Does this look like NDG to you? Photo by Andy Riga
WHAT? Psychogeography walk along the Falaise St. Jacques
WHEN? 1pm, Saturday, December 1st Noon, Sunday, December 2nd
WHERE? Place St. Henri metro
This Saturday Sunday, Spacing Montreal’s own Jacob Larsen will be leading the Montreal Psychogeography Society to the Falaise St. Jacques, the protected “eco-region” that sits along the escarpment separating lower NDG from the Turcot Yards and Highway 20 below. With so much uncertainty about how the Turcot Interchange reconstruction will affect the Falaise, this could well be the first and last time you get to see the bluff before it is overtaken by traffic noise and construction. Jacob has created a Facebook event for the walk; you can also keep yourself informed by joining the Psychogeography Society’s group page.
You might also be interested in Andy Riga’s engaging blog Exploring the Falaise St. Jacques. One post I really like relays some experiences from old-time NDG residents who remember when the Falaise was home to hobos, mysterious trails and fights between the neighbourhood’s French, English and Italian kids.
UPDATE: Please note that the walk has been rescheduled for Sunday at noon.
5 comments
Excellent idea! I would love to be there but only have about a 20% shot the way this week has shaped up. In any case, take a lot of pictures. I would be more than happy to post a bunch.
Hi Christopher DeWolf,
I’ve to do a story on the threat posted to the western part of St. Henri by the impending reconstruction of the Turcot Interchange and wanted to interview you about it for my newswriting course at concordia university. I’ve to turn the article in by 5 pm on tuesday. Please email me so that I may set up a time to meet you or call you to do the interview.
Aisha Thornton.
So how did that go?
Thanks to Jacob Larsen we managed to take a look at this mysterious cliff yesterday. A pleasant walk with some mature trees but mainly scrub. Needs some management. Strangely unpolluted (a few tyres) despite the totally visual and actual pollutants generated by rue St. Jacques. Problems are the poor access at either end (does it go further than the auto dealership on St Jacques, near Cavendish?)Another problem is the urban wasteland that is rue St Jacques, which it parallels.There is no conceivable reason why a walker should find himself there.
It offers the possibly of a nice direct footpath (rural cyclpath) from Montreal West say,associating it with the rue Pullman, down to St Henri and the metro (and the Lachine Canal also. Stairs could be put in here and there.
Unfortunately, NDG is pretty much cut off, at least for walkers.
A Master Plan for walkers who want to avoid traffic could certainly integrate it as an imporant west- centre.
Yea, I agree with the seemingly hopelessness of the car culture along Saint Jacques, but there is Terry Fox park which creates a nice little lookout and there could be a staircase, a la Mount Royal, going down from there.
I think you have a great idea with walking paths. It is important to get the concept out because walkers are everywhere but very little is known about them :P