Explore the past, present and future of distinct Montreal areas
Until Sept. 20, students can explore Montreal and its history while on a stroll with Heritage Montreal.
To celebrate their 40th anniversary, the organization has teamed up with Fasken Martineau law firm to bring back eight of their most popular ArchitecTours walking tours, available with both English and French guides.
Each tour aims to showcase unique industrial and residential areas across Montreal. Through the tours, groups will learn about the history of the boroughs they are in and how the neighbourhood is growing and changing today.
“We are both looking back and looking forward with the tours,” said Amélie Renouf, head of programs and activities at Heritage Montreal. “Participants can learn about how buildings were built and why, what changes have happened to neighbourhoods over time and what is proposed for the future. It’s all about the development of the city.”
Each walking circuit is two hours long and they are offered on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.
The tour groups meet outside of a metro station—or relatively close to one—at the start of each circuit, making them easily accessible for those taking public transit. The visits also conveniently end near a metro station.
The tours remaining in September include Le Canal Lachine/St-Henri (Sept. 12), Sault-au-Recollet (Sept. 13), Petite-Patrie/Mile End (Sept. 19) and Côte-des-Neiges (Sept. 20).
“The tours in the last two weeks will be quite interesting because the neighbourhoods are diverse,” Renouf said. The Côte-des-Neiges tour can allow students to become acquainted with another campus, she added.
“[Côte-des-Neiges ] is renowned for its institutions. There’s also a university campus visit, so it’s a way for students to discover another university in another context,” said Renouf.
For Concordia students at Loyola in particular, the Le Canal Lachine/St-Henri tour can be a great way to kick-off the school year through exploring an area nearby.
The circuit, according to the Héritage Montréal website, aims to “discover the villages of St-Henri and how they served industry, from the tanneries to the construction of the Lachine Canal through to the middle of the 20th century.” The area, they state, is undergoing major changes today, which will also be outlined during the two hour walk.
“We often just walk through the city without really knowing what is surrounding us and what the history is,” Renouf said. “There are a lot of details about buildings and neighbourhoods and the first step is knowing about a city in order to protect and increase awareness about heritage.”
Take the opportunity to learn more about what might be a familiar location in greater detail—but don’t forget your walking shoes!
Tickets are $12 for students and are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, 15 minutes before each tour is set to begin. New tours will also be available starting in October. Visit http://www.heritagemontreal.org for more information.
