Dorchester Square
Encyclopedia
Dorchester Square is a large urban square in downtown Montreal
. Together with Place du Canada
, the area is just over 21,000 m2 or 2.1 ha
of manicured and protected urban parkland bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard
to the south, Peel Street
to the west, Metcalfe
to the east and Dominion Square to the north. The square is open to the public 24 hours a day and forms a focal point for pedestrian traffic in the city. Until the creation of Place du Canada in 1967, the name Dominion Square had been applied to the entire area.
Land acquisition to build the square began in 1872 and the site was inaugurated in 1878, not being thoroughly completed until 1892. The square has four statues was originally arranged in the form of a union jack.
In 2010 $14-million was spent on a redesign with the removal of a flower stand on the southwest corner, all monuments refurbished, new street furniture and a lighting scheme which has greatly improved the look of the square after dark. As a nod to the fact that it was once a cemetery, small crosses have been imbedded in the walkways. In addition, some lights are pointed to shine on the foliage of the many trees, allowing for an interesting nocturnal green-glow in the summer. A planned renovation of Place du Canada has begun with renovations of the John A. Macdonald monument and the Cenotaph. A further renovation of Dominion Square street, including the bus/taxi parking area, subterranean garage entrance and exit and the kiosk is planned, and it is likely the square may be expanded with Dominion Square street converted for pedestrian use.
Up until 1854, the square was little more than a public green and informal meeting place. Much of it was used for the Catholic Sainte-Antoine Cemetery, a hastily arranged cemetery for the victims of the 1851 Cholera Epidemic. In that year, the bodies were exhumed and moved to Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery on the Northwestern side of Mount Royal
. In 1869, St. George's Presbyterian church was erected at the corner of Peel and De la Gauchetière. It spawned the construction of several other Protestant churches and cathedrals in and around Dorchester Square, which was beginning to take form as a dividing line between the estates and suburbs of the Northwest and the retail and commercial areas to the East and Southeast. The 1870s provided several massive projects which contextualized the green as a central meeting point, prestige address and formalized the use of the square. Land acquisition began in 1872 and the park took its present form in 1878. Simultaneously, the Catholic Archdiocese began construction of St. James Cathedral across from Southeast corner of the Square. Along the western edge of the Square, the Windsor Hotel
was completed by 1878. With such prestigious construction and massive human traffic, the square became a vital component of the urban environment and a focal point for transit between the office and commercial sectors and the retail and suburban sectors.
In 1889, the Canadian Pacific Railway
constructed Windsor Station
across De la Gauchetière from St. George's Cathedral, further increasing the importance of the square as a major focal point for intermodal transit systems. Later construction would involve the demolition of the original YMCA Building (1851) and the construction of the first portion of the Sun Life Building
at the corner of Metcalfe and René Lévesque Boulevard, which would grow to take up the whole eastern side of the Square by 1931. In 1929, the northern side of the square was graced with the Dominion Square Building, designed as an integrated shopping arcade and office tower. The arcade was specifically designed to draw pedestrian traffic between the square and Saint Catherine Street
.
Additional construction after the Second World War would see the development of the Laurentian Hotel
across the Southwest corner of the Square. In 1960, the original, southern section of the Windsor Hotel was demolished to make room for the Tour CIBC
. The 1960s saw major developments as Dorchester Square became the central orienting point for the new downtown of modernist skyscrapers. As such, a skywalk was erected on the south side of the square, across De la Gauchetière to Place du Canada
and the Chateau Champlain hotel.
In 1967, Dominion Square was divided into two parts, the southern portion being re-named Place du Canada while the northern portion retained the name Dominion Square.
After the death of René Lévesque in 1987, Dorchester Boulevard was renamed in his honour and Dominion Square was renamed after Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
.
There are four principal monuments in Dorchester Square, originally arranged to form an equilateral cross with the 'Camellienne' (a multi-purpose kiosk that currently houses a snack bar) at the Northern point. However, the cross form was altered first when the Lion of Belfort fountain was disconnected and moved further south along Metcalfe Street. Later, a florist was established at the southwestern corner, further altering the original layout of the square. Under the current renovation plan, the Robert Burns Statue will be moved further north along Peel Street and the florist kiosk removed entirely.
The square, in name and content, is a testament to the entrepreneurial and industrial spirit of Montreal's Victorian Era
anglophone business community.
Beginning from the southern side of the square, the first monument is the tribute to Sir Wilfrid Laurier, constructed in 1953 by Joseph-Émile Brunet
. Laurier faces south across René Lévesque Boulevard towards the United States
. Laurier was a proponent of an early free-trade agreement with the United States and wanted to develop a more continental economic orientation. Also, as Canada's first French-Canadian prime minister, he faces off against the tribute to Sir John A. Macdonald, across the street in what is now Place du Canada. Macdonald is enshrined in a stone baldachin
emblazoned with copper reliefs of the various agricultural and industrial trades. Laurier stands with the shelter of the massive trees which characterize the square, a granite relief of the provinces created and united under his administrations opposite a bas-relief of man and woman sharing the harvest. Laurier also stands with his back facing the back of the Boer War Memorial—Laurier had been against the war.
The Boer War Memorial faces north, towards the cross atop Mount Royal, which would have been visible from the square up until 1929. It is the only equestrian statue in Montreal, and atypically, is not mounted, but restrained. The Boer War was widely unpopular in Quebec society, viewed as an imperial war. Prime Minister Laurier opposed the war, but ultimately compromised with the proposal for militia and volunteers en lieu of conscription. The war was disastrous for most of its first half, and the losses significant enough to anticipate the losses of middle and upper class men during the First World War. Around the base of the statue, there are copper reliefs and the names of each battle. The memorial is in the centre of the square and forms the central point in the cross arrangement of the monuments.
.
The Robert Burns Statue forms the western point in the cross and is placed at the western entrance to the square. Facing west, Burns is a tribute to the industrialists and financiers of Montreal's Scottish community. Burns represents the socially-conscious and refined romantic ideal of the community during the High Victorian Era. Additionally, Burns looks out towards the infinite expanse of Western Canada, opened up by the rail and finance managed by the elites of the community.
Dorchester Square and Place du Canada
share a variety of functions within the urban environment of downtown Montreal. In fact, the variety of functions performed and their inter-relations is what necessitates careful consideration of the square and which prohibits reckless redevelopment and strict regulation vis-à-vis new development.
and Gare Centrale
), and four Metro stations and is accessed by the three densest portions of Underground City, Montreal
. In addition, the area is adjacent to both the Ville-Marie Expressway and the Bonaventure Expressway, which allows a diffusion of automobile traffic in multiple routes towards the square and plaza. Finally, within the next few years, a direct rail link to Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport will be established, delivering airport traffic directly into this hub.
The second element of this traffic-diffusion component is the ability to easily and effectively transfer between transit nodes. The high concentration of automobile parking spaces in the downtown core is focused on the square (which has a parking garage under it, accessed by Peel, Metcalfe and Dominion Square streets) and provides immediate access—via the square and plaza—to the variety of public transit modes arranged around the area. To the east is the Place Ville Marie corridor of the Underground City, which carries pedestrian traffic from the Roddick Gates
at McGill University
on Sherbrooke Street
all the way south to Place Bonaventure
. At Place Bonaventure, pedestrian traffic is diverted both further east, to Square Victoria, the Quartier international de Montréal
, Tour de la Bourse
, Old Montreal
, Place d'Armes
and the Palais des congrès de Montréal
. Traffic diffused through this corridor to the west can be connected to the Terminus Centre-Ville (AMT)
at 1000 de la Gauchetière
or further along to the Chateau Champlain, the Place du Canada Building, Windsor Station
, 1250 René-Lévesque
, Bell Centre
and Lucien-L'Allier (Montreal Metro)
.
, such as the Centre Eaton, Place Montreal Trust
, 1501 McGill College
, Les Cours Mont-Royal
, Place de la Cathédrale, Complexe Les Ailes (Montreal)
, and several other connected shopping malls. As such, via the north of the square, both Peel and McGill metro stations are accessible to the square.
Interestingly, the function of the square and plaza as environmental and inter-modal lobby is enhanced by what is not connected to the Underground City and the various modes of transit which circle the square. The Sun Life Building
's principal vault lies below street level at the very centre of the building's foundation, therefore requiring underground traffic pass around the square or come outside to cross it. The same situation is repeated by the cluster of skyscrapers and prominent buildings near the intersection of Peel and René Lévesque Boulevard. The Peel Cluster includes several prominent buildings, including the Tour CIBC
, Place Laurentienne, the Windsor Hotel
and the Centre Sheraton
. In addition, the Dominion Square Building
is best accessed via the square and is similarly unconnected.
The social inter-traffic component is best witnessed in summer months, when all sorts of Montrealers combine with the tourist element. The central Quebec Tourism bureau for Montreal is located at the Dominion Square Building, and the square is specifically designed to handle specialty vehicles such as limousines, sightseeing buses and motor coaches. Throughout the day, tourists and office workers mingle with students and artists. The kiosk located at the northern end of the square, locally referred to as a Camillienne—in reference to Montreal mayor Camillien Houde
, who ordered their construction as Depression Era make-work projects—is a snack bar and café open primarily in the summer. Additionally, the northwestern portion of the square, on Peel north of Cypress, is dominated by a variety of restaurants, bars, clubs, bistros and taverns. It should not be surprising that the square and plaza are filled by thousands of people around noontime, enjoying their lunch break in an area where sunshine and shade balance each other quite well. Those sunning themselves on the lawn are usually mere feet away from a patch of cool and humid temperate broadleaf and mixed forest.
The meeting of excellent transit access and the social centrality of the area make it an ideal location for protests to orient. It is large enough to hold an impressive mass of people; the area plays host to nearly all visitors; and it has become the protected courtyard of the city's collection of showcase architecture and prestige addresses. It is the most visible section of the urban environment and is encouraged to be used for this purpose by the municipal government's permit department.
As far as protest marching or political rallies are concerned, Montreal has seen a wide variety since the beginning of the Quiet Revolution
, and many of the better known have had an interaction with the square and plaza. Dorchester Square is a preferred site, since the area's prominence provides a degree of placation for the crowd—it quickly becomes obvious that you are highly visible and the message is loud and clear, as office-workers gather by the many windows looking down into it. Moreover, police can observe from a fair distance and generally remain unobtrusive.
Generally protests, rallies and demonstrations in Montreal
are non-violent, small and calm. In the last few years a weekly protest of little more than a dozen people has convened at the southwest corner of Dorchester Square every Friday during the summer months. The noontime demonstration is against a variety of offences committed by the Government of Israel, whose Consulate General is located across the street in the Tour CIBC
.
, Canadians from outside Montreal descended into Dorchester Square and Place du Canada and joined a massive demonstration in support of the federalist campaign against Quebec sovereignty. Crowd estimates varied widely, from 35,000 to 150,000. The event was a massive project which involved Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
, Progressive Conservative
leader (and future Quebec premier) Jean Charest
, Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson Jr. and a host of provincial premiers and federal cabinet ministers. Quebec sovereignist elements were present in comparatively microscopic numbers and had managed to post a few signs, including a banner pulled by a small airplane reading "Welcome to Our New Economic Partners!" Despite this, the event passed without major incident, as Montreal Police were quick to enforce the rules and parameters of the protest and remove agitators from both sides quickly and quietly. As such, clashes of ideas remained at the level of passionate debate.
Canadian transportation corporations and companies, such as Via Rail
, Canadian Airlines
, Air Canada
and Coach Canada
, in addition to multiple travel agencies and hotel operators throughout the country, offered massive discounts on travel to Montreal for the weekend to participate. Though the legality of this particular element of the rally would remain controversial and in litigation for some time afterward, the social, psychological and economic impact of the rally is generally viewed as the deciding factor for the "No" campaign.
Downtown Montreal
Downtown Montreal is the central business district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is nearly enitirely located at the southern most slope of Mount Royal and is approximately bounded by Sherbrooke Street to the north, Papineau Avenue to the east, Guy Street or until Shaughnessy Village to the west,...
. Together with Place du Canada
Place du Canada
Place du Canada is a large urban square in downtown Montreal.- Overview :At it is slightly larger than the adjacent Dorchester Square, with a more varied topography due to a downward slope towards De la Gauchetière Street...
, the area is just over 21,000 m2 or 2.1 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
of manicured and protected urban parkland bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard
René Lévesque Boulevard
René Lévesque Boulevard is one of the main streets in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.It is a main east-west thoroughfare passing through the downtown core in the borough of Ville-Marie. The street begins on the west at Atwater Avenue and continues until it merges with Notre Dame Street East just east...
to the south, Peel Street
Peel Street, Montreal
Peel Street is a major north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Street links Pine Avenue, near Mount Royal, in the north and Smith Street, in the Southwest borough, in the south. The street's southern end is at the Peel Basin of the Lachine Canal...
to the west, Metcalfe
Metcalfe Street (Montreal)
Metcalfe Street is a north-south street located in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It links Sherbrooke Street in the north and René Lévesque Boulevard in the south...
to the east and Dominion Square to the north. The square is open to the public 24 hours a day and forms a focal point for pedestrian traffic in the city. Until the creation of Place du Canada in 1967, the name Dominion Square had been applied to the entire area.
Land acquisition to build the square began in 1872 and the site was inaugurated in 1878, not being thoroughly completed until 1892. The square has four statues was originally arranged in the form of a union jack.
In 2010 $14-million was spent on a redesign with the removal of a flower stand on the southwest corner, all monuments refurbished, new street furniture and a lighting scheme which has greatly improved the look of the square after dark. As a nod to the fact that it was once a cemetery, small crosses have been imbedded in the walkways. In addition, some lights are pointed to shine on the foliage of the many trees, allowing for an interesting nocturnal green-glow in the summer. A planned renovation of Place du Canada has begun with renovations of the John A. Macdonald monument and the Cenotaph. A further renovation of Dominion Square street, including the bus/taxi parking area, subterranean garage entrance and exit and the kiosk is planned, and it is likely the square may be expanded with Dominion Square street converted for pedestrian use.
History
Mount Royal
Mount Royal is a mountain in the city of Montreal, immediately west of downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the city to which it gave its name.The mountain is part of the Monteregian Hills situated between the Laurentians and the Appalachians...
. In 1869, St. George's Presbyterian church was erected at the corner of Peel and De la Gauchetière. It spawned the construction of several other Protestant churches and cathedrals in and around Dorchester Square, which was beginning to take form as a dividing line between the estates and suburbs of the Northwest and the retail and commercial areas to the East and Southeast. The 1870s provided several massive projects which contextualized the green as a central meeting point, prestige address and formalized the use of the square. Land acquisition began in 1872 and the park took its present form in 1878. Simultaneously, the Catholic Archdiocese began construction of St. James Cathedral across from Southeast corner of the Square. Along the western edge of the Square, the Windsor Hotel
Windsor Hotel
Windsor Hotel may refer to:in Australia*Hotel Windsor , Australiain Canada*Windsor Hotel , Canada*Windsor Arms Hotel, Toronto, Canadain Japan*The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa, Hokkaidō, Japanin the United States...
was completed by 1878. With such prestigious construction and massive human traffic, the square became a vital component of the urban environment and a focal point for transit between the office and commercial sectors and the retail and suburban sectors.
In 1889, the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
constructed Windsor Station
Windsor Station (Montreal)
Windsor Station is a former train station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, formerly serving as the city's Canadian Pacific Railway Station.Windsor Station was the Canadian Pacific Railway's headquarters built between 1887 and 1889. The Romanesque Revival building was designed by New York architect...
across De la Gauchetière from St. George's Cathedral, further increasing the importance of the square as a major focal point for intermodal transit systems. Later construction would involve the demolition of the original YMCA Building (1851) and the construction of the first portion of the Sun Life Building
Sun Life Building
The Sun Life Building is a historic office building on Dorchester Square in downtown Montreal, Canada.-History and construction:...
at the corner of Metcalfe and René Lévesque Boulevard, which would grow to take up the whole eastern side of the Square by 1931. In 1929, the northern side of the square was graced with the Dominion Square Building, designed as an integrated shopping arcade and office tower. The arcade was specifically designed to draw pedestrian traffic between the square and Saint Catherine Street
Saint Catherine Street
This article is about the street in Montreal called the rue Sainte-Catherine in French. For other streets of this name, see Rue Sainte-Catherine ....
.
Additional construction after the Second World War would see the development of the Laurentian Hotel
Laurentian Hotel
The Laurentian Hotel was a 1000-room hotel on Dorchester Street, now René Lévesque Boulevard, in Montreal. The hotel was built in 1948 and demolished in 1978...
across the Southwest corner of the Square. In 1960, the original, southern section of the Windsor Hotel was demolished to make room for the Tour CIBC
Tour CIBC
La Tour CIBC is a forty-five-storey skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec. With the communications antenna on the roof, the total height is . The International Style office tower was built by Peter Dickinson, Ross, Fish, Duschenes and Barrett and was the city's tallest building from 1962 to 1963...
. The 1960s saw major developments as Dorchester Square became the central orienting point for the new downtown of modernist skyscrapers. As such, a skywalk was erected on the south side of the square, across De la Gauchetière to Place du Canada
Place du Canada
Place du Canada is a large urban square in downtown Montreal.- Overview :At it is slightly larger than the adjacent Dorchester Square, with a more varied topography due to a downward slope towards De la Gauchetière Street...
and the Chateau Champlain hotel.
In 1967, Dominion Square was divided into two parts, the southern portion being re-named Place du Canada while the northern portion retained the name Dominion Square.
After the death of René Lévesque in 1987, Dorchester Boulevard was renamed in his honour and Dominion Square was renamed after Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, KB , known between 1776 and 1786 as Sir Guy Carleton, was an Irish-British soldier and administrator...
.
Monuments and their significance
The square, in name and content, is a testament to the entrepreneurial and industrial spirit of Montreal's Victorian Era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
anglophone business community.
Tribute to Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Joseph-Émile Brunet
Joseph-Émile Brunet was a Canadian sculptor based in Quebec. His output includes more than 200 monuments in bronze. Many of his sculptures depict national figures and events in Canada. He was born in Huntingdon, Quebec in 1899...
. Laurier faces south across René Lévesque Boulevard towards the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Laurier was a proponent of an early free-trade agreement with the United States and wanted to develop a more continental economic orientation. Also, as Canada's first French-Canadian prime minister, he faces off against the tribute to Sir John A. Macdonald, across the street in what is now Place du Canada. Macdonald is enshrined in a stone baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
emblazoned with copper reliefs of the various agricultural and industrial trades. Laurier stands with the shelter of the massive trees which characterize the square, a granite relief of the provinces created and united under his administrations opposite a bas-relief of man and woman sharing the harvest. Laurier also stands with his back facing the back of the Boer War Memorial—Laurier had been against the war.
Boer War Memorial
Lion of Belfort
The Lion of Belfort is a reclining British Imperial Lion, facing east towards the United Kingdom. The Lion appears reposed, calm and alert—indicating the city is safe. It was constructed by George William Hill in 1897. The Lion is placed at the eastern side along Metcalfe and formed the eastern point in the cross. It was initially part of a fountain established for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee by the Sun Life Assurance Company prior to the development of the Sun Life BuildingSun Life Building
The Sun Life Building is a historic office building on Dorchester Square in downtown Montreal, Canada.-History and construction:...
.
Robert Burns Statue
Function within the urban environment
Place du Canada
Place du Canada is a large urban square in downtown Montreal.- Overview :At it is slightly larger than the adjacent Dorchester Square, with a more varied topography due to a downward slope towards De la Gauchetière Street...
share a variety of functions within the urban environment of downtown Montreal. In fact, the variety of functions performed and their inter-relations is what necessitates careful consideration of the square and which prohibits reckless redevelopment and strict regulation vis-à-vis new development.
Traffic diffusion and intermodal transit
Functionally speaking, Dorchester Square and Place du Canada are traffic diffusers, diffusing not only traffic within a mode, but creating an 'environmental lobby' from which traffic may change modes in addition to orientation. With this in mind consider that the area is accessed by the city's two principal train stations, (Windsor StationWindsor Station
-Australia:* Windsor railway station, Brisbane* Windsor railway station, Sydney* Windsor railway station, Melbourne- United Kingdom :* Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station* Windsor & Eton Central railway station- United States :...
and Gare Centrale
Gare Centrale (Montreal)
Central Station is the major inter-city rail station and a major commuter rail hub in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 18 million rail passengers use the station every year....
), and four Metro stations and is accessed by the three densest portions of Underground City, Montreal
Underground City, Montreal
Montreal's Underground City is the set of interconnected complexes in and around Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
. In addition, the area is adjacent to both the Ville-Marie Expressway and the Bonaventure Expressway, which allows a diffusion of automobile traffic in multiple routes towards the square and plaza. Finally, within the next few years, a direct rail link to Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport will be established, delivering airport traffic directly into this hub.
The second element of this traffic-diffusion component is the ability to easily and effectively transfer between transit nodes. The high concentration of automobile parking spaces in the downtown core is focused on the square (which has a parking garage under it, accessed by Peel, Metcalfe and Dominion Square streets) and provides immediate access—via the square and plaza—to the variety of public transit modes arranged around the area. To the east is the Place Ville Marie corridor of the Underground City, which carries pedestrian traffic from the Roddick Gates
Roddick Gates
The Roddick Memorial Gates are a monument in Montreal and the main entrance to the McGill University.The Roddick Gates are on Sherbrooke Street and are at the head of the very short but broad McGill College Avenue which starts at Place Ville-Marie....
at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
on Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street
Sherbrooke Street is a major east-west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame...
all the way south to Place Bonaventure
Place Bonaventure
Place Bonaventure is an office, exhibition and hotel complex in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada, adjacent to the city's Central Station. At in size, Place Bonaventure was the world's largest building upon its completion in 1967....
. At Place Bonaventure, pedestrian traffic is diverted both further east, to Square Victoria, the Quartier international de Montréal
Quartier international de Montréal
The Quartier international de Montréal or Montreal's International District is a district of the Ville-Marie borough of downtown Montreal that underwent a major urban renewal as a central business district in 2000–2003.-Purpose:...
, Tour de la Bourse
Tour de la Bourse
La tour de la Bourse is an International Style skyscraper by Luigi Moretti and Pier Luigi Nervi at 800 Victoria Square in Montreal, Quebec, connected by the underground city to Square-Victoria Metro Station...
, Old Montreal
Old Montreal
Old Montreal is the oldest area in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, dating back to New France. Located in the borough of Ville-Marie, the area is bordered on the west by McGill St., on the north by Ruelle des Fortifications, on the east by Berri St. and on the south by the Saint Lawrence River...
, Place d'Armes
Place d'Armes
Place d'Armes is a square in Old Montreal quarter of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:Place d'Armes is the second oldest public site in Montreal, it was called Place de la Fabrique when it was first developed in 1693, at the request of the Sulpicians, then later renamed Place d'Armes in 1721 when...
and the Palais des congrès de Montréal
Palais des congrès de Montréal
The Palais des congrès de Montréal is a convention center located in the Quartier international de Montréal at the north end of Old Montreal in Montreal's borough of Ville-Marie....
. Traffic diffused through this corridor to the west can be connected to the Terminus Centre-Ville (AMT)
Terminus Centre-Ville (AMT)
Terminus Centre-Ville is a bus terminus located within 1000 de La Gauchetière, Montreal. It is multimodal with the Bonaventure metro station on the Orange Line, the Central Station, the Lucien-L'Allier train station as well as the Lucien-L'Allier metro station...
at 1000 de la Gauchetière
1000 de La Gauchetière
1000 de la Gauchetière is a skyscraper in the Canadian city of Montreal and is the tallest building in Montreal. It is named for its address at 1000 De la Gauchetière Street West in the city's downtown. It rises to the maximum height approved by the city at 205 m and 51 floors...
or further along to the Chateau Champlain, the Place du Canada Building, Windsor Station
Windsor Station
-Australia:* Windsor railway station, Brisbane* Windsor railway station, Sydney* Windsor railway station, Melbourne- United Kingdom :* Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station* Windsor & Eton Central railway station- United States :...
, 1250 René-Lévesque
1250 René-Lévesque
1250 Boulevard René-Lévesque, also known as La Tour IBM-Marathon, is a , 47-story skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.The building was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates for IBM Canada and Marathon Realty, hence the former name "IBM-Marathon." It is now named for its address at 1250 René...
, Bell Centre
Bell Centre
The Bell Centre , formerly known as the Molson Centre , is a sports and entertainment complex in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened on March 16, 1996 after nearly three years under construction...
and Lucien-L'Allier (Montreal Metro)
Lucien-L'Allier (Montreal Metro)
Lucien-L'Allier is a station on the Orange Line of the Montreal Metro rapid transit system, operated by Société de transport de Montréal . It is located in the borough of Ville-Marie in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Overview:...
.
Interconnection with the Underground City
Pedestrian traffic diffused from this corridor to the north and northwest can bring pedestrian as far as Drummond and Sherbrooke at rush-hours, but mostly serves the interconnected malls and department stores near McGill College AvenueMcGill College Avenue
McGill College Avenue is a street in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Named for McGill University, the street was widened in the 1980s and transformed into a scenic avenue with McGill's Roddick Gates on Sherbrooke Street at its north end and the Place Ville Marie plaza at its south end...
, such as the Centre Eaton, Place Montreal Trust
Place Montreal Trust
Place Montréal Trust is a shopping mall in Downtown Montreal, located west of the Eaton Centre, at the corner of Saint Catherine Street and McGill College Avenue. With over of stores and services, Place Montreal Trust attracts 14 million visitors each year. Its indoor water fountain has the...
, 1501 McGill College
1501 McGill College
Le 1501 McGill College, also known as La Tour McGill, is a , 36 story skyscraper in Downtown Montreal. Named for its address at 1501, McGill College Avenue, it was completed in 1992 at the same time as the city's two tallest, 1000 de La Gauchetière and 1250 René-Lévesque...
, Les Cours Mont-Royal
Les Cours Mont-Royal
Les Cours Mont-Royal is an upscale shopping centre in Downtown Montreal, Quebec which was converted from the former Mount Royal Hotel. Since 1988, Les Cours Mont-Royal has provided exclusive boutiques offering designer brands and unique fashions and accessories for both men and women in a...
, Place de la Cathédrale, Complexe Les Ailes (Montreal)
Complexe Les Ailes (Montreal)
Complexe Les Ailes is a retail and office complex on Saint Catherine Street in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Designed by the firm Ross and Macdonald and first constructed between 1925 and 1927, the building served as the Eaton's department store until 1999...
, and several other connected shopping malls. As such, via the north of the square, both Peel and McGill metro stations are accessible to the square.
Interestingly, the function of the square and plaza as environmental and inter-modal lobby is enhanced by what is not connected to the Underground City and the various modes of transit which circle the square. The Sun Life Building
Sun Life Building
The Sun Life Building is a historic office building on Dorchester Square in downtown Montreal, Canada.-History and construction:...
's principal vault lies below street level at the very centre of the building's foundation, therefore requiring underground traffic pass around the square or come outside to cross it. The same situation is repeated by the cluster of skyscrapers and prominent buildings near the intersection of Peel and René Lévesque Boulevard. The Peel Cluster includes several prominent buildings, including the Tour CIBC
Tour CIBC
La Tour CIBC is a forty-five-storey skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec. With the communications antenna on the roof, the total height is . The International Style office tower was built by Peter Dickinson, Ross, Fish, Duschenes and Barrett and was the city's tallest building from 1962 to 1963...
, Place Laurentienne, the Windsor Hotel
Windsor Hotel
Windsor Hotel may refer to:in Australia*Hotel Windsor , Australiain Canada*Windsor Hotel , Canada*Windsor Arms Hotel, Toronto, Canadain Japan*The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa, Hokkaidō, Japanin the United States...
and the Centre Sheraton
Centre Sheraton
Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel was completed in 1982 and stands at 118 metres or 386 feet with 38 floors. It was built by Le Group Arcorp.Le Centre Sheraton is located at 1201 René-Lévesque Boulevard West, next door to Tour CIBC at 1155 René-Lévesque Boulevard West.It hosted a meeting of G-20...
. In addition, the Dominion Square Building
Dominion Square Building
The Dominion Square Building, also known as the Gazette Building, is a landmark office building in Downtown Montreal facing Dorchester Square on its northern side...
is best accessed via the square and is similarly unconnected.
Social traffic
The idea of the square being a type of traffic shortcut (best understood by seasoned Montrealers) in addition to the presence of vital, yet unconnected buildings directly on the square induces social traffic through the square and plaza. Particularly in good weather, the area is a massive generator of social inter-traffic. Its presence and position allows for exceptional use by every social and cultural group within the city. Moreover, as both the square and plaza are legally defined as being open to the public at all times, even in adverse weather conditions, the area is always being used in its intended function.The social inter-traffic component is best witnessed in summer months, when all sorts of Montrealers combine with the tourist element. The central Quebec Tourism bureau for Montreal is located at the Dominion Square Building, and the square is specifically designed to handle specialty vehicles such as limousines, sightseeing buses and motor coaches. Throughout the day, tourists and office workers mingle with students and artists. The kiosk located at the northern end of the square, locally referred to as a Camillienne—in reference to Montreal mayor Camillien Houde
Camillien Houde
Camillien Houde was a Quebec politician, a Member of Parliament, and a four-time mayor of Montreal.-Political career:...
, who ordered their construction as Depression Era make-work projects—is a snack bar and café open primarily in the summer. Additionally, the northwestern portion of the square, on Peel north of Cypress, is dominated by a variety of restaurants, bars, clubs, bistros and taverns. It should not be surprising that the square and plaza are filled by thousands of people around noontime, enjoying their lunch break in an area where sunshine and shade balance each other quite well. Those sunning themselves on the lawn are usually mere feet away from a patch of cool and humid temperate broadleaf and mixed forest.
The meeting of excellent transit access and the social centrality of the area make it an ideal location for protests to orient. It is large enough to hold an impressive mass of people; the area plays host to nearly all visitors; and it has become the protected courtyard of the city's collection of showcase architecture and prestige addresses. It is the most visible section of the urban environment and is encouraged to be used for this purpose by the municipal government's permit department.
As far as protest marching or political rallies are concerned, Montreal has seen a wide variety since the beginning of the Quiet Revolution
Quiet Revolution
The Quiet Revolution was the 1960s period of intense change in Quebec, Canada, characterized by the rapid and effective secularization of society, the creation of a welfare state and a re-alignment of politics into federalist and separatist factions...
, and many of the better known have had an interaction with the square and plaza. Dorchester Square is a preferred site, since the area's prominence provides a degree of placation for the crowd—it quickly becomes obvious that you are highly visible and the message is loud and clear, as office-workers gather by the many windows looking down into it. Moreover, police can observe from a fair distance and generally remain unobtrusive.
Generally protests, rallies and demonstrations in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
are non-violent, small and calm. In the last few years a weekly protest of little more than a dozen people has convened at the southwest corner of Dorchester Square every Friday during the summer months. The noontime demonstration is against a variety of offences committed by the Government of Israel, whose Consulate General is located across the street in the Tour CIBC
Tour CIBC
La Tour CIBC is a forty-five-storey skyscraper in Montreal, Quebec. With the communications antenna on the roof, the total height is . The International Style office tower was built by Peter Dickinson, Ross, Fish, Duschenes and Barrett and was the city's tallest building from 1962 to 1963...
.
Unity Rally
Perhaps the most famous demonstration to take place in this area was the Unity Rally of October 27, 1995. Three days before the 1995 Quebec referendum1995 Quebec referendum
The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should secede from Canada and become an independent state, through the question:...
, Canadians from outside Montreal descended into Dorchester Square and Place du Canada and joined a massive demonstration in support of the federalist campaign against Quebec sovereignty. Crowd estimates varied widely, from 35,000 to 150,000. The event was a massive project which involved Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
leader (and future Quebec premier) Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
, Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson Jr. and a host of provincial premiers and federal cabinet ministers. Quebec sovereignist elements were present in comparatively microscopic numbers and had managed to post a few signs, including a banner pulled by a small airplane reading "Welcome to Our New Economic Partners!" Despite this, the event passed without major incident, as Montreal Police were quick to enforce the rules and parameters of the protest and remove agitators from both sides quickly and quietly. As such, clashes of ideas remained at the level of passionate debate.
Canadian transportation corporations and companies, such as Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
, Canadian Airlines
Canadian Airlines
Canadian Airlines International Ltd. was a Canadian airline that operated from 1987 until 2001. The airline was Canada's second largest airline after Air Canada, and carried more than 11.9 million passengers to over 160 destinations in 17 countries on five continents at its height in 1996...
, Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
and Coach Canada
Coach Canada
Coach Canada is the Canadian affiliate of Coach USA, and part of the North American operations of Stagecoach, the international transport group, with its headquarters in Perth, Scotland, UK....
, in addition to multiple travel agencies and hotel operators throughout the country, offered massive discounts on travel to Montreal for the weekend to participate. Though the legality of this particular element of the rally would remain controversial and in litigation for some time afterward, the social, psychological and economic impact of the rally is generally viewed as the deciding factor for the "No" campaign.