The International Writers Magazine: Travel in Canada

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MONTRÉAL'S UNDERGROUND WINTER CITY • Habeeb Salloum "Why are you worrying about the freezing cold and snow? Here in Montréal we have solved most of our winter problems." I looked inquisitively at Pierre, a Montréaler who loved his city. "How?" He grinned, "Haven't you heard of our underground city?"

Continuing, he exuded pride in his ‘city below the city’. "Do you realize that if you live in one of the apartments, linked to our subterranean city, and work in the heart of town, you can go to work, shop, dine, and go to movies all winter long without even putting on a coat. There's no need to go out in the cold. You will find everything in our subterranean city."

In the ensuing days as I explored the vibrant life in Montréal's huge underground commercial complexes, used daily by some 500,000 people, I came to understand Pierre's pride in Canada's largest ‘subterranean city'. A vast man-made world, it makes life uncomplicated and comfortable, especially in winter and in the hot humid summer months, for a great number of Montréal's inhabitants.

With its towering skyscrapers, magnificent buildings, outstanding museums and handsome churches, Montréal, with a population of 3.5 million, is Québec's largest city and the second largest French-speaking metropolis in the world. An attractive town, it blends the old with the new and mixes modernity with antiquity. An exhilarating and dynamic metropolis with an engaging atmosphere and European charm, the city, because of its underground malls and subway system - virtually a ‘city within a city’ - appeals year-round to visitors.

A 13 sq km (5 sq mi) area wedged between the city's well-known landmarks, Mount Royal on the north and the Saint Lawrence on the south, this vast indoor downtown pedestrian city contains 33 km (22 mi) of underground corridors linking a whole series of climate-controlled subterranean malls. The myriad of corridors, are the longest connecting pathways for underground malls in the world, making shopping in Montréal during the winter months a pleasure. Added to this, and making the various subterranean centres even more accessible, is the Metro - a subway system that delivers shoppers from one mall to the next.

The incredible ‘city below’ began in 1962 beneath Montréal's first high-rise as a simple underground shopping centre called Place Ville-Marie. In their vision for the Centre, the planner Vincent Ponte and architect Ieon Ming Pei were inspired by New York's Rockefeller Center. Thereafter, Place Ville-Marie became a symbol of Montréal, as well as a flourishing business centre. Its success led to the building of other subterranean malls, which are still on an ongoing basis being connected by passageways.
Today, the ‘city below’ covers close to 4 million square metres and contains almost everything to be found in the ‘city above’. Its corridors and subway station link up with 2 bus terminals, 10 metro stations, 1,200 offices, 2,000 stores, 1,615 housing units, 200 restaurants, 40 banks, 40 movie theatres, cinemas and other entertainment venues, 7 major hotels, the Université du Québec à Montréal campus and the University of Montréal, Olympic Park, Place des Arts, 2 leading department stores, 1 cathedral, the Molson Centre (home of the Montréal Canadiens), and 3 exhibition halls: the Place Bonaventure, the Convention Centre (Palais des Congrès de Montréal) and the Olympic Centre.

Most of the underground malls are linked to the structures above, connecting those below and above into one complex. At least 60% of the business offices in Montréal are linked to the underground centres and there are some 200-entrance points to the ‘city below'.
Blending well with the subterranean buildings is the architectural diversity of the Metro stations - no two are the same. At the time of their building, 1% of the construction costs was allotted for works of art to be installed in the stations. This and the variety of style and ambiances, make them the world's largest subterranean art gallery. Adding further to their appeal, all the stations have an easy and comfortable accessibility, especially during the harsh winter months. Entry is mainly from lobbies, then basements of neighbouring buildings.

What makes the underground city very popular among the Montréalers is it’s easing of the traffic congestion during the busy hours, especially at the busy stations. The Metro users often do their shopping after office hours in the multitude of shops in the `city below', then return home when the traffic has eased.

For Montréal, the underground city greatly reduces car-pedestrian conflicts, decreases demand for parking spaces and reduces air pollution. Even more, the interaction between the subterranean city and the commercial streets above has enabled the downtown area to retain its economic vitality. Above all the ‘subterranean city’ has become a leading tourist attraction, adding to the many appeals of Montréal, especially in winter.

IF YOU GO: What to See in Montréal:
Montréal has a great number of tourist sites. Some of the most important are:
Old Montréal and Chinatown, much favoured by tourists.
Casino de Montréal, the city's number one tourist attraction - besides its 120 glittering tables and 3,000 slot machines, its cabaret features one of the top musical shows in the world. The Casino sparkles like a polished jewel on the city’s skyline and inside it exudes a welcoming atmosphere.
Olympic Stadium with its famous 175 m (575 ft) tower, the world's tallest inclined tower.
The Montréal Botanical Gardens - a maze of tropical forests, it is one of the largest and most beautiful gardens in the world.
Mount Royal Park with its panoramic view of the city.
Biodome, an unusual environmental museum.
St. Joseph's Oratory, a world renowned pilgrimage centre.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, one of Canada's oldest museums, and one of the best.
Montreal Planetarium, a memorable introduction to the secrets and wonders of the universe.
Must See and Must Do in Montreal
1) Relish a hot and delectable smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz Delicatessen.
2) Enjoy a fresh crisp bagel at the Fairmount Bagel Shop or St. Viateur Bakery.
3) Walk or jog atop Montreal’s majestic Mount Royal.
4) Visit the famous Notre Dame Basilica in Old Montreal.
5) Dine at some of Canada’s trendiest restaurants on St. Laurent Blvd.
6) Sip a drink in some of the best nightlife pubs on Crescent Street.
7) Visit the Pointe à Callière Museum of Archeology.
8) Enjoy a carriage ride within the charming Old Montreal District.
9) Buy a Montreal Museum Pass. It gives access to some 30 art galleries and museums and to public transportation for 3 days.
Montréal Eating Places:
Besides the countless eating-places in Chinatown and Old Montréal, the city's 4,500 restaurants, cafes and bistros offer a sophisticated international cuisine, rivalling that of New York and Paris. Some restaurants even allow you to bring in your own wine.
For Further Information.
Contact:
Tourisme Québec: for complete tourist information Québec, call: (514) 873-2015 or toll free:
1-877-BONJOUR, or visit web the site: www.bonjourquebec.com or see website: http://www.tourisme-montreal.org
© Habeeb Salloum July 2005
E-mail:  habeeb.salloum@sympatico.ca

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