GLISSADES GAMELIN: URBAN SNOWBOARDING THIS WINTER IN PLACE ÉMILIE-GAMELIN

Montreal, January 10, 2024 – The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership is pleased to announce the inaugural edition of Les Glissades Gamelin, a new winter sports facility in the Quartier des Spectacles, open from January 26 to March 10, 2024. Each weekend, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, Montrealers and visitors will be invited to enjoy some snowy fun on the city’s only specialized sliding slopes. The site will feature a mix of cultural and sports activities. The whole family will be able to learn and enjoy, for free, the snow scooter and snowskate at all levels, in a warm, welcoming and fun setting. The project is made possible by the financial support of the borough of Ville-Marie, the Ville de Montréal and Tourisme Montréal.

DISCOVERING WINTER SPORTS

The new sliding facility in the heart of downtown is an invitation to discover and enjoy the snow scooter and the snowskate (a snowboard without bindings) on two slopes: the mollo, for beginners, and the yolo, for more experienced sliders. Visitors will discover the winter pleasures of place Émilie-Gamelin, already a treasured summer hot-spot in the heart of the Quartier Latin. The slopes are free to access, and sliders are welcome to bring their own equipment or borrow some for free. The on-site staff will guide participants in learning the fundamentals and will give advice to help everyone have plenty of fun safely. To enjoy Les Glissades Gamelin to the fullest, participants should be at least 6 years old.

CULTURAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES

Weekends at Les Glissades Gamelin will be packed with both sports and culture, providing entertaining moments for all. On Saturdays from 5:50 to 9 p.m., local DJs including Sasha Sol, N8, OKIN and Zepha will be there to warm up the dance floor. On Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., storytellers such as Miss Winnie J and Camille Deslauriers Ménard will delight families with captivating tales told in a space sheltered from the cold.

A WARM AND WELCOMING SITE

Les Glissades Gamelin will provide a pleasant, brightly lit space for enjoying winter. The snack bar run by Les Survenants, L’Après-glisse, will serve delicious snacks, warming comfort food and a large selection of hot drinks to help people stay warm as they take a break at the picnic tables. Lastly, in between runs down the slopes, visitors can play some fun winter games, suitable for families and friend groups: winter versions of pétanque and beanbags.

QUOTES

“Montreal is a winter city, and it’s important to enjoy it to the fullest. I am very pleased that Les Glissades Gamelin will join our already-enviable annual sports and culture programming. This project brings the community together and adds another distinctive experience to the many our city already offers. It will encourage us to go outside in any weather! Come play, dance, sip hot chocolate and listen to some stories, in the heart of downtown. We are very proud to be able to present such creative winter activities, and I invite everyone to come out and enjoy them.” Valérie Plante, mayor of the Ville de Montréal and of the borough of Ville-Marie

“Les Glissades Gamelin will provide the perfect opportunity to get together, get some exercise and enjoy winter. Snow scooters and snowskates, DJs, stories and all kinds of shared moments – it’s a winning formula for making great memories! Thanks to the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership for innovating yet again, and to its partners for their support of this fine initiative in Laurier–Sainte-Marie.” The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P., Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Laurier–Sainte-Marie

“We are very happy and proud to be launching Les Glissades Gamelin in place Émilie-Gamelin, a space that the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership has been equipping and animating for ten summers with Les Jardins Gamelin. This new family-friendly amenity invites everyone to discover the joys of winter sports in the heart of the city, in the Quartier des Spectacles. The project is a perfect marriage of culture and sports, and it will help make downtown Montreal a major winter attraction by celebrating our Nordic lifestyle. I want to thank the borough of Ville-Marie, the Ville de Montréal and Tourisme Montréal for their loyal and indispensable support.” Monique Simard, Chair, Quartier des Spectacles Partnership

“Les Glissades Gamelin, in the heart of Montreal, will enhance the sports and culture components of our winter tourism offerings. Thousands of visitors will come to our city in the next few weeks, and they will discover this site – a perfect place for joyfully making the most of the cold season.” Yves Lalumière, President and CEO, Tourisme Montréal

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES AND THE PARTNERSHIP

The Quartier des Spectacles is 20 years old! The Quartier des Spectacles is Montréal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues as well as numerous festivals and events. The Quartier also hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design and immersive environments. The Quartier des Spectacles has become an international showcase for digital public art.

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, founded in 2003, is a non-profit organization with more than 85 members active in the district. It is responsible for animating the Quartier des Spectacles by programming cultural activities, managing and animating public spaces, providing distinctive illumination and promoting the Quartier as a must-visit cultural destination. The Partnership benefits from the support of the Ville de Montréal. 

More information: quartierdesspectacles.com

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MEDIA CONTACT  

Mélanie Mingotaud
Communications Mingotwo   
melanie@mingo2.ca  
514 582-5272   

SOURCE

Chloé Goldstein
Quartier des Spectacles Partnership
chloe.goldstein@quartierdesspectacles.com
514 812-2193