-day exploration of Montreal’s main street, from the Old Port to Jean-Talon Market, with Bernard Vallée, Catherine Browne, Susan Bronson, Luc Bourdon, and other guides with a passion for history

• Sunday 25 May, from 9:30 am to 5 pm
• Starting point: Saint-Laurent Boulevard at the corner of rue de la Commune, in the Old Port
• Arrival point: Jean-Talon Market
• There will be a break for lunch
• Cost: $20 (meal not included)
• Reservations recommended – write to resa@amisboulevardstlaurent.com

In collaboration with MontrealExplorations

The walking tour season has finally arrived! As usual, it starts with the 6th edition of Jane’s Walks coordinated by the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre. There’s a vast choice, 103 walks offered free of charge on 2, 3 and 4 May 2014 by citizens, city councillors or community groups. This annual event is organized in memory of author and urban activist Jane Jacobs.

Saturday 3 May: La fameuse rue Bagg

Tour led by Dory Reimer

Discover the Jewish area and see the typical triplexes of the area, the beautiful view of the mountain, the family history of Bagg Street, the Bagg Street synagogue and the buildings of the businesses of yore and of today, the historical Bain Schubert, the Parc Devonshire, the Hotel-Dieu Hospital and of course a stop if you wish at the mythical Schwartz Smoked Meat.

Starting point: Corner of Bagg and Saint-Urbain Streets

In French: Saturday 3 May 2014, from 1 pm to 2:30 pm
Free, registration required at ecologieurbaine.net

Sunday 4 May: Le quartier portugais, au cœur de la Main

Tour led by Miguel Simão Andrade

Walking tour of the Main from the point of view of Montréal’s Portuguese community that has had its roots here for sixty years.

In French: Sunday 4 May 2014, from 10 am to 11:30 am
Starting point: Corner of Saint-Laurent Blvd. and Roy Street
Free, registration required at ecologieurbaine.net

Another suggestion of a walk on Saint-Laurent Boulevard (in French):

• Histoire du quartier La Petite-Patrie, led by Michel Di Bernardo for the Société d’histoire Rosemont – Petite-Patrie, Sunday 4 May from 1 pm to 3 pm

For a second year running, Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard propose a discovery tour of the Main during the Nuit blanche of the Montréal en lumière Festival.

Saint-Laurent Boulevard, recognised as a National Historic Site of Canada since 1997, is known as the point of arrival for successive waves of immigration. Its history has been marked by people—famous and ordinary—from all over the world. Come and (re)discover the eternally cosmopolitan character of The Main! In both French and English.

Led by Bernard Vallée and Catherine Browne of Montréal explorations.

Description on the Nuit blanche web site

An innovative and original tour to learn about the history of cinema on Saint-Laurent Boulevard!

Saint-Laurent Boulevard is an iconic street in Montreal, well-known as the point of arrival for successive waves of immigrants and as the bridge between Montreal’s two principal linguistic communities. But did you know that it also plays a role in the history of cinema? The first film screening in North America took place on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in 1896.

Numerous places on the Main between Sherbrooke Street and Mont-Royal Avenue have been significant for the film industry, such as the Cinema Parallèle, Excentris and the old Cinema Élysée, now demolished.

Come along on this tour led by Québécois filmmaker Luc Bourdon, and be one of the few to see behind the scenes at the Cinema l’Amour, or to learn more about the history of Excentris…

Don’t miss the opportunity!

Walking tour – Saturday, October 12 [FULL] and Sunday, October 13, 2013 – 10 am – 12 am

Reservation required: info@amisboulevardstlaurent.com or 514-286-0334

Meeting point: Cinéma l’Amour, 4015 Saint-Laurent Boulevard

A free activity, offered by the Friends of Saint-Laurent Boulevard, organised with the participation of the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

During Mix’arts, discover the history of the Main!

Walking tour led by Catherine Browne

While the street is closed to traffic, come discover or rediscover the historical and architectural heritage of the Main, between Sherbrooke Street and Mont-Royal Avenue.

Our guide will share her knowledge and passion for one of the most iconic streets of Montreal.

Walking tour, in French, 9:30 am – noon.

Meeting point: service station on the northwest corner of Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street

Price : $12 non-members / $10 members

Reservation recommended : culture@boulevardsaintlaurent.com or 514-286-0334

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Come visit the Portuguese district, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the arrival of this community in Montreal and Canada!

Walking tour led by Joaquina Pires and Miguel Simão Andrade

The Portuguese community, particularly active on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, is celebrating this year the 60th anniversary of the arrival of its first immigrants to Montreal.

This is a perfect occasion to discover or rediscover the Portuguese district, accompanied by two guides from this community who will share their passion for their culture and their traditions.

Walking tour, in French, 10:30 am – noon.

Meeting point: corner of Avenue des Pins and Saint-Laurent Boulevard

Price: $12 non-members / $10 members

Reservation recommended: info@amisboulevardstlaurent.com

Information : 514-286-0334