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APT CONFERENCE NEWS

APT Montréal 2008: "Moving Forward, Looking Back-Vers L'Avant, En Se Souvenant"

APT Celebrating 40 Years
Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Heritage Conservation
October 13-17, 2008
Hilton Montréal Bonaventure Hotel
Montréal, Québec, Canada

The theme of the APT 2008 Montréal Conference underlines the interdisciplinary nature of Heritage Conservation and is aimed at the membership profile of APT and conservation challengers over the last four decades. A focus of the conference is on how to address the intrinsic questions of changes in our environment and ways in which Heritage Conservation can respond through a balanced sustainable program. The two conference sub-themes are Sustainable Heritage Conservation, and Conservation Technology and Philosophy. We encourage members to come together in November to ask questions and to seek solutions through our responses.

Conference Agenda
The conference agenda is posted at http://www.apti.org/conferences/2008-agenda.pdf

Registration and Hotel Information
Registration and hotel information is posted on the APT website.

Passport Requirements DON'T FORGET YOUR PASSPORT!!!!
United States citizens traveling to Canada are required to have a valid passport. The application process is lengthy so begin it immediately. For details about applying for a passport, go to http://travel.state.gov/passport. If you already have a passport, check now to ensure that it has not expired.

Click for PDF

Montréal-a Rich History

 

When you arrive in Montréal you will find a downtown bustling with life at the foot of its mountain, the Mont Royal, while history is rooted in the Vieux-Montréal near the river. The city is a major cultural center, represented by its outstanding museums. As a city known for its fashionable boutiques, famed cuisine, and lively casinos, Montréal is a one-of-a-kind, multicultural vibrant metropolis that has everything a big city can offer.

Founded in 1642, the city began as a fortified fur trading post of New France and by the 19th century, it had become the political and commercial hub of Upper and Lower Canada under the British rule. The city developed as the commercial center of Canada in the early 20th century and opened up to the world with Expo 67 and as the host of the 1976 summer Olympics. This rich history is represented in four centuries of architecture, ranging from the early fortifications to the modern monuments, a feast for preservation enthusiasts.

The APT Conference features many opportunities to experience Montréal's culture and history, but there is much more to explore on your own-both prior to and during your visit. Below are a few suggestions to help you discover the unique character and qualities of Montréal!

Interesting Things to See, Do, Eat and Drink in Montréal
Compiled by Jim Curtiss, APT Québec Chapter President, and his colleagues

One would think that during the long cold winter, Montréalais would batten down the hatches and stay inside. Not so! Montréal is always on the move. The sidewalks are always busy and everybody has their favourite things to do, places to go, and things to see!

Exterior by James Acland University of Toronto as the owner of the images

Street Walking and People Watching
Get the 'joie de vivre' of Montréal by strolling along these streets:

  1. Crescent Street-running north-south in downtown, a strip of high end bars and restaurants with the tourist trade in mind.
  2. Sainte-Catherine Street-running east-west, connecting all parts of downtown, this is where the shopping is! Often referred to as the entertainment district, you will find people from Québec, and all over the world seeing and being seen here.
  3. Boulevard Saint-Laurent ('The Main')-running north-south from downtown into the heart of the 'Plateau'-the real heart of Montréal !
  4. Saint-Denis Street -running north-south 'on the Plateau' in what was once primarily the French district, Saint-Denis is where the locals shop, eat, and play.
  5. Ontario Street and Sainte-Catherine streets-in the 'Village.' An edgy and upscale mix with quiet residential streets behind this playground.
  6. Grab a coffee at any coffee house. Many are chains (Second Cup) and many are independent (Brûlerie St-Denis).

Parks

I recently read that there are about 700 parks on the island, and Montréal is a truly green city in the traditional sense of the word! Some you will want to visit:

  1. Parc du Mont-Royal. This is Montréal's mountain. Go on the belvedere (at the Château) and have the best view you have ever seen of an entire city! You have not seen Montréal until you have seen it this way! www.montreal.com/parks/mtroyal.html
  2. Parc La Fontaine. This is large city park great for of bikers with nice landscapes and cityscapes. Located on Plateau Mont-Royal. www.montreal.com/parks/lafontaine.html
  3. Parc René-Lévesque. This is a beautiful peninsula arranged on fill for the 1967 subway dig. It has amazing views, an arboretum, a Montréal sculptural garden, and the best water sunsets in the city. Located at the tip of the Lachine Canal.

Unique Destinations
What our friends and colleagues do in between meals, and before happy hour ('cinq-a-sept')-there is so much to do here:

  1. Ride the métro! Same vintage as the Washington DC metro, but it is on tires! See how the Montréalais get around! Do a tour of significant artwork in the métro.
  2. Eat chocolate! Juliette et Chocolat (1615 St-Denis, 1 min walk from BERRI UQAM subway) is a must for chocolate fans! There is chocolate everywhere and although they also have sandwiches and salads, you go there for the desserts and the drinkable chocolate. Yes, yes-melted chocolate that you can drink! Reasonable prices.
  3. Old Montréal, Place Jacques-Cartier. Europe in North America! This is a typical tourist destination, but well worth it. The center square, Place Jacques-Cartier, usually has many performers, artists, painters, musicians, etc. There are restaurants and terraces (a little bit more expensive than the average) and little streets with souvenir shops. Once there, you might as well try a pastry called "queue de castor" (beaver tail). It can be tasted on rue de la Commune, not too far from Place Jacques-Cartier. www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/
  4. The 'Big O'1976 Olympic Stadium. Very, very unique and interesting!

http://football.ballparks.com/CFL/Montreal/index.htm

 

 

 

 

 

5. Montréal Botanical Gardens. Amazingly beautiful and well worth the cost. Across the street from the Big O. www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/jardin.htm

 

 

  1. Historic Lachine Canal/Atwater Market. Walking, kayaking, biking. Start in Old Port at the foot of old Montréal, and work your way west.
  2. Ex-Centris cinema. For independent cinema and unusual setting. www.ex-centris.com/
  3. Square St Louis. The closest thing to a European neighborhood square you'll find this side of the Atlantic. www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/one?public_place_id=914
  4. Jean Talon Market. An oasis in the heart of the city that tantalizes you with its great charm. www.marchespublics-mtl.com/
  5. Central Plateau. Walk anywhere between Gilford, Marie-Anne, St Denis and Papineau. Do the full RÉSO underground walking loop from Place des Arts down to the Centre de commerce mondial atrium, then back
    Jules Saint-Michel
    up to Cours Mont-Royal. This definitely requires a guide
  6. Gay Village. Clubs, clothes, and culture in North America's largest gay district. www.go-montreal.com/areas_village.htm
  7. Jules Saint-Michel, violin maker. On Ontario near Clark and St-Urbain. www.luthiersaintmichel.com

Bike Paths

  1. Along the Canal Lachine from Old Montréal to Atwater Market, and the on to Parc René- Lévesque.
  2. From Old Montréal to Cité du Havre to Ile Ste-Hélène. Good view of Old Montréal, port and many 1960s architectural icons on the way. (Habitat, Biosphere, Expo 67, Calder, etc).
  3. Up Brébeuf Street from Parc LaFontaine up to Ahuntsic

Bike path map-http://english.montrealplus.ca/feature/crazy_for_cycling/8536/trails.jsp

Web Sites
Interesting sites to explore on line before your visit and in person during your visit to Montréal that are not on the conference agenda:

  1. City of Montréal official web site. www.ville.montreal.qc.ca
  2. Montréal tourism web site. www.tourisme-montreal.org
  3. Heritage Montréal. http://heritagemontreal.org/fr/
  4. Mont Royal. www.lemontroyal.qc.ca
  5. Friends of the Mountain. www.cbc.ca/canada/Montréal /story/2008/01/25/qc-montroyalplan0125.html
  6. City of Montréal (look at the Heritage section for a list of inventory) http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=66,66713&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
  7. Canadian Centre For Architecture www.cca.qc.ca/table.asp?lang=eng

Books
    Dunton, Nancy M. and Malkin, Helen. Guidebook to Contemporary Architecture in Montréal.
Vancouver, BC, Canada: Douglas and McIntyre, 2008. Language: English. Summary: Showcases 65 important, and in some cases award-winning, buildings in this vibrant city.

    Vanlaethem, France and Mankowski Sophie. Discovering Modern Montréal and the Estérel Resort in Québec. Brussels: The International Centre for Urbanism, Architecture and Landscape CIVA), 2008.
Language: Bilingual in English and French. Summary: Lists walking tours and 150 buildings and public artworks chosen for their innovative character. Edited in partnership with DOCOMOMO Québec.

Restaurants
Montréal puts the true "flavours of the world" within reach. Here are some restaurant recommendations from our friends and colleagues. Please note: There are many kinds of liquor licenses for restaurants, including bring your own bottle. Before you go to a restaurant, check out its policy.

  1. La Banquise, rue Rachel (ideal for poutine-tasting!) www.restolabanquise.com
  2. Café Cherrier, rue St-Denis (nice restaurant à la française since 1931), phone (514) 843-4308.
  3. Lesters, on Bernard Avenue in Outremont (a delicatessen good for smoked meat and no queuing as with the mythical Schwartz's on St-Laurent) www.lestersdeli.com
  4. Le Pavillon, in Parc du Mont-Royal at Lac aux Castors (a 1959 landmark reopened as a park's restaurant)
  5. Stash Café, on St-Paul and St-François Xavier (Polish place born in the 1960s)
  6. L'Actuel, on Peel Street facing Dorchester Square (a place for Moules and Frites à la Belgian-there's also La Moulerie on Bernard Avenue in Outremont) www.stashcafe.com
  7. Santropol, on St-Urbain and Duluth (a place for generous and healthy) www.santropol.com
  8. Bagel Etc, on St-Laurent near Marianne (a popular hangout, even for Leonard Cohen, for bagels), phone (514) 845-9462
  9. Alep, middle-eastern food, on Jean-Talon East corner Avenue de Gaspé, phone (514) 270-6396
  10. Robin Des Bois, nouvelle cuisine style with a catch: all profits go to charity. Volunteer staff, excellent menu and atmosphere, on St-Laurent between Villeneuve and Mont-Royal. www.robindesbois.ca
  11. La Colombe, cuisine du terroir, bring your own wine. Duluth and St Hubert www.lacolombe.com
  12. Au Pied de Cochon, just next to La Colombe, Plateau, rue Duluth. A carnivore's heaven. Casual. Eccentric celebrity chef. A truly Quebec only experience. High cuisine starting from long ago Québec traditions. Phone (514) 281-1114, www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca
  13. Olive et Gourmando, rue St-Paul in old Montréal, best sandwiches ever! Phone (514) 350-1083
  14. Chuch Végéthaïexpress, Plateau neighborhood; rue St-Denis, Vegetarian Thai food. The crispy seaweed is amazing; a quick and delicious lunch! www.chuchai.com
  15. Laïka, Plateau neighborhood, boulevard St-Laurent, best breakfast ever! www.laikamontreal.com
  16. Le Club Chasse et Pêche, just off Place Jacques-Cartier in Old Montréal, hidden with no sign, so you avoid the tourist trap thingy. Means hunt and fish. Love it! Go if you can! www.leclubchasseetpeche.com
  17. La Chronique, on Laurier near St. Laurent. Amazing reviews, haven't been, but have only heard good things www.lachronique.qc.ca/en/accueil.html
  18. Les Trois Petitis Bouchons, on St-Denis near Mont Royal. This place received amazing reviews. I have wanted to go, but haven't made it yet, I believe it is a wine bar type of resto. www.Montréal food.com/restos/trois.petits.bouchons.htm
  19. La Montée de Lait, near St. Denis on Villeneuve. Very small resto in the Plateau and has a really interesting concept. You get a whole lot of different courses, each coming with a wine that matches it well. www.lamonteedelait.com/index_en.html
  20. O Thym, on Maisonneuve near Amherst. Very good French bistro, bring your own wine www.othym.com/en/photos/photos.html
  21. Verses, at the Hotel Nelligan on rue St-Paul in old Montréal. Not a huge menu, but everything on it is pretty delicious. www.versesrestaurant.com/index_en.php
  22. Hotel Gault restaurant, perfect for breakfast on Sundays, at 449 rue Sainte-Hélène. Phone (514) 904-1616, http://www.hotelgault.com/index_en.cfm

Pubs
Canadians, and especially Québécois, relish their alcohol! Montréal is home of Molson, in addition to Canada's best ice ciders and brew pubs! Some of North America's richest farm lands can be found in Québec, yielding the nicest apples, some decent grapes, and excellent hops and grains! Some interesting things to know before you go looking for that drink: common corner stores (dépanneurs) usually have a fair selection of wines and beers, but you can find much better at the local SAQ, Québec's liquor board. Some are big, and some are small, but the staff is always friendly and knowledgeable. Some bars are actually restaurants with a liquor license which means you must also buy some food with your drink.

Pubs recommended by our friends and colleagues:

  1. Old Dublin, rue University and Cathcart, backstreet pub about to be lost to some redevelopment.
  2. Hurley's, on Crescent south of Ste-Catherine, an Irish establishment in the night life district from the 1950s; many more on Crescent and Bishop Street.
  3. Quai des Brumes, on St-Denis near Mont-Royal.
  4. Les 3 Brasseurs, St-Denis and Emery or Ste-Catherine and McGill College (brewpub).
  5. Cheval Blanc, Ontario and St-Hubert (brew pub in Quartier Latin).
  6. Brasserie Artisanale and Bistro Le Réservoir on Duluth East in the Plateau neighborhood. Amazing atmosphere, food and homemade beer.
  7. L'île Noire, rue Ontario, good whisky list.
  8. Whisky Café, upscale whisky and cigar lounge, corner Bernard and St-Laurent.
  9. L'Assommoir, cocktail bar at corner of Bernard and St-Urbain.
  10. Billy Kun, Plateau neighborhood, rue Mont-Royal, amazing amaretto-sours and ostriches!
  11. Brasserie Dieu du Ciel, avenue Laurier Ouest corner rue Clark. Montréal's best home brew!


Call for Donations

In preparation for APT's 40th Anniversary Celebration at the Annual Conference in Montréal this coming October 13-17, 2008 the Endowment Committee and Student Scholarship Committee are seeking donations to be included in either the Raffle, or Live and Silent Auctions.

Endowment Raffle
Thank you, to everyone who has contributed generously to the APT Fund this year, in order to help us reach our goal of $500,000. The Endowment Raffle is held each year during the Awards Banquet at the Annual Conference to help further the growth of the APT Fund.

The committee has procured several exciting items for this year's raffle. For those of you who were unable to donate at this time, we hope you will be able to give to the Endowment Fund by purchasing a raffle ticket at the conference. We look forward to seeing you in Montreal.

For more information please contact Tobin Tracey at tntracey@aol.com.

Student Scholarship Fund
If you are like me, you really look forward to the APT Annual Conference each year; simply because you can network with colleagues, catch up with old friends and possibly make a few new friends. What better opportunity is there to "socialize" than at the Annual Social! This year's Social will be held on the ice at Le 1000 De La Gauchetière, and should prove to be spectacular fun.

While ice skating and visiting with old pals or discussing business on a casual level you can also support the future of APT by participating in the Silent and Live Auction. The auction committee has many wonderfully unique items as well as more traditional items for you to bid on this year, including rare or out of print books, one of a kind jewelry pieces, and hotel stays.

So plan on having one fun 'social' evening in Montreal on the ice and help support the Student Scholarship Fund by participating in the Silent and Live Auctions.

If you would like to contribute to the Silent and Live Auction by donating some of your artistic works or your businesses merchandise, and help bring student scholars to APT please contact Rosanne Dube at rosanne.dube@gmail.com by September 1, 2008.

APT 40th Anniversary Tribute and Sponsorship Opportunities!

Help APT celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a Tribute in the Conference Program Book or by being a sponsor. This is a great way to show your APT support, as well as get added exposure for your company. Members, Chapters, Chapter members, Board Members, past Board members, Suppliers, and others associated with APT's 40-year history are encouraged to thank or honor someone important to them or to APT, or to wish APT a happy birthday! Please fill out the form below to make your contribution.

Contact Conference Fundraising Chair Barbara Campagna if you have any questions or would like additional information, barbara_campagna@nthp.org.

Information and pledge forms are also available at http://www.apti.org/conferences/conference-current.cfm. (Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to find the links!)


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