A few hundred people responded to the call launched this Thursday evening by citizens on social networks to support the La Tulipe cabaret, which announced its closure this week. The citizen gathering called “Le beau boucan in support of La Tulipe” kept its promise to make noise on Avenue Papineau.
Around 7 p.m., the sounds of pots and pans and trumpets began to be heard, while the cars driving around honked loudly. The small group that was there was quickly joined by other citizens, artists or bar owners, who absolutely wanted to show their support for La Tulipe.
Musicians also came in large numbers, a small improvised fanfare started playing right in front of La Tulipe, while the crowd gathered around them, widening the circle of supporters by welcoming the curious of the avenue du Mont-Royal who deviated from their path.
Jean-François came with his alto saxophone. “It’s important to be here,” he told us. Other cultural venues like this have closed in the past for the same reasons, this needs to stop. The Orange Divan, the Bobards… The Foufounes also receive complaints regularly, what are we going to do? It’s sure it’s noisy, but it’s the city! »
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
André-Pierre Duchamp, a citizen of Plateau Mont-Royal.
André-Pierre Duchamp, a construction worker, was present since the start of the demonstration. Visibly moved, this citizen of Plateau Mont-Royal, “for 50 years”, still cannot believe that “a person is capable of silencing culture”. He made a friendly appeal to all those who come from the suburbs, who have supported La Tulipe over the years.
The Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) had deployed teams of officers on site in the event of an overflow. No incidents were reported, but given the high number of demonstrators, access to Papineau – via Mont-Royal – was closed. At the time of writing, access was still blocked.
Just opposite, the owner of Sandhu restaurant, Ajmer Sandhu, looks at the scene with desolation. He owned La Tulipe from 2000 to 2014. According to him, the City’s error in allowing the zoning change was fatal. He deplores the steps taken by Pierre-Yves Beaudoin. Noise is part of urban life.”
The founder of the percussion group Terrato, Joe Mephisto, gave a real cry from the heart before inviting his approximately 20 colleagues to loudly play samba-reggae on their drums.
“We play at La Tulipe, the majority of our contracts are here, it can’t close because of a complaint, we need that to live. We can’t erase the arts from here, it doesn’t look good, it’s part of neighborhood life. That’s 111 years of supporting artists! »
The singer-songwriter and actor, Émile-Proulx Cloutier, came for a ride. “It reassures me to see that there are so many people,” he told us. It testifies to the importance of the place, but also to its fragility. The logic that one person can change the destiny of a theater and a city makes no sense. »
This argument was echoed by several people to whom The Press spoke, in particular the bar owners of the Plateau, who came in large numbers to support the owners of La Tulipe.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The atmosphere was festive Thursday evening, avenue Papineau.
Among them, Sergio Da Silva, owner of the Turbo Haüs bar. “We are all vulnerable,” he told us. I myself received a warning from the city because of a complaint filed by a citizen. Look around you, there are families here, elderly people, these people understand that we live in the city and that these cultural places must exist. »
The modification of the noise by-law this Thursday, by the Plateau Mont-Royal borough, which exempts bars, theaters and performance halls from the famous article 9 of the noise by-law, is a step in the right direction, according to him , but he still wonders how complaints will be handled from now on.
Municipal councilor Chantal Rossi, culture spokesperson for the official opposition, was also present to “denounce what is happening”.
“If Mr. Rabouin had made this modification to the regulations in 2021, when he admitted the borough’s error [de changer le zonage de commercial à résidentiel à la demande de Pierre-Yves Beaudoin]we wouldn’t be here to talk about it. It’s late… We are losing a cultural institution. We now hope to save the others. »
The owner at the origin of the complaint, Pierre-Yves Beaudoin, was apparently not at home this Thursday evening. Despite this, the demonstrators present did not hesitate to make as much noise as possible. We even saw a sign: “Pierre-Yves Beaudoin: move out, and be patient!” »
In their call to support La Tulipe, the citizens who took the initiative to organize this “peaceful” demonstration nevertheless wrote:
“For party crasher Pierre-Yves Beaudoin, who has been complaining for several years about the noise emitted on show evenings, even though he acquired the building and changed its commercial vocation to residential due to an administrative error, maybe close your windows, our love for heritage and La Tulipe may be strong enough to bother you while drinking your little chamomile herbal tea. »