Tag: community

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Community

The art of veggies and social empowerment

Vegetables that are grown in the Greenhouse at Concordia. Photo by Thomas Vaillancourt/THE CONCORDIAN

How rooftop farms contribute to community resilience and food security.

On a rooftop nestled in the Plateau Mont-Royal, volunteers are hard at work, like bees buzzing around a garden. The rooftop is lush with greenery, growing fresh produce for the local community. Or at least it will be in a few weeks’ time.

Santropol Roulant is a non-profit organization that grows food on their building’s roof for the local community. They cook it in their kitchen, deliver the meals to those who need them most, and compost part of the scraps thanks to The Compost Collective’s worm farm in the basement. 

“Initially, it was really like a kitchen and delivery program that focused a lot on youth volunteering,” said Adrienne Richards, the gardens and accessible agriculture coordinator at Santropol Roulant. 

The Roulant was started by the team at Café Santropol on St-Urbain Street. They realized there was a need for a meals-on-wheels service that catered to isolated people, elderly people, people with accessibility issues, and others who don’t have access to sufficient quality food to meet their needs.

According to Richards, about half of their rooftop farm’s produce goes to their meals-on-wheels service, and they currently deliver about 100 to 120 meals per day to clients, referred to them by health and social workers.

The company MicroHabitat was co-founded in 2016 by Alexandre Ferrari-Roy and Orlane Panet in Montreal to promote ecological farming in urban areas. Their role is to help their clients green their buildings, whether they be industrial, commercial, or residential. While philanthropy came first at Santropol Roulant, gardening was the starting line for MicroHabitat.

The initial goal for MicroHabitat was simply to build ecological urban farms, but their focus shifted to food security when clients started donating their produce to local organizations.

“I was actually very happy and thrilled,” Ferrari-Roy said. MicroHabitat decided to facilitate the process for their clients by creating the Urban Solidarity Farms program. “It’s the bridge between them and the food banks,” he added.

The Urban Solidarity Farms help their clients donate their harvest to organizations like Accueil Bonneau, Dans La Rue, Le Chaînon, and others. Roughly half of their projects are aimed toward giving access to healthy and fresh herbs and vegetables to local food banks. MicroHabitat also donates part of their profit to the Breakfast Club of Canada and No Kids Hungry in the United States.

Ferrari-Roy explained that food banks often don’t receive fresh produce and normally only have access to lower-quality food or non-perishables. “We see the impact of our work when we’re donating,” he says. “It can definitely make someone’s life better to eat something fresh and tasty.”

While these rooftop farms give locals access to fresh and healthy produce, volunteers also benefit from the experience. “People are committed and willing to give so much of their time and energy because we’ve created a meaningful system,” Richards said. 

Meanwhile, at Concordia University, the mind.heart.mouth initiative started by researcher Andrea Tremblay looks at gardening as a vessel to build community resilience. Tremblay quickly noticed positive impacts on volunteers through her doctoral research around the buzzing network of people tending to the garden.

Tremblay recalled a volunteer who was in cancer remission a few years ago who had never grown food before. When Tremblay saw a ripe cucumber on its vine, she decided to save it for her. “She told me she’d never seen a cucumber grow,” Tremblay said. “When I showed it to her, she just burst into tears and said that was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.”

The woman had been very shy until that moment, but everyone at the garden came to hug her. “It really sealed the small community of the garden,” Tremblay said, adding that people look forward to coming and look out for each other.

mind.heart.mouth collaborated with Concordia’s PERFORM Centre so physical therapy patients could participate in gardening to help their physical and mental health. 

“Being in the garden and working towards growing food for food banks and community organizations is giving everybody in this garden a real sense of empowerment by contributing to the community,” Tremblay said.

Through her research, Tremblay learned that gardens are a great tool to create social opportunities and learn together in a safe and inclusive space while also contributing to food security. 

“A garden is conducive to creating community,” Tremblay said. “You’re both just there to look for bugs and conversation is made easy.”

ALL PHOTOS OF THE CONCORDIA GREENHOUSE ARE TAKEN BY THOMAS VALLIANCOURT/THE CONCORDIAN

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Community

Winter cycling in Montreal

Cynthia Venessa, Juan Pablo Lugo, and Mike Muchnik, who all practice winter cycling in Montreal. Photo by David J-B/THE CONCORDIAN

A portrait of three winter cyclists who share the little-known facets of this underrated means of transportation in Montreal.


We all pass by them once in a while in the busy streets of Montreal. It does not matter whether we’re driving a car or getting off the bus — seeing them face the snow, the wind, and the cold always leaves us quite stunned. What can motivate these cyclists to pedal in sub-zero temperatures?

The Concordian spoke to cyclists Juan Pablo Lugo, Cynthia Venessa, and Mike Muchnik, detailing the experiences of these three daring cyclists.

Portrait of Juan Pablo Lugo. Photo by David J-B/THE CONCORDIAN

It was seeing his newly arrived friends from France start to practice winter cycling that pushed Lugo to start too. His first impression? It’s not that bad. There might be only a two-week span of time where it’s a bit harder.

“Most of the winter, it’s really practicable,” Lugo said.

He spoke about the surprising easiness of winter cycling. The cars go slower, biking paths are plowed, and physical effort keeps you warm. Provided you dress accordingly, it doesn’t seem to be that difficult to practice.

Portrait of Mike Muchnik. Photo by David J-B/THE CONCORDIAN

Muchnik is a winter cycling veteran. When he began to brave the cold more than a decade ago, biking paths were not as common in the then-car-dominated Montreal. Winter cycling was very marginal and the handful of daredevil cyclists of the time recognized each other in the busy streets of the city chatted at red lights and called themselves by their first names. 

Today, Montreal markets itself as a bike-friendly city and now has a lengthy network of biking paths that are still being developed. But this mindset change did not appear magically. Instead, it gradually took place — thanks to many motivated cyclists like Muchnik.

Having no choice but to cross the Jacques-Cartier bridge to go to work, Muchnik faced the absurd closing of its biking path during winter. The stubborn administration of the time even went as far as contradicting its own studies which proved the bridge safe for cyclists.

But that didn’t stop him and a dozen other cyclists from crossing the bridge anyway in a show of civil disobedience, facing the only danger of a ticket. Then in 2017, with the help of the Coalition Mobilité Active Montréal and a few other cyclists, Muchnik founded the Association des piétons et cyclistes du pont Jacques-Cartier to pressure the administration into opening the cycling path.

After many public sorties, protests, debates, and discussions with representatives, the cycling path of the Jacques-Cartier bridge is now accessible during winter, although not all day. This policy change was a victory and concrete proof that environmental civilian mobilization can work. Behind physical progress for greener cities and more accessible active transports such as the Réseau Express Vélo are dozens of passionate and committed cyclists. 

Portrait of Cynthia Venessa. Photo by David J-B/THE CONCORDIAN

Venessa is also a fervent adherent to winter cycling. To get started, she recommends gradually pushing back the moment when you would have normally put aside your bicycle. What motivates her? The feeling of freedom and autonomy from being able to cycle whenever, wherever without having to rely on public transit.

Another facet of winter cycling that surprised me was the unexpected enthusiasm of the cyclists spoken to. Cycling in the winter looks fun. It’s healthy, faster, ecological, and very active.

This example of community organization also reveals the fabulous community of winter cyclists in the city. The Facebook page Vélo d’hiver – Montréal gathers 16 thousand followers and is very prolific in its content. The topics of equipment, cycling paths, and different challenges the cyclists encounter on a daily basis are discussed in a friendly and positive atmosphere.

Winter cycling is not only possible and accessible, but it can also be fun and easy.

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Community

The 2023 Annual Fishing Derby

Inside David Fazio's ice fishing hut. Photo by Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

How fishing brings the community of Kahnawake together

Alongside the marina of Kahnawake, community members are setting up for the annual ice fishing derby. Walking out on the ice, one can hear the sounds of chatter and whirling, drilling down as fishers try to get the best spots. On the marina, you could see six pop-up tents and two huts spaced out on the frozen river. 

For the organizer Kirby Joe Diabo, the ice fishing derby is much more than a competition. Diabo also owns the REEL UM’ IN bait shop that overlooks the marina, where the event takes place.

“This event is all about getting people out there to enjoy the outdoors. Family gatherings and the added element of competition is always fun,” Diabo said.  

Fishing has always been an integral part of the Kahnawake community. It’s not only a way to feed families, but it’s also a way to promote healthy family connections and activities. 

“Ice fishing is a lost part of our culture,” said David Fazio, a longtime fishing veteran, and friend of Diabo. “With [Diabo], we are trying to get the people back into it. We used to live off of this. But when the white man came through the seaway, it killed off our natural resources.”

Diabo grew up fishing with his father in the winter and summer. “When I was younger there were a lot of tournaments outside of Kahnawake that we went to,” Diabo said.

But as Diabo got older, he realized the tournaments had stopped due to a decline in interest in the event. As he got more involved in the community, Diabo was motivated to bring them back to Kahnawake.

“When we first started the ice fishing tournaments here, we had a turnout of around 150 people on the ice. Nowadays, it has kind of slowed down and we get a turnout of around 30 people, which is still a lot for a fishing tournament,” Diabo said.

Although this year’s tournament happened, the mild weather created some challenges for the organizers. According to Outdoor Canada, the ice needs to be at least 12 inches thick, or thick enough to support a medium-sized pickup truck for the ice fishing tournament to take place. 

Diabo also couldn’t move his ice huts on the ice in time. Instead, pop-up tents that have heaters in them were set up so people could be comfortable. All the fishing gear that was needed for the day was found in the tents, including bait, rods, and heaters. 

The pop-up tents and ice fishing huts on the morning of the derby. Photo by Dalia Nardolillo/The Concordian

Despite the challenges the event still happened, with temperatures as low as below 30 for a week or so leading up to it.

The cold weather didn’t stop the community from getting out on the ice on Feb. 25. 

For Landon Goodleaf, the marina’s owner, the ice fishing derby is linked to some of his favorite memories of growing up.

“I remember when I was a little kid… One of the marina members, who was a friend of the family’s, invited us to a fishing derby. I remember it being a blizzard and it was wicked cold,” Goodleaf recalled. 

Goodleaf went on to explain that the day was so cold he couldn’t bear staying out, so he ended up going home. The next day, the gentleman who brought him to the tournament came to his house with a trophy for the largest Pike fish caught. Goodleaf recalls that this made him extremely happy.

For Goodleaf, it’s not about winning; it’s about enjoying the moment with his community.

“No electronics for me, I am old school. I have a boat and I am familiar with the water levels, where the holes are,” Goodleaf explained. “I am not gunning out to win the tournament, I just come out and drill some holes and have fun.”

For others, it’s all about finding the most efficient fishing methods. Experienced fishing veterans like Fazio don’t let silly things like the weather get in the way.

At sunrise on the morning of the derby, Fazio got set up on the ice with a hut that he made himself. He acquired all the modern sonar equipment which was scattered around inside his hut. 

Near where he sits in the hut, he has a screen that emits live video from the underwater camera that he has set up. He also acquired a sonar sensor that emits a sonic signal that will bounce back when it encounters an object. Then, it determines the object’s distance and position based on the reflection time and wave pattern. Fazio’s sonar sensor is extremely useful for ice fishing because, on days when the visibility is poor, it helps him determine the distance of where the fish are.  

Fazio’s underwater camera. Photo by Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

Fazio prefers his modern equipment in comparison to the traditional tip-ups that other community members like Goodleaf use for ice fishing. “I’m a cheater. I am 58 years old and I have had enough of this crap,” Fazio said jokingly. 

To optimize his chances of a good catch, Fazio also set up three fishing holes inside of his hut and five more outside. The five fishing holes had tip-ups stationed at each hole. Tip-ups are usually placed at the edge of the ice hole and are set at a specific depth without actively needing to be manned by an angler. When a fish comes around to bite, the tip-up flag goes up — that’s when Fazio knows he got a good catch. 

Tip-ups at the ice holes on the lake. Photo by Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

The day prior to the fishing derby, Fazio had his hut set up in the “weeds” as he calls them because that’s where all the Pike were.

“It’s been pretty cold these past couple of days. I hope someone gets a decent catch. If it’s going to be anyone it’s going to be those guys out in the weeds over there,” Fazio said as he motioned to the window overlooking the other side of the lake.

However, since the fishing derby was offering a bonus prize for the biggest Walleye catch, Fazio moved his hut a little closer to where the marina entrance is located. 

Fazio with his first catch of the day, a Pike. Photo by Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

“I’ll have a chance to catch Walleye here because they come in from the deep water to feed. The Pike, on the other hand, goes in to feed on the Perch,” Fazio explained. Pike fish have a more spotted look to their bodies and are naturally a little more slender, whereas the Walleyes are a bit longer in size and have a more striped pattern along their bodies. 

At the end of the event, many prizes were given to the community members for the longest Pike fish caught.

Ben Green was awarded first place for his 30 ¼ inch Pike catch, winning $100 and a $600 gift certificate.

Jaydence Beauvais won second and third place for a 29-inch Pike and a 28-inch Pike.

Finally, the Walleye bonus award was given to Dice Phillips for a 17 ½ inch Walleye.

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Community

Nuances self-care: the Montreal-based beauty brand catering to women of all shades

Courtesy photo provided by Keisha Lamptey

Keisha Lamptey helps fill a gap in the Canadian beauty industry with inclusive haircare and skincare products

Keisha Lamptey wears an apron and clear plastic gloves as she carefully adds seed oils and seed butters to her stainless steel KitchenAid mixer. It loudly whips all the ingredients together, creating a smooth and uniform texture.

After a few minutes, she shuts off the mixer, lifts the mixing bowl and gently pours the contents into her filling machine. 

An off-white creamy product comes out of the tube, filling the empty jar that she holds in her left hand with her homemade Moisturizing Hair Butter.  

Lamptey is the owner of Nuances self-care, a company that manufactures natural, vegan and eco-friendly haircare and skincare products for women of all shades at an affordable cost. 

Growing up in Montreal, Lamptey noticed that there was a minimal selection of products designed specifically for Black women in Canada. “I felt very underrepresented when shopping for products,” she said. 

Courtesy photo provided by Keisha Lamptey

She explained that none of the mass-market beauty companies were Black-owned and none of them understood her needs as a woman with thick, curly hair. Products that did work for her had to be purchased from the United States, making it “just absolutely crazy expensive.” According to Lamptey, one small eight-ounce product would cost her $50. 

“I thought to myself, ‘Canada deserves to have these products, too,’” Lamptey recalled. So, in 2017, she used her background in organic chemistry to begin experimenting with various formulas to create products catered to all skin types and kinky hair types. 

But it wasn’t until December 2020 that she incorporated Nuances self-care after receiving the Canada Starts grant — a $5,000 cash prize sponsored by RBC Ventures aimed at helping aspiring entrepreneurs launch their business.  

According to Lamptey, the grant covered all her start-up costs — including federal and provincial incorporation fees, website expenses, and the cost of necessary equipment, ingredients and packaging — all of which totalled about $3,700. 

“Receiving that grant was so amazing,” she said. It allowed Nuances self-care to start off profitable from the get-go.

According to Lamptey, sales were high in the first few months of business. This was not only because it was the holiday season, but also because Quebec was under a lockdown, making it easier for customers to purchase their beauty products online.

Many of these early customers still support Nuances self-care nearly two years later, like Yasamin Fawzi. 

‘[Nuances self-care’s products] feel good for my skin and hair and they’re really affordable,” Fawzi said. “I’m always about buying local, or buying stuff that’s more ethically sourced and natural.”

Today, Lamptey has 15 products listed on her website, each of which have gone through a detailed process. The process begins with months of researching, experimenting, and testing. Once Lamptey is satisfied with a product recipe, she orders the labels and packaging from the supplier and makes a batch for customers. 

The final step of the process is marketing the new product. 

According to Lamptey, she typically uses social media and her email newsletter to tease upcoming product releases and to announce new products when they come out.

But with the most recent launch, the Apple Cinnamon Body Butter, Lamptey tried a new marketing technique: she planned a launch party at a local Montreal shop. Those who wanted to purchase the product had to attend the event. It was so successful the product nearly sold out, totalling 35 sales and over $1,200 was made.

“It was a great way to create buzz and boost sales,” she said. “But it was also a good way to make myself relevant in people’s eyes.” 

While Nuances self-care started as a retailer business through an e-commerce website, Lamptey is now exploring the wholesale business, too. Nuances self-care’s products are now sold in two hairdresser salons, one perfume store, one hair accessory store, and a few cafés around the city. 

Courtesy photo provided by Keisha Lamptey

Lamptey shared that regular customer sales are highest in months with celebrations or holidays, with about 50 to 200 customer orders per month.

But in slower months, like last September and October, Lamptey noticed a decline in customer orders but an increase in wholesale orders. According to Lamptey, this shift is more profitable because businesses purchase more units compared to one regular customer. 

Lamptey said that she dreams of selling her products in the United States and Europe, as well as selling in bigger stores like Walmart and Amazon.

While there are big dreams of expansion for Nuances self-care, loyal customers like Fawzi will continue to support them in Montreal.

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Community Student Life

Book Club at Concordia

Carleen Loney/THE CONCORDIAN @shloneys

Hit your reading goals for 2023 with the Concordia Book Club

Are you a bookworm and don’t know what book on your TBR list to attack first? I have a perfect solution for you: Concordia’s very own book club. 

Journalism student Alexandra Blackie started the Concordia Book Club this winter semester and is looking forward to welcoming many new students to the club. 

Blackie wanted to join a book club when she started university in September, but the only book-related club was Concordia’s comic book club. “No hate to the comic book club but that’s not really my niche,” she said jokingly.

The lack of an actual book club was Blackie’s motivation to kickstart the initiative and form Concordia’s official book club. 

“It did take a little bit of a long time for it to get started. There were a lot of back and forth emails with the CSU,” Blackie explained.

Blackie wanted to create a social space that did not feel like school. She wanted a space where book-lovers could come together to read novels that are either popular right now or ones that not a lot of people know about.

In this club, Blackie doesn’t dictate the books that the club members have to read. 

“I don’t actually choose the books, I gave them a stack for the first meeting that they chose from. We just go through a TBR jar. Everyone sent me titles that they want to read and we go from there,” Blackie said.

In terms of how the club functions, Blackie came to a mutual agreement with the other club members that they would read one book for the entire month. At the end of the month, the club regroups in a meeting.

“We picked our first book at our first meeting over Zoom out of a pile that they chose from. For the next book that we read, we are going to pick from a TBR jar,” Blackie explained. 

This month’s read is The Guest List by Lucy Foley. 

The club currently has 22 members.  As the weather warms up, Blackie hopes to host in-person events like picnics where the club can discuss their current reads.

For interested participants, you can go through the CSU active club portal and email a_blackie@icloud.com.

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Community Student Life

The Hive Cafe’s newest Community Fridge

The newly-launched Megan's Community Fridge offers free food for students facing food insecurity. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian

A step to fight food insecurity for students.

 The Hive Cafe on Concordia’s Loyola Campus recently welcomed Megan’s Community Fridge. Students were buzzing with excitement. 

Megan’s Community Fridge is a big step in fighting food insecurity for students. Megan Clarke, a Concordia alumna, was the inspiration for this amazing project. Clarke was present at the Hive Cafe on Monday and helped set up the fridge alongside Enuf, an organization fighting the waste crisis.

Courtesy photo provided by Désirée McGraw. (From left to right: Désirée McGraw, Keroles Riad, Megan Clarke, and Alanna Silver)

The Concordian sat with Keroles Riad, the CEO of Enuf and one of the minds behind the Community Fridge. Riad explained that it wasn’t exactly simple to get the project up and running at Concordia.

“Students have been trying to convince the administration to set up a community fridge for at least 10 years, and they have consistently been stalled and eventually turned down,” he said. “We looked for spaces where community groups have a level of autonomy. The Hive Cafe was just perfect, because they already do a lot of work fighting food insecurity on campus, and so they are already reaching the people that need the additional help and they autonomously operate their own spaces on both campuses.”

With the installation of this new fridge, keeping it well-stocked is one of the challenges it currently faces. Riad explained that the fridge will be stocked from the surplus of food that is left over from events happening over the year. 

Waste ambassadors from Enuf will gather all the food and bring it to Megan’s Community Fridge. 

Clarke sat down with The Concordian and explained what the motivation to start this community fridge was. 

“When I was a teenager I found myself in a really tough situation, I was couch surfing and I used to dumpster dive,” Clarke recalled. “My friends and I noticed at a certain point that the dumpsters were being locked to stop people like myself from getting food. At the time, I didn’t have a valid ID to participate in food banks.”

Clarke worked three jobs to get herself out of that situation. Her struggles with food always lingered at the back of her mind and when she began university, she realized that not everyone could get out of the same situation like her.

“I started Food Cycle while I was at Concordia and we would take leftover food and give it to homeless shelters, women’s shelters and so on,” Clarke said.

Megan Clarke in front of the new Megan’s Community Fridge at the Hive Cafe on Concordia’s Loyola Campus. DALIA NARDOLILLO/The Concordian

That’s what kickstarted the idea for the Community Fridge. However, when the pandemic first came along, people became fearful that the virus would be pushed onto food which put a standstill on the project.

Enuf, in partnership with the Hive Cafe, finally got the project going. Working at the Hive Cafe, Alanna Silver is also an integral part of this community fridge. Silver is FoodSafe certified and acts as Enuf’s Chief Operating Officer and the Hive’s administrative coordinator. Riad explained that Silver will ensure the safety of the community being served and have the final say of what goes in the Community Fridge.


“​​I feel so grateful to have the privilege of taking part in making this project a reality,” Riad said proudly. “It is truly heartbreaking to know that 40 per cent of students in Canada say that they have to choose between paying tuition and buying enough food, at a time when we, in Canada, throw away more than half the food we produce. There is surplus food, and there are hungry student tummies. It shouldn’t have been this complicated to try to connect the two.”

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Community

Snowbird Tiki Bar review

Behind the bar counter at Snowbird Tiki Bar. Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

“Get here fast. Take it slow.”

Walking up St. Hubert Street, you wouldn’t expect to come across this bar. In comparison to the grey cold winter we are currently experiencing, it really stands out. 

The whole entrance is made out of long stalks of bamboo, and upon walking into the bar you are transported into this island-themed paradise right here in Montreal.

AMBIANCE:

When my group arrived at the bar, there was already a long lineup. Fortunately one of the people running the bar said they were about to open the flamingo room so we didn’t have to wait much longer.

The main area of the bar is all island themed, with bartenders dressed in Hawaiian shirts. The decor is the best part, it really makes you ask yourself, “Where did they get all this stuff?” From the fish decorations hanging from the ceiling to Elvis playing throughout the bar, Snowbird definitely passed the vibe check.

Once we finally got seated, I was so mesmerized by all the decorations and the seating itself. We got a booth but there was also a swing seat that my friend Giulia happily took. 

DRINKS:

For the first round of drinks, I ordered the Pink Flamingo. My boyfriend Anthony ordered the Cobra’s Fang and my friend Giulia ordered a Piña Colada.

Something that’s super interesting when you first order the drinks is the alcohol levels indicated at the top of the menu, from one to four. The drink that I ordered had an alcohol level of three, and it said I’ll be “texting my ex” with that level. 

Anthony’s drink was a level four, and it said at that level he’d be “losing his phone.” For my friend Giulia, she got the Piña Colada. I think we all know Piña Coladas are pretty tame and it was a level two on the alcohol scale, and said at that level she’d be “calling in sick.”

Not only were the drinks amazing but they were so fun to look at. Giulia’s Piña Colada was served in a coconut water can that you’d see walking down your grocery aisle. Anthony’s Cobra’s Fang was served in a tall glass with leaves bent over to mimic a cobra’s fangs. Finally, my Pink Flamingo was served in a mason jar glass with a pineapple as garnish. 

Once we finished the first round of drinks, we really wanted to try one of the shareable punches. From the three options on the menu, we went with the Garden Party. 

The Garden Party punch was served in a rock bowl and was garnished with flowers and a shot of gin in the actual drink. It was so much fun to share this drink, the blue colour of the punch really transports you to the island vibe that Snowbird touts.

IS IT WORTH IT?

I feel in a nutshell, Snowbird Tiki Bar is one of the most creative themed bars I’ve ever seen. However, it’s not exactly cheap. 

For the first round of drinks, the price range was in between $15-17 for each one. The shareable punch was $40, but split between three people it isn’t that bad. 

If you want to try something different for a celebration, I’d definitely recommend this bar. You’ll be whisked away from the snow and into some good vibes.

Photographs by Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

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Community Student Life

Hit the slopes with Concordia’s Ski and Snowboarding Club

Courtesy photo of the Concordia Ski and Snowboarding club.

See what the club has in store for winter 2023.

With the winter break all on our minds, it is a given that everyone is looking for things to do during the chilly season. The Concordia Ski and Snowboard Club is ready to welcome another event-filled winter.

The Concordian had the chance to sit down with four executives from the club: Michelle Fraser, Sebastian Adam, Ajay Weinstein, and Antoine Denis.

Adam, the VP internal on the team, recalled his earliest memories as a kid snowboarding for the first time.

“My dad put me on a board before I could walk so he’s always been a super big ‘boarder’. As soon as I could fit on a snowboard I was riding. I never started with skiing, I went with the better of the two,” Adam said. 

While every executive on the team has a different relationship with skiing and snowboarding, they all shared the same excitement for the upcoming season.

Fraser, the VP of social media for the club, explained the upcoming events for this winter.

“We just posted our trip schedule for the upcoming ski season. We have all the dates on our Instagram page. We are going to a variety of different locations around Quebec like Mont Orford and Mont Tremblant,” Fraser explained. 

“Our two most exciting events are our ‘weekender’ events. We’re having one in Quebec city and we are having one in Vermont at Jay Peak,” Fraser added. 

The “weekender” events have been done in the past, but they had to be put on hold for the past couple of years due to COVID restrictions. During these events, participants of the ski and snowboard club go away for one weekend, stay at a hotel, ski, and party. 

For beginners who want to try out the club but feel apprehensive due to their skill level, the club’s executives assure you that the club is for everyone. 

Weinstein, the president of the club, explained that the team is there to help answer any questions that you may have while going down the slopes.

“One of the things that we try to do with the club is that we try to get new people to come out. Obviously, in terms of liability, we can’t teach beginners how to ride but we try to make it as accessible as possible,” he said. “We make sure that it’s accessible because we know how difficult it is as a beginner because every element of skiing is super expensive.”

With accessibility on the forefront, the club hopes to recruit as many participants as they can for their most anticipated events for winter 2023. 

So get out there! You can find out more about this club on their website. 

COURTESY PHOTOS OF THE CONCORDIA SKI AND SNOWBOARDING CLUB.

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Community

Your presence is requested at The Montreal Christmas Village at the Atwater Market

Visitors at the Christmas Village at the Atwater Market. Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

 A look behind the scenes at what brings you the Christmas magic.

Nov. 24 marks the opening of the sixth edition of The Montreal Christmas Village at the Atwater Market. Open until Dec. 18, this year’s edition of the market will surely not disappoint.

The Concordian had the opportunity to speak with Carole Balas, one of the organizers who helps make the Montreal Christmas Village at Atwater Market.

Balas is the coordinator of volunteers for both the Montreal Christmas Village as well as The Great Christmas Market at Places-des-Arts. Launched on Nov. 19, The Great Christmas Market is already in full swing. 

“Along with being responsible for the volunteers at the market, I am a part of the communication team and I am also responsible for the photography and the videography team,” Balas explained.

In terms of recruiting volunteers for this year’s edition of the market, Balas was unsure if they recruited enough volunteers. She explained that every week on their social media, they have been posting advertisements to get volunteers. 

“I do meetings with them [the volunteers] and I explain to them what the non-profit is. I would say most of them are really excited to get started,” Balas said.

The Jean-Talon Christmas Market will not be getting volunteers this year because it is at a much smaller scale and won’t need as many helping hands. As The Montreal Christmas Village continues to grow, it was all hands on deck in order to get ready for the opening on Nov. 24.

“The volunteers will mainly sell food and drinks at the food chalet. They will also help with putting up some Christmas lights but we don’t make them focus on that as much. The merchants rent their own chalets at the Montreal Christmas Village and they are pretty much responsible for themselves,” Balas explained.

A worker at the food chalet at the Christmas Village in the Atwater Market. Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

This is Balas’ third year on the team. She got involved with the team back in 2019, as a volunteer. 

“When I first started off as a volunteer, I was there almost every weekend. I was one of the people that was there the most and I loved it,” Balas recalled. “I spoke to my boss and I told her that I do videos, that’s my job. Then the next year, I actually did the official video for the market.”

Looking at the other side of her responsibilities, Balas is tasked with taking photographs and videos alongside the media team.

“So this year, in terms of marketing the markets, we are much more organized than years before. In the years before, I was the only one shooting videos for promotion of the market. Now we have a whole team of photographers and videographers,” Balas said.

Balas went on to explain that this year she has put together a short list of specific themes that the photographers and videographers should abide by. 

“Some of the themes include food, decorations, volunteers, merchants, and animals. Animals are important to capture because we get the question all the time if animals are allowed at the markets,” she said.

Even with a full plate managing both the volunteers and the media team, Balas is still looking forward to all the magic the market has to offer. 

“I think the decorations are what I am looking forward to seeing the most at the market. We have two yurts, one of them is going to be filled with beautiful decorations of elves and huts. The other yurt is a bar, we had it back in 2019, but this year it’s back,” Balas explained.


With the return of Atwater Christmas fan-favorite decorations and artists, this year’s edition of the Christmas Village will be the spot to visit for the holidays.  If Balas hasn’t peaked your curiosity enough about the magic of this year’s Christmas Village event, visit the market’s website.

The food chalet at the Christmas Village in the Atwater market. Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

Categories
Community

15 things to do in December

Graphic by James Fay

End the year off with one (or more!) of these fun events.

Luminothérapie 

What: The thirteenth edition of an interactive installation designed to get you moving and enjoying the fresh air through its use of lights and sound.  

When: Dec. 1 – March 5

Where: Quartier des Spectacles 

Montreal Brazilian Film Festival 

What: A film festival showcasing some of the best work from Brazil. The event features movies of all genres. 

When: Dec 2 – 8 

Where: Cinema du Parc

Noël dans le parc 

What: A festival that features up-and-coming artists from all art forms. They also offer a chance to buy cultivated Christmas trees and wreaths.

When: Dec. 3 – 31

Where: Various places around downtown Montreal 

Place Émilie-Gamelin 1500 Rue Berri, Montreal, Quebec

Parc des Compagnons-de-Saint-Laurent, 1W5, 4365-4375 R. Cartier, Montreal, Quebec

Parc Lahaie, Montreal,Quebec H2T 1R7

The world’s smallest comedy night 

What: Head on down to Hurley’s Irish Pub for an open mic stand-up comedy show, featuring new and established comedians. 

When: Dec. 5 

Where: 1225 Crescent St, Montreal, H3G 2B1

Indigenous Holiday Market 

What: A chance to pick up some early Holiday presents and support Indigenous communities. 

When: Dec. 6

Where: Hall building, Concordia  

Riverside Bar 

What: Riverside bar gets turned into an igloo for the holiday season, with themed drinks and a chilly vibe. 

When: Wednesday – Sunday, starting Dec. 8

Where: 5020 rue St-Ambroise, Montréal, QC H4C 2G1 

COVEN Drag Show 

What: A bilingual show hosted by some of Montreal’s prominent drag figures.

When: Dec. 16 

Where: The Diving Bell Social Club / Club Social Le Scaphandre, 3956 St Laurent Blvd Étage 3, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1Y3

Dupatta & Voile 

What: An immersive dance show that takes a look at Bollywood and different aspects of Indian culture.

When: Dec. 17

Where: Hindu Mandir, 50 Kesmark St, Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Quebec H9B 3K4 

New Years Eve party – Aurora Halal + softcoresoft + Maara

What: With the help of DJ’s, bring your partying spirit under a 360-degree dome of visuals. 

When: Dec. 31

Where: Société des arts technologiques [SAT], 1201, Boul. Saint-Laurent Montreal, QC, Canada H2X 2S6

Montreal Christmas Markets 

What: Multiple markets situated in prime locations around the city. Activities range from food tastings to shopping to arts and crafts. There’s something for everyone! 

When: All of December 

Where: Atwater Market, Jean Talon, and Quartier des Spectacles.

Ogilvy’s window displays 

What: Oglivy’s has displayed magical winter scenes through their storefronts for over the past 70 years. Though recently coming to an end, the window displays were donated to the McCord Stewart museum where they will continue presenting the spirit of the holidays!

When: All of December 

Where: The McCord Stewart Museum, 690 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1E9

Soundbox by Hennessy 

What: A pop-up cocktail bar that explores the connection between Hennessy and hip hop. A small group can enjoy the themed room while listening to a record of some classic hip-hop. 

When: Running until March 31

Where: W Montreal, 901 Rue du Square-Victoria, Montréal, QC H2Z 1R1

Visit Mount Royal 

What: Get some fresh air and partake in one of Mount Royal’s many outdoor activities, from skating on beaver lake to cross-country skiing and sledding

When: Any day

Where: Mont Royal Park 

Museum of Jewish Montreal virtual exhibit

What: The Museum of Jewish Montreal offers lots of exhibits you can see from your own home. 

When: Any day 

Where: On their website ( see title) 

Drink and draw 

What: Pack up your art supplies and head over for a live drawing session

When: Every Wednesday 

Where: Bar le Cocktail, 1669 St Catherine St E, Montreal, Quebec H2L 2J5

Categories
Community Culture

Our Mountain: Memories of Mount Royal Review

Our Mountain: Memories of Mount Royal exhibit. Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

Check out this new exhibit commemorating the historic mountain located at the heart of our city

Out of all the iconic landmarks, one could visit in Montreal, I could list out a whole bunch off the top of my head: Orange Julep, St. Viateur Bagels, Mount Royal, etc. 

In terms of history, Mount Royal is as rich as it is stunning. An exhibit recently launched at the Musée des Hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal called Our Mountain: Memories of Mount Royal recognizes the storied history of the mountain. 

This exhibit launched on Nov. 15 and runs up until Aug. 31, 2024. The location is 201 Pine Ave, W.

The exhibit mainly focuses on issues that contributed to the mountain’s initial development, and the current preservation efforts that are being undertaken.

Walking through this exhibit, you can learn about many different things, including some background on the park’s architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, the same architect behind the famous Central Park in New York City.

The exhibit focuses on the history of the park as a landmark in a growing city. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, over the course of the 19th century, Montrealers bought large pieces of land at the base of Mount Royal. Those pieces of land were used as orchards or farms.

The turning point was when the city kept growing in population and the large pieces of land at the base became a cause of congestion. That’s when citizens started a petition to protect the mountain and turn it into a park for the public to enjoy. 

It was in 1874 that the city hired the famous Olmsted to design the layout of the park. Afterward, the park was officially opened to the public in 1876. 

The exhibit also makes a point of describing the mountain as a geographical territory. Mount Royal is composed of three summits, with its highest summit measuring 233 metres high. 

Walking through the exhibit, I noticed a space that was titled Mount Royal in 50 years. Visitors could write their predictions of what Mount Royal might look like in half a century. Now with the history of Mount Royal in mind, I leave the question with you — what do you think Mount Royal will look like 50 years from now?

Photographs by Dalia Nardolillo/The Concordian

Categories
Community

Animal victims of war Purple Poppy Ceremony

Kimberly Lamontagne helmed the first commemoration ceremony of animal victims of war in Montreal. Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN

Animal Protection Party candidate Kimberly Lamontagne helmed the first commemoration ceremony of animal victims of war in Montreal


On Friday, Nov. 11, people gathered at Parc Lahaie to commemorate the animals whose lives were lost in war.

This was the first ceremony of its kind in Montreal, organized by Kimberly Lamontagne. Lamontagne is an animal rights activist and a candidate for the Animal Protection Party of Canada.

With the sound of the rain in the background, Lamontagne set up some candles around the space. She then stood up among the participants and gave a speech. 

“This event is a part of the Animal Alliance of Canada’s Purple Poppy Campaign, started in 2015 in Victoria, British Columbia. This ceremony is held in recognition of the millions of animals’ lives lost in war, to condemn their ongoing use in war and oppose the act of war internationally,” Lamontagne said.

At the National War Memorial in Ottawa, Lamontagne held the same ceremony earlier that week.

“Steps away from this memorial, in Confederation Park, is an underwhelming animals in war dedication that honours animals that served alongside their human comrades in war,” Lamontagne recounted.

Lamontagne made a point in addressing that there are no such statues located here in Montreal. 

“I choose to hold a vigil here as the equestrian dedication is underwhelming; it is not as inspiring as the display in London England’s Hyde Park,” Lamontagne said. “I want to highlight that our purpose here is to recognize the animals as victims of war; not heroes and not to valorize them.”

As Lamontagne emphasized, these animals’ lives were taken and not given. Purple poppies were being sold so that participants could commemorate the animal lives that were lost.

“We fully recognize that many soldiers were forced into war themselves. Animals cannot consciously decide to engage or abstain from war. Animals are still used by the Canadian military and in modern warfare,” she said.

After the ceremony concluded, Lamontagne offered two minutes of silence to reflect upon the animal lives that were lost.  Lamontagne also gave people the opportunity to come up and speak. 

The Purple Poppy Campaign is complementary to the Red Poppy Campaign. The Purple Poppy is not meant to undermine the Red Poppy or reject its symbolism of the human lives who served and died in the war.

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