Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/280564
As a city forever r e c r e a t i n g , Montreal will always provide fertile ground for those seeking an urban adventure to sink their hearts and minds into. It is the dynamic nature of this metropolis that draws so many meetings and conventions here, and it is the excitement of what may come that holds their attention. By the early 1950s the infra- structure of Montreal, by now with a million-plus inhabitants, was on the road to a major overhaul. With a grand blueprint in his hand, Mayor Jean Drapeau proposed a bold new Montreal with a downtown lined with skyscrapers and an under- ground city that would become one of the largest underground com- plexes in the world. He opened the St. Lawrence Seaway by extending the harbor and built a world class rubber-tired metro transportation system that has become Canada's busiest and North America's 3rd busiest, with an average of 1,121,000 daily passengers. As Mayor Drapeau removed aging Victorian era structures he replaced them with landmark build- ings such as Place Bonaventure, a modern hotel and shopping com- plex, and the Place de Arts perform- ing arts center. Both facilities are linked to over 20 miles of tunnels that spread over 4 ½ miles of Montreal's underground. Also linked to the underground system is the Palais des Congress, Montreal's convention center locat- ed downtown at the north end of Old Montreal. The Palais was opened in May 1983 and from 1999 to 2002 underwent an expan- sion that doubled its size. Currently, Palais des Congress has 113 rooms and venues comprising over 551,510 sq. ft., and exhibition ven- ues of 498,874 sq. ft. with three ball- rooms, four terraces and an open space green roof that is 144,386 sq. ft. The Palais is strategically located at the crossroads of Montreal's busi- ness center, the international dis- trict, Chinatown and Old Montreal. There are over 4,000 hotel rooms linked to the Palais, with more than 15,300 rooms within a 10-minute walk. Excellent lodging options to consider are the InterContinental Montreal, Le Westin Montreal and the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth with its award winning Beaver Club. Montreal is the largest Francophone city after Paris in terms of population. Truly diverse with cultures from around the globe, Montreal is a major metropo- lis of over 3.6 million inhabitants. Its tapestry of neighborhoods includes the Latin Quarter, the Gay Village, Little Italy, Quartier International and La Plateau-Mont Royal. And this mix of culture and diversity offers a wide range of activ- ities for visitors. Lonely Planetranked Montreal number 3 on its list of "Best Summer Cities", while the New York Times included Montreal on its list of "Top Ten Hippest Cities in the World," and Frommer's considers this island city to be among the "World's 10 Best Cities for Outdoor Dining". One reason Montreal achieves such high rankings among the media and visitors alike is it's unique joie de vivre and festive atmosphere. When the sun sets, the night owls have numerous options to choose from, including over 660 bars in greater Montreal. The parallel blocks of rue Crescent, rue Bishop, and rue de la Montagne north of rue Ste-Catherine offer a more Anglophone taste. While the Francophones are prominent in the Latin Quarter, especially along sections of rue St- Denis. Old Montreal's attraction is more universal with many of the clubs and bars featuring live jazz and the blues. Although the official clos- ing time is 3:00am, many clubs along Boulevard St-Laurent are open into the wee hours of the night. Add to that the many festivals taking place in Montreal through- out the year and it's understandable why the city has been affectionately referred to as "Montreal - Room to make it real." This festival tradition peaks in early to mid-summer, but continues year round. Of course, the Montreal Jazz Festival remains the quintessential festival of them all and is the world's biggest and most diverse musical feast of its kind. Taking place in July, over 2 million attend the annual festival, with more than 250,000 being tourist. The music starts at noon and runs until midnight, but there are after hour B M & T ••• January/February 2014 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 18 MONTREAL ALL THAT JAZZ , AND SO MUCH MORE Example of Montreal's Architecture Photo Credit: Tousime Montreal Montreal Skyline Photo Credit: Tourisme Montreal BY MATT THOMAS •pg_12-21__BMT_pg3-58 2/27/14 4:37 PM Page 18