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A SUCCESSFUL REVITALIZATION, REPRESENTATIVE OF MONTREAL’S DIVERSITY

LES JARDINS GAMELIN, 2016 EDITION

Press release - For immediate release

Montreal, September 28, 2016 – Montrealers and visitors came to Les Jardins Gamelin in large numbers in the summer of 2016, showing unwavering enthusiasm for this new cultural and community project in the heart of downtown. The twin goals of enhancing the attractiveness and accessibility of Place Émilie-Gamelin, located in the eastern portion of the Quartier des Spectacles, and of making it an inclusive gathering place reflecting Montreal, were once again achieved.

Visitors found the Jardins irresistible, with inviting amenities and programming that fit seamlessly into their daily routine. With visitors of all ages and backgrounds, the space has stayed true to its mission of breaking down social boundaries.

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership is pleased to announce that Les Jardins Gamelin will return next year for a third season.

154 DAYS OF DAILY PROGRAMMING, WITH 270 CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

From May 12 to October 2, Les Jardins Gamelin featured a unique, inclusive and human-scaled set of activities for a variety of different audiences. Visitors to the Jardins enjoyed activities and festivals of different sizes, catering to every taste, running the gamut from the spectacular to the cerebral. Janet Echelman’s suspended sculpture, 1.26, became a landmark, emblematic of the Quartier.

The Partnership wishes to highlight the contributions of the artists and organizations that won over the public with their immense talent and originality, and thanks the co-producers who energized the outdoor programming all summer with strong, appealing productions.

The factors that contributed to the success of this year’s edition of Les Jardins Gamelin include the work of Sentier Urbain in explaining and highlighting the plants in the Jardins and the urban agriculture techniques used for growing them. The public also had the chance to enjoy delicious, high-quality snack-bar classics and other tasty fare thanks to Dominic Saint-Laurent and his team from BallPark restaurant. The committed, imaginative team will return to the Jardins next year.

Back in June, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership was awarded a Prix Ulysse 2016 for Les Jardins Gamelin in the Innovation, tourism product development category. The annual award is presented by Tourisme Montréal.

QUOTES

“This new urban space has been a breath of fresh air, bringing new vitality to this neighbourhood in the borough of Ville-Marie. When we see a revitalization project working so well, and so obviously improving the quality of life of the Montrealers who use it, we can only rejoice and hope it serves as an inspiration for other public spaces.”
Mr. Denis Coderre, mayor of Montreal.

“The Partnership’s team is very proud to have brought new summertime life to this part of the Quartier des Spectacles. Of course, it would not have been possible without the support of the borough of Ville-Marie and several key partners. Les Jardins Gamelin is a coordinated revitalization project, and that is why we consider it a model of success on every level: urban, social and cultural.”
Mr. Jacques Primeau, chair, Quartier des Spectacles Partnership

HIGHLIGHTS: LES JARDINS GAMELIN 2016

11 events hosted, including 4 festivals: Courir pour sortir de la rue, Différents comme tout le monde, Festival International de la Littérature (FIL), Fête mondiale du jeu avec le pique-nique ludique de Randolph, Festival Quartiers Danses, Festival Vent d’Asie, Haïti en folie, Fierté Montréal Pride, launch of the Destination Emploi platform, Pop Montreal, PWA’s friends for Life Bike Rallye.
8 co-productions: BAnQ, Cinéma d’ici Radio Canada, UQAM Libre cours lectures in collaboration with Nouveau Projet, Concerts Révélations Radio-Canada, Escales Improbables de Montréal, OFFTA, Piknic Électronik, Montréal Complètement Cirque.
6 partners showcased up-and-coming musicians: Gamme.mu, Les Francouvertes, Ma Première Place des Arts, les Révélations Radio-Canada, les Vitrines des musiques locales métissées presented by Vision Diversité, Vue sur la relève.
8 activities during Family Sundays: making of giant picnic blankets with Castor et Pollux, École de cirque de Verdun, creative woodworking and origami workshop with MASSIVart, dance and percussion workshop with Petits Bonheurs, African dance with Samajam, musical puppet show withSocalled, Urbicube designed and made by Frédérique Piat Corson, Valentine Gadeau and Jeanne Salvail-Lacoste, in collaboration with UQAM, Castor et Pollux, and Luwiss.
270 assorted activities: Urban agriculture workshops by Sentier urbain, Concerts découverte, Family Sundays, party games with Randolph, karaoke, Piknic Électronik, Les Jeudi de..., Lundi chorale, Soul Lunch with DJ Andy Williams, Euro 2016 soccer matches, Midi de l’Escalier, Miss DJ series, Salsa Folie, Turntable Nights, Vue sur la relève, Yoga with Yo-Yoga.
More than 1370 hours of ambient music programmed by Radio-Canada’s music station, ICI Musique.

Les Jardins Gamelin closing party

The Quartier des Spectacles Partnership invites the public to come to Les Jardins Gamelin for the 2016 season’s last day of programming.

Sunday, October 2 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Urban agriculture workshops with Sentier Urbain
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Party games with Randolph Pub ludique
11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.: FIL / ICI ARTV library
Noon and 1 p.m.: Roving concert with the Jazz Street Boyz
2:30 p.m.: Performance by Samito
4 to 9 p.m.: Performance by Qualité de luxe

Plus: enjoy the delicious snack-bar menu by Dominic Saint-Laurent and the team from BallPark restaurant!

The event is free and open to all.

LES JARDINS GAMELIN

From May to October 2015, Place Émilie-Gamelin showed a new face to Quartier des Spectacles residents and visitors with Les Jardins Gamelin. A large, green and inviting civic space in the heart of downtown, Les Jardins Gamelin is an original temporary layout comprising a set of versatile facilities. Seven days and nights a week, the space hosts a vibrant series of cultural and citizen-oriented activities for every taste. The initiative, led by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, is produced in collaboration with Pépinière & co. It benefits from the contributions of numerous partners and the financial support of the borough of Ville-Marie. This large-scale project encourages Montrealers to use and embrace this central space, and aims to turn it into one of the city’s leading tourist attractions.

ABOUT THE QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES

The Quartier des Spectacles is Montreal’s cultural heart, boasting North America’s most concentrated and diverse group of cultural venues. The district is the year-round host to countless festivals and events, many of which include free outdoor shows and activities. The Quartier hosts innovative urban installations involving cutting-edge lighting design, immersive environments or interactive digital spaces. Year round, the Quartier presents artistic video projections on several buildings. The Quartier des Spectacles is an international showcase for new multimedia technology, making Montreal a global leader in the urban exhibition of digital content. quartierdesspectacles.com.

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