HOW TO BRING LIFE BACK TO A "GHOST" CITY DISTRICT

By: Svetlana Dicheva, Bulgarian National Radio

Old Montreal is one-square-kilometre historic district of the Canadian city of Montreal, one of North America's biggest cities. Montreal citizens consider it the historic heart and artistic soul of the great city. In the 60s and 70s because of huge construction works in other parts of Montreal, this place was almost completely abandoned by inhabitants and business and the deterioration of the district seemed irreversible. However Montrealers didn't give up. Citizens and experts mobilized their efforts in order to preserve Old Montreal for the future and bring life back to the "ghost" district. Over the past 25 years Montreal in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Communications has invested $200 million in the restoration and renovation of certain buildings in the area, thereby initiating the revitalization of the territory. Many new residents have moved in, the number of hotel rooms has multiplied. A very large number of tourists visit the place every year. But the plan for the rescue of the "ghost" district has not been over yet. The Society for development of Montreal is an organisation that brings together the efforts and expertise of planners, architects, community workers and residents. Svetlana Dicheva from the Bulgarian National Radio asked Josee Asselin from the Society to explain the philosophy of the collective rescue work.

• Old Montreal by: Sonja Skarstedt, Montreal - 23.06.05 10:44

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