The Champ de Mars is one of Montreal’s most storied places. It derives its name from the French colonial era, when it was a military parade ground, but in the eighteenth century it was the site of the city’s northern wall. After the wall was torn down in the early nineteenth century, the Champ was used as a farmer’s market. Eventually, in the twentieth century, it was converted into a municipal parking lot.
While the field was restored and converted into a public park in the 1980s, it still maintains the essence of the parking lot it once was. Despite its stunning view of the downtown skyline and its location next to City Hall and the tourist hub of Place Jacques Cartier, the Champ de Mars feels like it isn’t quite living up to its potential. Something needs to be done to make it relevant, once again, to Montrealers.
Just a couple of ideas ago, I was walking through the Champ with my friend Sam, and he proposed a great idea: why not project movies on the blank concrete wall of the Palais de Justice? Free film projections are already a big hit at Place des Arts during the World Film Festival, and thanks to Montreal’s liberalism, we wouldn’t be stuck with a bunch of family-friendly schlock. It would be a great way to bring people together while highlighting one of the city’s historically significant public spaces as well as some of its best views and architecture.
They could even be war films. How appropriate.
8 comments
I know this isn’t as clever as what you are proposing, but they *do* project movies on the Isle Bonsecours, which I think might be literally a stone’s throw from there… Possibly it has more seating? noise something something? Or, possibly they might consider moving it at the suggestion? Who knows! it’s possible.
Brilliant idea! I’ve always found it to be a bit of an odd park space — too formal to really hang out in, and no local residents to “inhabit” it. Where would you project the films from? The édicule with the metro access?
yessss. Im in to help. can we do it renegade style? there used to be a great event in san Francisco – http://www.videosalon.org/video_riot.htm
super fun, but this needn’t be VJ focused, but just show up with a projector and generator. hmmm. there may be power to tap into on site too.
hmmm.
My good friend Willie R. and myself spent many an afternoon walking in the area. Willie later became a renouned artist and succesful manufacturer of handicrafts. He is now comfortably retired with his lovely wife Susan, living in a posh Cote St. Luc apartment. Today Susan and Willy can be seen most days enjoying coffee and muffins at the Cavendish Mall.
The Willy cited in the previous post was well known in Montreal, especially in the late 50’s and early 60’s. A highly talented baseball player who was a major league prospect playing in the Fletchers field league.
Additionally, he was a first class impressionist, comedian. artist and an all round swell guy. Good to hear he is still around.
Another Fletcher’s field baseball immortal was Marty Kaufman a solid hitter and fielder paying during the same era as Willie. The same can be said about Harvey Trevick- both of whom played for the YMHA blues. Those wre the good old days. The caliber of ball was not much inferior to the current majors.
I believe the Willie previously referred to was Willy Richter, who had he wished might have been a white Willie Mays. He played on Fletchers field in the late 50’s and early 60’s. He opted for a career in business although he was probably the most talented ball player since the late Jackie Robinson. He fielded, hit and ran the bases superbly. After retirement he worked several years in the novelty field. Later, he established Willis Sales, a powerhouse sundry Corporation and when the money began to roll in, he forgot baseball for ever.
Referance Willie Richter, immortal Montreal sandlot star baseball player.
MORE TALES OF SANDLOT BASEBALL ON FLETCHER’S FIELD.
Here is another story which has taken on a mythic quality with the passage of time.
Some time around July 1959, Willie Richter a ferocious slugger if there ever was one was served a fast ball down the center of the plate. He took a hefty swing, connected right on and the ball sailed up into left field— and never came down. It sailed right out of sight.
The next evening about the same time, Willie came up to the bat, and waited for a pitch. Suddenly a ball came hurtling down from nowhere. The left fielder lifted his glove and caught the ball.
The Unpire flung up his hand, yelled to Willie, yer out- FOR YESTERDAY.
There are a couple of witnesses to the event that swear up and down that it actually happened. Believe it or not.