The story began several years ago\u00a0when Mayor Tremblay, like many of his predecessors,\u00a0decided to\u00a0“clean up” the Red Light District. Unlike during Mayor\u00a0Drapeau’s regime, where whole blocks of the historic neighbourhood were demolished to build the suburb-like Habitations Jeanne Mance<\/a>, Tremblay\u00a0made a decision to “rebrand” the entire neighbourhood as the Disneyesque\u00a0Quartier des Spectacles<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>Through a scheme of radical gentrification, it would become possible to\u00a0simultaneously create a corporate Entertainment District while\u00a0attacking the original “Red Light” culture, which ironically had made the historic\u00a0neighbourhood so famous in the first place.<\/p>\n The rebranding scheme set off a wave of\u00a0wholesale demolition, whereby historic theatres and performance venues, such as the Spectrum<\/a>, Le Medley, and Saints, were slated for demolition.\u00a0Rising out of the ashes are\u00a0questionable\u00a0glossy buildings<\/a> that, architectually and vocationally, are completely\u00a0disconnected<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0from the historic neighbourhood.<\/p>\n St. Laurent Boulevard is a National Historic Site<\/a>,\u00a0defined\u00a0\u00a0as “a group of buildings<\/strong>, structures and open spaces which share uncommonly strong associations with individuals, events or themes of national significance”. \u00a0Furthermore, according to the policy, the historic corridor must have a “sense of history: intrusive elements must be minimal<\/strong>, and the district’s historic characteristics must predominate<\/strong> and set it apart from the area that immediately surrounds it.”<\/p>\n Ignoring the National Historic Site that cuts across the island he governs, and totally disregarding Parks Canada’s protective policies<\/a>, the Mayor\u00a0authorized developer Christian Yaccarini to expropriate and demolish a block of historic\u00a019th Century heritage buildings. The\u00a0intention was to demolish the irreplacable heritage buildings between the Monument-Nationale and Sainte Catherine Street, including the celebrated Cafe Cleopatre<\/a>, in order to build a glossy corporate office tower.<\/p>\n This flagrant disregard for Montreal’s culture and heritage, by the Mayor himself no less, sparked off a cultural war of unprecedented proportions.<\/p>\n A colaition of artists and\u00a0stakeholders called Save The Main<\/a> was formed, and\u00a0after a protracted battle that involved everything from public consultations<\/a> to legal challenges to lobbbying politicians and even pleas to heritage buff Prince Charles<\/a>, the artists and activists\u00a0won and the Cafe was saved<\/a>.<\/p>\n In an effort to convince the Mayor that there were better solutions to the wholesale destruction of Montreal’s culture and heritage, artists from the Save the Main coalition presented an alternative Urban Plan<\/a> that would seamlessly\u00a0incorporate the priceless heritage into the rebranded “Quartier des Spectacles”<\/em> , while staying loyal to Parks Canada’s policies on commemorative integrity<\/a>. They also created a popular walking tour<\/a> of the district to highlight its fascinating history.<\/p>\n In retaliation, the Mayor\u00a0permitted Yaccarini to use an unethical\u00a0strategy of demolition-by-neglect<\/a> to ensure the destruction of the remaining heritage buildings, disregarding both Parks Canada’s policies to protect historic sites and\u00a0Montreal by-laws on building maintenance. The artists’ worst\u00a0fears were confirmed.<\/p>\n Instead of listening to stakeholders in the community, the Mayor opted for a top-down approach, earning him\u00a0more\u00a0scorn from artists<\/a>\u00a0while fast-tracking the destruction of the heritage site. Meanwhile,\u00a0Helen Fotopulos<\/a>, the Montreal Minister\u00a0responsible for\u00a0Culture, also turned a blind eye to the community. At the provincial level, Quebec Culture Minister Christine St-Pierre greenlighted the demolition of the buildigs.<\/p>\n Despite last-minute pleas from the Save The Main coalition, Heritage Montreal<\/a>, The National Theatre School and Phyllis Lambert of the Canadian Centre for Architecture<\/a>, the Mayor still refuses to listen to the stakeholders and experts and he won’t budge. Failing a miracle, the irreplacable historic site will soon be reduced to\u00a0a pile of rubble, and be followed\u00a0up with\u00a0an empty lot.\u00a0Adam Bemma has been filming some of the artists and activists\u2019 last thoughts before the demolition<\/a>, and has been speaking on CKUT Radio<\/a> about the scandal.<\/p>\n Mayor Tremblay has made it crystal clear that he has no regard for Montreal’s heritage or living culture. As such, with no\u00a0options left, the artists and stakeholders have little choice but to plan a dramatic funeral\u00a0for Montreal’s culture and heritage.<\/p>\n Please spread the word that those who wish to\u00a0participate should email\u00a0Save The Main organizer\u00a0Donovan King (optatif@gmail.com<\/a>)\u00a0with the\u00a0word “funeral” in the subject to get involved. Below are some details of the tentative plan…<\/p>\n Also, it’s never too late to contact Quebec Culture Minister Christine St-Pierre via her website<\/a>\u00a0to demand that the demolition order be reversed immediately.\u00a0Please\u00a0ask her to consider Save The Main’s alternative Urban Plan<\/a> in order to preserve the heritage, while enhancing the cultural value of the Quartier des Spectacles<\/em>\u00a0by highlighting\u00a0our own world-famous Prohibition and Red Light history.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Dear Funeral Processioners,<\/p>\n In lieu of the destruction of our beloved Lower Main, an irreplaceable part of\u00a0our National Historic Site, we\u00a0have set\u00a0a date for the funeral of Montreal\u2019s heritage and culture.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/optative.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Demolition-of-Lower-Main-begins-300x225.jpg\")
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