I’m a little tired of looking like an idiot from the village of Quebec looking for reasons to hate Montreal.
To look like the frustrated guy who lost his NHL team and still dreams of it.
Because that’s not the case.
I was in kindergarten when the Nordiques left. It would be great if they came back, but I grew up with the Canadian. It’s true that it was boring growing up with Martin Rucinsky and Turner Stevenson. But I treasured their hockey cards because they were our club players.
Archive photo
And I lived in Montreal in the past. I got to know its charms. In short, I am not sequestered at the Galeries de la Capitale in Quebec. I gave Montreal plenty of chances. And when working in the media, you can’t rule out eventually having to go there full time.
I went there a few days ago with a merciful and joyful heart. The mind is full of positivism and indulgence.
There is joy
Upon arrival, I took a long walk along the Lachine Canal in Little Burgundy and Saint-Henri. It was wonderful: the big sun, the families, the runners, the bikes, the smiles, the picnics, the Frisbees, the dogs.
My friend took me to the St-Ambroise terrace. It was a party, happy hours, beautiful people. It was then time for a good burger on Notre-Dame Street.
The next day, I woke up to the beautiful view of the Lachine Canal on one side and downtown on the other. We picked up a great steak at the local butcher shop for dinner.
I could do everything on foot wherever I was. A wicked beautiful sector. And the city was starting to come alive for the Grand Prix.
It reconciled me a little with Montreal. It’s clear that a big steak, good beers and lots of sunshine don’t represent life in Montreal. But it reminded me how great this city can be.
And then everything went into a tailspin.
I realized that the listed price of an 800 square foot condo in the area where I was was $700,000. At least it comes with a fridge, dishwasher, oven and microwave at that price!
We took the car with my friend afterwards. It took a good half hour to ride 6 km. We crossed and bypassed around ten road obstacles. We were sent packing by a pedestrian (with good reason) in addition to cutting 4 or 5 to have a chance of turning one day. We had to make a double turn by cutting two cars to succeed in taking the right path. For my friend, there was nothing more banal.
I wanted to eat in the Berri-UQAM area one evening. It’s near the TVA office. I hit my nose on dozens of businesses that were closed and plastered with advertisements for shows that have already taken place. So this place has become very sad. I also don’t need to dwell on the fact that I wouldn’t have wanted my young children to see people on crack singing while sprinting on Sainte-Catherine at 6 p.m. All this happened in indifference.
I took the underground. But you had to wait a really long time, because someone was walking on the tracks. It was really hot. So several visibly intoxicated people had the brilliant idea of taking off their sweaters and sharing their wet chest hair with everyone.
It’s sport!
I went back to Quebec, and I told myself that at least Montreal was going to have a great weekend with its Grand Prix.
And the firefighters decided to empty the terraces.
And the police decided to close access to the Grand Prix site during free practice, even though the organizers had not given such a directive. Even the stable employees were blocked in front of the entrance.
And security was unable to prevent spectators from invading the track during champion Max Verstappen’s lap of honor.
MEGA/WENN
In September, the best golfers in the world will be in Montreal for the Presidents Cup. There’s so much work that I’m afraid we’ll have to ask Tiger Woods to go to Île-Bizard by pedal boat.
Well, I try very hard to love Montreal. But Montreal isn’t helping itself it seems. And when I come back to Quebec, in our third link and tram chicanes, or with our amphitheater without NHL which cost less than half of what the renovations will cost to keep the Olympic stadium standing, I tell myself that deep down , our beautiful village is doing quite well. And that we can console ourselves even if we didn’t have our hockey club.
