Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante denounces the “dictatorship of a neighbour” that threatens not only the La Tulipe concert hall, but the entire cultural “ecosystem” of the metropolis, according to her. The city is committed to saving the legendary Plateau-Mont-Royal institution, forced to suspend its activities after a judgment prohibiting any noise likely to disturb neighbours.
“We are extremely surprised, even shocked, by this judgment because obviously it undermines the institution,” reacted Valérie Plante at the executive committee on Wednesday morning.
“We want to find solutions in relation to La Tulipe, but also in relation to the entire cultural ecosystem. We believe in good neighbourliness and that’s why we’ve never hesitated to implement programs to encourage soundproofing, upgrading the facilities of our bars, our local cultural institutions. So yes to good neighbourliness, but no to the dictatorship of a neighbour because then, at that point, it’s an entire ecosystem that is undermined,” she added.
The Quebec Court of Appeal’s ruling ordering the concert hall not to make any noise that could disturb the neighborhood, including the immediate neighbor, has sent shockwaves through the cultural community. A demonstration that is intended to be “noisy” and “festive” is planned for Thursday at 7 p.m. in front of La Tulipe, on Papineau Avenue, a stone’s throw from Mont-Royal Avenue. Dozens of Internet users have indicated that they will participate in the event.
Many people are outraged by the turn of events in this matter, which threatens all of Montreal’s nightlife institutions.
Real estate investor Pierre-Yves Beaudoin acquired the building next door to La Tulipe in recent years, and was able to convert it into housing due to a municipal official’s mistake. Regulations prohibit the change of vocation from commercial to residential for buildings adjacent to a performance hall.
Despite his choice to knowingly settle next to the century-old institution, the neighbor filed a complaint for noise pollution. The Superior Court and the Court of Appeal ruled in his favor.
“No one is safe anymore”
“The Court of Appeal demands that we stop all noise amplification. We’re talking about music, song, culture, theatre. It’s strange that we call that ‘noise’. It’s impossible, with a shared wall, to have perfect soundproofing,” reacted Claude Larivée, co-founder and CEO of La Tribu, which owns La Tulipe, on the airwaves of All one morningon Radio-Canada radio.
“As soon as such a decision is made, no one is safe,” he added. He fears for the future of bars, concert halls and festivals that offer outdoor shows.
The mayor of Montreal shares the same concern “for the entire ecosystem.”
“We want to find actions for regulation in the borough to preserve cultural life in the Plateau, but also in the entire metropolis, knowing to what extent nightlife and all its facilities, not only contribute to Montreal’s reputation, it makes people dance, it makes people party, it is part of the characteristics that distinguish us as a metropolis. But let’s not forget the extremely important contribution to the economic development of all these institutions, small, medium and large. So for all these reasons, we will be there to support them at La Tulipe, but also to continue, to find sustainable solutions for the entire ecosystem,” she said in the executive committee.
Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe says he is reassured by the reaction of Montreal elected officials. “It’s certain that if La Tulipe were to close its doors because of a noise bylaw, that would be absolutely unacceptable. It would also have an impact on other venues in Montreal. But the city has decided to take care of it. That reassures me,” he said in Quebec City.
Further details will follow.