When you ask someone how the construction is progressing in Montreal Quebec you may find people reluctant to answer as it a subject of dismay to many. We recently attended an event in downtown Montreal and were amazed at the amount of construction going on in the region.
Montreal is a beautiful city with many areas that have wonderful history and tourist friendly events some of the largest events in Canada such as the Just for Laughs Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival to name a couple. Old Montreal is a beautiful area with cobble stone streets, outdoor cafés, buskers, music, and much more. I certainly would encourage anyone to visit Montreal as it truly is a beautiful city and we have many friends located there. But!
That’s a big “But!” because as of April the city looked more like a war zone than the beautiful city we once knew. I travel regularly to Quebec to see family but since the bypass for Montreal was installed a few years ago I have been using that to travel around the city. When we had to go downtown in April for an event the mounds of dirt, gravel, and amount of construction happening on the highways was unbelievable. This has been going on for a while but really ramped up this year as they are replacing a bridge in the heart of the city. Asking a local resident about this they said there was a certain way they had to construct the bridge and all of the material is being used in a very coordinated way.
As we travelled through on the highway I was surprised but confident that the construction was limited to the highway, but I was wrong. Much of downtown is under construction and even Old Montreal had streets torn up. Talking with a bartender in Old Montreal she said they have been told there will be limited outdoor patios available during the Summer which is disappointing.
Should you go to Montreal this year?
cThe answer to the question is yes! Montreal is a wonderful city with many great events and restaurants. We went to a restaurant with friends called Gibbys and it was fabulous. In Old Montreal the square is open and many restaurants will have their patios open. You may just not see as many patios along the outer streets as normal. If you are traveling to Quebec and don’t need to stop in Montreal then I would highly recommend taking the bypass and staying out of the area all together. Montreal is a beautiful city and I am sure when the construction is complete it will return to the beauty prior to the construction. Work has to be done, but it seems like all the construction work is all being done at the same time. If your work takes you to Montreal and you need translation services then let us know, we can help you.
About the Author
Carmen Outridge has been translating documents from English to French for over 30 years. She is the owner of Outridge Translation Services and specializes in translation services for the Province of Quebec, the way Quebec expects it! You can learn more about the services available at www.outridgetranslation.com
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