Half a million lights will radiate downtown Montreal over a distance of 12 km at night this winter, to help revitalize the heart of the metropolis, where people go mainly for pleasure, according to a survey.
The media were invited Tuesday evening to Square Phillips, opposite the redeveloped Sainte-Catherine Street, to take part in a press conference organized in particular by the Société de développement commercial (SDC) Montréal centre-ville. The public square already shines at night thanks to the presence of luminous sculptures in the shape of animals and giant colored dominoes that passers-by have fun knocking down with a burst of laughter.
The minister responsible, among other things, for Economic Development and the Metropolis, Pierre Fitzgibbon, took part in this event, as his government invested $3.5 million in this light therapy experiment aimed at countering the winter blues downtown.
“With this illumination, we will create a new and unique experience that will make our downtown area more dynamic,” said Minister Fitzgibbon, who stressed the importance of ensuring “downtown prosperity” in when an economic recession threatens Quebec.
A place of pleasure
This investment will enable the SDC Montréal-centre-ville to install light garlands over a distance of 12 km on various commercial arteries, namely Sainte-Catherine, Crescent, Peel and de la Montagne streets as well as René-Lévesque and René-Lévesque boulevards. Robert Bourassa. Sensory activities will also enhance passers-by, particularly in the Quartier des Spectacles, to make downtown more entertaining after dark.
Because, in addition to going there to work or study, 91% of respondents to a survey by the firm Léger conducted in person with 1,021 visitors to downtown Montreal and online with 1,404 Quebecers say they also go in the heart of the metropolis “for pleasure”. The creation of “bright moments” in the city center should therefore help attract more visitors to the city center, argued Tuesday the director of the SDC Montreal downtown, Glenn Castanheira.
The latter also assured that these light installations will have a low energy footprint, at a time when Hydro-Québec is facing a constant increase in electricity demand in the province. “To illustrate the energy consumption, all the installations we have deployed – half a million light bulbs and 12 kilometers of lights – represent the equivalent of seven and a half Energy Star certified dryers”, illustrated Mr. Castanheira. .