The inside phrases of the gates of Chinatown

Most people ignore those inside words of the two main gates of Chinatown. The reason is simple, even they do, they won't understand.

These two phrases or idioms are not used very often. That is why even most chinese won't be able to tell you the real meaning.

I write in Chinese and English. For most of you, the chinese words will not appear. sorry about that.


钟灵毓秀 :zhōng líng yù xiù

钟：凝聚，集中；毓：养育。凝聚了天地间的灵气，孕育着优秀的人物。指山川秀美，人才辈出。
钟灵毓秀来自于:唐·柳宗元《马退山茅亭记》：“盖天钟秀于是，不限于遐裔也。”

钟灵毓秀出处来自于:不想我生不幸，亦且琼闺绣阁中亦染此风，真真有负天地～之德了。（清·曹雪芹《红楼梦》第三十六回）

This one is on Viger street. If you really want to try, the pronunciation is zhōng líng yù xiù
Meaning: The scenic splendor of this place gathers excellent people.



踵事增华 :zhǒng shì zēng huá

释义 踵：追随，继续。继续前人的事业，并使更加完善美好。

出处 南朝梁·萧统《文选序》：“盖踵其事而增华，变其本而加厉。物既有之，文亦宜然。”

示例 以至头门墙上及各墙壁，另行雕刻花草人物，正是～，穷奢极侈。（清·黄小配《廿载繁华梦》第二十七回）

This one is on René-Lévesque street. If you really want to try, the pronunciation is zhǒng shì zēng huá
Meaning: One after another, we do our best to add magnificence to this place.

Best of Montreal - from Montreal Mirror

Best Pub Grub 1. McKibbin’s Irish Pub (1426 Bishop, (514) 288-1580) 2. Cage aux Sports (various locations) 3. Peel Pub (various locations) 4. Claddagh Pub (1433 Crescent, (514) 287-9354) 5. Ye Olde Orchard (various locations) Best Cheap Eats 1. Al-Taib (various locations) 2. Parfums d’Asie (3754 St-Laurent) 3. Patati Patata (4177 St-Laurent, (514) 844-0216) 4. La Belle Province (various locations) 5. McDonald’s (various locations) At Parfums d’Asie, it’s not just $2 noodles, but two egg rolls for $1 as well. Best Pricey Eats 1. La Queue de Cheval Steakhouse (1221 René-Lévesque W., (514) 390-0090) 2. Gibby’s (298 Place d’Youville, (514) 282-1837) 3. Bâton Rouge (various locations) 4. Moishes Steak House (3961 St-Laurent, (514) 845-1696) 5. Chu Chai (4088 St-Denis, (514) 843-4194) Best Late-Night Eats 1. La Banquise (994 Rachel E., (514) 525-2415) 2. Moe’s (1455 Lambert-Closse (514-933-9274) 3. Boustan (2020A Crescent, (514) 843-3576) 4. La Belle Province (various locations) 5. Al-Taib (various locations) Best Breakfast 1. Chez Cora (various locations) 2. Cosmos (5843 Sherbrooke W., (514) 486-3814) 3. Tutti Frutti Déjeuner (various locations) 4. Eggspectations (various locations) 5. Beauty’s (93 Mont-Royal W., (514) 849-8883) Best Buffet 1. Le Buffet Maison Kirin (various locations) 2. Le Montréalais (900 René-Lévesque W., (514) 861-3511) 3. Buffet Maharaja (1481 René-Lévesque W., (514) 934-0655) 4. Buffet Vichy (various locations) 5. Buffet La Stanza (various locations) Best Delivery 1. Domino’s (various locations) 2. À la Carte Express ((514) 933-7000, www.alce.ca) 3. Alto (3462 Parc, (514) 844-9898) 4. Boustan (2020A Crescent, (514) 843-3576) 5. St-Hubert (various locations; delivery (514) 385-5555) Best African 1. Le Nil Bleu (3706 St-Denis, (514) 285-4628) 2. Abiata (3435 St-Denis, (514) 281-0111) 3. Au Messob d’Or (5690 Monkland, (514) 488-8620) 4. Le Piton de la Fournaise (835 Duluth E., (514) 526-3936) 5. Keur Fatou (66 St-Viateur W., (514) 277-2221) Best Caribbean 1. Mango Bay (1202 Bishop, (514) 875-7082) 2. Ma’s Place (5889 Sherbrooke W., (514) 487-7488) 3. Caribbean Curry House (6892 Victoria, (514) 733-0828) 4. Caraïbe Delite (4816 Parc, (514) 274-4509) 5. Jardin du Cari (21 St-Viateur W., (514) 495-0565) BEST CARIBBEAN #3: Caribbean Curry House Best Chinese 1. Beijing (92 de la Gauchetière W., (514) 861-2003) 2. La Maison VIP (1077 Clark, (514) 861-1943) 3. Kam Shing (6767 Côte-des-Neiges, (514) 731-1401) 4. Hot and Spicy (various locations) 5. Wok Café (1845 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 938-1882) Best French 1. L’Express (3927 St-Denis, (514) 845-5333) 2. Le Paris (1812 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 937-4898) 3. L’Académie (4051 St-Denis, (514) 849-2249) 4. La Colombe (554 Duluth E., (514) 849-8844) 5. Bistro du Roi (3784 de Mentana, (514) 525-1624) Best Greek 1. Arahova (various locations) 2. Marathon Souvlaki (various locations) 3. Souvlaki George (various locations) 4. Jardin de Panos (521 Duluth E., (514) 521-4206) 5. Casa Grecque (various locations) Best Indian 1. Pushap (various locations) 2. Ganges (6079 Sherbrooke W., (514) 488-8850) 3. Bombay Palace (2201 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 932-7141) 4. Star of India (various locations) 5. Bombay Mahal (1001 Jean-Talon W., (514) 273-3331) Best Italian 1. Pizzeria Napoletana (189 Dante, (514) 276-8226) 2. Eduardo’s (404 Duluth E., (514) 843-3330) 3. Scarolies (950 St-Jean, Pointe-Claire, (514) 694-8611) 4. Casa Napoli (6728 St-Laurent, (514) 274-4351) 5. Amelio’s (201 Milton, (514) 845-8396) Best Japanese 1. Kaizen Sushi Bar (various locations) 2. Mikado (various locations) 3. Kanda (2045 Bishop, (514) 845-8868) 4. Sho-Dan (various locations) 5. Miso (4000 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 908-6476) Best Korean 1. Seoul (5030 Sherbrooke W., (514) 489-3686) 2. Man-na (1421 Bishop, (514) 288-1703) 3. Quatre Saisons (4200 St-Jacques, (514) 932-3309) 4. Chez Bong (1021 St-Laurent, (514) 396-7779) 5. Bulgogi (2127 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 935-9820) Best Latino 1. La Chilenita (various locations) 2. Casa Tapas (266 Rachel E., (514) 848-1063) 3. La Carretta (350 St-Zotique E., (514) 273-8884) 4. Senzala (various locations) 5. La Selva (862 Marie-Anne E., (514) 525-1798) Best Mexican 1. 3 Amigos (1657 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 939-3329) 2. Carlos & Pepes (1420 Peel, (514) 288-3090) 3. Casa de Matéo (438 St-François-Xavier, (514) 844-7448) 4. Taqueria Mex (various locations) 5. La Nacion (1850 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 931-2956) BEST MIDDLE-EASTERN, BEST FALAFEL, BEST LATE-NIGHT EATS #3: Boustan Best Middle-Eastern 1. Boustan (2020A Crescent, (514) 843-3576) 2. Amir (various locations) 3. Al-Taib (various locations) 4. Basha (various locations 5. La Sirène de la Mer (various locations) Best Portuguese 1. Jano (3883 St-Laurent, (514) 849-0646) 2. Chez Doval (150 Marie-Anne E., (514) 843-3390) 3. Romados (115 Rachel E., (514) 849-1803) 4. Coco Rico (3907 St-Laurent, (514) 849-5554) 5. Roi du Plateau (51 Rachel W., (514) 844-8393) Best Thai 1. Cuisine Bangkok (Faubourg, 1616 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 935-2178) 2. Thai Express (various locations) 3. Chu Chai (4088 St-Denis, (514) 843-4194) 4. Chao Phraya (50 Laurier W., (514) 272-5339) 5. Thai Grill (5101 St-Laurent, (514) 270-5566) Cuisine Bangkok has recently opened another location (1824 Ste-Catherine, (514) 509-7674), just down the street from the Faubourg. It is more of a sit-down kind of place, but still has both the delicious food and lunch-hour rush of the food-court locale. Best Bagel 1. St–Viateur (263 St-Viateur W., (514) 276-8044) 2. Fairmount (74 Fairmount W., (514) 272-0667) 3. R.E.A.L. Bagel (various locations) 4. DAD’s Bagels (5732 Sherbrooke W., (514) 487-2454) 5. Faubourg’s The Bagel Place (1616 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 931-2827) St-Viateur bagels just celebrated 50 years in the bagel business on Sunday May 20, and those have clearly been 50 years of doing something right ’cause you’ve voted them number 1 again! Best Barbecued Chicken 1. Coco Rico (3907 St-Laurent, (514) 849-5554) 2. St-Hubert (various locations) 3. Chalet BBQ (various locations) 4. Romados (115 Rachel E., (514) 849-1803) 5. Côte-St–Luc BBQ (various locations) Best Burger BEST BURGER: La Paryse 1. La Paryse (302 Ontario E., (514) 842-2040) 2. Harvey’s (various locations) 3. Patati Patata (4177 St-Laurent, (514) 844-0216) 4. Mister Steer (1198 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 866-3233) 5. Meat Market (4415 St-Laurent, (514) 223-2292) Best Falafel 1. Boustan (2020A Crescent, (514) 843-3576) 2. Amir (various locations) 3. Nilufar (1923 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 846-1947) 4. Sara (1 Mont-Royal W., (514) 844-7575) 5. Basha (various locations)

Best Fries 1. Frites Alors (various locations) 2. McDonald’s (various locations) 3. La Belle Province (various locations) 4. Patati Patata (4177 St-Laurent, (514) 844-0216) 5. Lafleur (various locations) Best Hot Dog 1. La Belle Province (various locations) 2. Decarie Hot Dog (953 Decarie, (514) 748-7213) 3. Lafleur (various locations) 4. Montreal Pool Room (1200 St-Laurent, (514) 396-0460) 5. Costco (various locations) Best Noodles 1. Just Noodles (various locations) 2. Soupe et Nouilles (1871 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 933-0531) 3. Zyng (various locations) 4. U & Me (1900 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 931-0081) 5. Wok Café (1845 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 938-1882) Best Pizza 1. Domino’s (various locations) 2. Angela’s (1662 de Maisonneuve W., (514) 933-2000) 3. Al-Taib (various locations) 4. Amelio’s (201 Milton, (514) 845-8396) 5. Pizza Hut (various locations) Slightly tucked away, or at least situated below street level, Amelio’s is the only pizzeria on this list that is also a bring-your-own-wine (you have to venture into the heart of the McGill ghetto to find it though). Best Poutine 1. La Belle Province (various locations) 2. La Banquise (994 Rachel E., (514) 525-2415) 3. Lafleur (various locations) 4. Mondo Fritz (3899 St-Laurent, (514) 281-6521) 5. Patati Patata (4177 St-Laurent, (514) 844-0216) Best Ribs 1. Bâton Rouge (various locations) 2. Bar-B-Barn (1201 Guy, (514) 931-3811; 3300 des Sources, Pointe-Claire, (514) 683-0225) 3. Bofinger (5667 Sherbrooke W., (514) 315-5056) 4. Meat Market (4415 St-Laurent, (514) 223-2292) 5. Scores (various locations) Move over old-timers: Meat Market was just an infant at the time of the last BOM issue, but the resto—no, not a pick-up spot—has matured and is putting the pressure on in the tapas, burger and ribs categories. Best Sandwich 1. Santropol (3990 St-Urbain, (514) 842-3110) 2. Dagwoods (various locations) 3. Aux Vivres (4631 St-Laurent, (514) 842-3479) 4. Kilo Restaurant (various locations) 5. Subway (various locations) Best Seafood 1. Milos (5357 Parc, (514) 272-3522) 2. La Sirène de la Mer (1805 Sauvé W., (514) 332-2255; 114 Dresden, TMR, (514) 345-0345) 3. Homard-Plus (10500 Gouin W.,Roxboro, (514) 685-5400) 4. La Mer (1065 Papineau, (514) 522-2889) 5. Casa Grecque (various locations) Best Smoked Meat 1. Schwartz’s (3895 St-Laurent, (514) 842-4813) 2. The Main (3864 St-Laurent, (514) 843-8126) 3. Reuben’s (1116 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 866-1029) 4. Dunns (1249 Metcalfe, (514) 395-1927, (514) 395 1269) 5. Smoked Meat Pete’s (283 1st Ave, Ile Perrot (514) 425-6068) Best Soup 1. SoupeSoup (80 Duluth E., (514) 380-0880, 174 St-Viateur W., (514) 271-2004) 2. Pho Bac (various locations) 3. Pho Lien (5703 Côte-des-Neiges, (514) 735-6949) 4. Le Grille Pain (950 Roy E., (514) 527-8500) 5. Santropol (3990 St-Urbain, (514) 842-3110) Pho real! The Vietnamese pho, or soupe tonkinoise, is well represented with two restaurants specializing in the large, fresh, perfect-for-a-winter-lunch soups gracing the top five. Best Souvlaki 1. Arahova (various locations) 2. Souvlaki George (various locations) 3. Marathon Souvlaki (various locations) 4. Villa du Souvlaki (5347 Sherbrooke W., (514) 489-2039) 5. Village Grecque (various locations) Best Steak 1. Moishes Steak House (3961 St-Laurent, (514) 845-1696) 2. La Queue de Cheval (1221 René-Lévesque W., (514) 390-0090) 3. The Keg (25 St-Paul E., (514) 871-9093) 4. Gibby’s (298 Place d’Youville, (514) 282-1837) 5. Bâton Rouge (various locations) Best Tapas 1. Casa Tapas (266 Rachel E., (514) 848-1063) 2. Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent, (514) 284-0122) 3. Tapeo (511 Villeray, (514) 495-1999) 4. Nuevo (775 Mont-Royal E., (514) 525-7000) 5. Meat Market (4415 St-Laurent, (514) 223-2292) Best Vegetarian 1. Le Commensal (various locations) 2. Aux Vivres (4631 St-Laurent, (514) 842-3479) 3. Chu Chai (4088 Saint- Denis, (514) 843-4194) 4. Pushap (various locations) 5. Lola Rosa (545 Milton, (514) 287-9337) Few changes here, though Aux Vivres got a makeover and is now classier and fancier, and moved one spot up to number three. Lola Rosa, another McGill ghetto treat, joins the ranks (try the nachos, covered in a mountain of esoteric toppings). Best Bakery 1. Première Moisson (various locations) 2. Cheskie (359 Bernard W., (514) 271-2253) 3. Cocoa Locale (4807 Parc, (514)271-7162) 4. De Gascogne (various locations) 5. Fromentier (1375 Laurier E., (514) 527-3327 BEST BAKERY #2: Cheskie Reema Singh’s one-woman pastry shop Cocoa Locale serves pastries with a flavour twist; olive oil and lemon cakes, peanut butter and mint cookies, and chocolate zucchini bundts. She also makes cupcakes, which are a variety of dessert surprisingly hard to find in Montreal. Best Coffee 1. Tim Horton’s (various locations) 2. Starbucks (various locations) 3. Second Cup (various locations) 4. Café Olimpico (124 St-Viateur W., (514) 495-0746) 5. Java U (various locations) Best Non-Chain Coffee 1. Café Olimpico (124 St-Viateur W., (514) 495-0746) 2. Art Java (837 Mont Royal E., (514) 527-9990) 3. Caffè Italia (6480 St-Laurent, (514) 495-0059) 4. Santropol (3990 St-Urbain, (514) 842-3110) 5. Pi (4127 St-Laurent, (514) 286-4828) Best Teahouse 1. Camellia Sinensis (351 Emery, (514) 286-4002) 2. Cha Noir (4646 Wellington, Verdun, (514) 769-1242) 3. Art et Thé (2055 Bishop, (514) 678-5470) 4. John Company (5681 Parc, (514) 313-6581) 5. Orien-thé (4511 St-Denis, (514) 995-6533) BEST TEAHOUSE: Camellia Sinensis Best Locally Brewed Beer 1. Brutopia 2. Boréale 3. Cheval Blanc 4. Dieu du Ciel 5. St-Ambroise Best Desserts/Sweets 1. Kilo Restaurant (various locations) 2. Rockaberry (various locations) 3. Calories (various locations) 4. Cheaters (11618 Salaberry, Dollard-des- Ormeaux, (514) 685-8889) 5. Mesa (1425 Bishop, (514) 284-0344) Best Ice Cream 1. Ben & Jerry’s (various locations) 2. Bilboquet (various locations) 3. Ripples (3880 St-Laurent, (514) 842-1697) 4. Dairy Queen (various locations) 5. Meu Meu (4458 St-Denis, (514) 288-5889) Best Butcher 1. Alim-pot (20 Roy E., (514) 982-6838) 2. Chez Vito (5180 St-Urbain, (514) 277-1981) 3. La Maison du rôti (1969 Mont-Royal E., (514) 521-2448) 4. Atwater Market (138 Atwater, (514) 937-7754) 5. Slovenia (3653 St-Laurent, (514) 842-3558) Best Vegetable/Fruit Stand 1. Jean-Talon Market (7075 Casgrain, (514) 277-1588) 2. Exo (5192 Côte-des-Neiges (514) 738-1384) 3. Atwater Market (138 Atwater, (514) 937-7754) 4. Sami Fruits (various locations) 5. Val-Mont (various locations) Best Fishmonger 1. Falero (various locations) 2. La Mer (1840 René-Lévesque E., (514) 522-3003) 3. Atwater Market (138 Atwater, (514) 937-7754) 4. Peche Peche (11598 De Salabery, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, (514) 683-8601) 5. Shamrock (7015 Casgrain, (514) 272-5612)

SPECIAL BOM QUESTION

>> What’s the best new thing in Montreal
in the past five years?

1. No smoking in bars
2. New girls
3. Me
4. Two-dollar chow mein
5. Laval metro
6. Taco Bell
7. Short skirts
8. Parc-Pine interchange
9. Piknic Électronik
10. MainLine Theatre
11. Music scene
12. Bike lanes
13. H&M
14. Montreal Reggae Festival
15. Osheaga
16. Nuit Blanche
17. Krispy Kremes 18. Arcade Fire
19. The Concordia building
20. Pop Montreal

Bibliothèque et Archives nationale • The Dôme closing down • Bofinger • Peer Pressure • Municipal demergers • Old Montreal gentrification • Têtes à Claques • Montreal Fashion Week • New parking meters • American Apparel • Free wireless internet zones • Gérald Tremblay• Marché Centrale • Montreal being a baseball-free city • Hotel Godin • Tax-deductible bus passes • Warmer winters • NASCAR • Action Démocratique • Automatic video stations • Cleaning up of downtown • Community gardens • Construction • Contact dance • Emo girls • English signs • EXPOZINE • Gaming industry • Illegal poker rooms • Immigrants and their culture • Improved economy • Medieval geeks fighting zombies on Mount Royal • Mile-End boom • montrealshows.com • More folk music shows on the Main • More lesbian identified men • Mountain Equipment Co-op • Montreal roller derby • Not having the Parti Québécois in power • Parking for bikes • People can find apartments again • Renewed environmental activism • Renovated Dorval airport • Revitalized east part of Ste-Catherine • Scooters • Six Flags purchasing La Ronde • Supperclubs • The cross turned purple • The Dollar Cinema • SPECIAL BOM QUESTION What’s the best new thing in Montreal in the past five years? BEST TEAHOUSE: Camellia Sinensis WILL LEW Legalization of Swingers Clubs • Awesome mid-size music venues • Théâtre Ste-Catherine • Ubisoft Montreal • Cleaned-up Lachine Canal • W Hotel • The re-emergence of unicycles as a mode of transportation • There’s something new?

Montrealers Media City Life Nightlife Music Film, Arts etc Consumer Madness Chowtime

IRISH PLACES IN MONTREAL

St. Patrick’s Basilica
460 René-Lévesque Boulevard West
Montréal, Québec
H2Z 1A7
Tel : (514) 866-7379
Web site : http://www.stpatricksmtl.ca/

McLean’s Pub
1210 Peel Street
Tel :(514) 392-7770
Web site : www.bar-resto.com/mclean
English style pub with varied menu. Pool tables.

O'Hara's Pub
1197 University Street
Tel. : (514) 390-8881
Web site : www.bar-resto.com/murphys
Irish pub with bar menu, pool tables, karaoke.

McKibbins Irish Pub
1426 Bishop Street
Tel : (514) 288-1580
Web site : http://www.mckibbinsirishpub.com/
Montreal's Irish Pub with live entertainment, 18 imported beers on tap, Pub Grub and Irish sports on Satellite.

Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grill
5563 Monkland
Tel. : (514) 484-1569
Web site : www.bar-resto.com/oldeorchard
Neighbourhood pub in Monkland Village with the flavour of the old country. Large terrace.

O’Regan’s Irish Pub
1224 Bishop Street
Tel. : (514) 866-8464
Web site : www.bar-resto.com/oregan
Celtic pub. Live entertainment, pub food, Irish & British beers.

Claddagh Pub
1433 Crescent Street
Tel. : (514) 287-9354
Web site : http://www.pubcladdagh.com/
Irish style pub on Montreal's famous Crescent St.

Hurley’s Irish Pub
1225 Crescent Street
Tel. : (514) 861-4111
Web site : http://www.hurleysirishpub.com/
Authentic Irish Pub in beautiful stone building. Many European beers & whiskeys, fireplaces, live Celtic music.

Le Vieux Dublin/Old Dublin
1219A University Street
Montréal, Qc
Tel: (514) 861-4448

Madhatter Pub
1220 Crescent Street
Tel. : (514) 987-9988
Web site : http://www.madhattersaloon.com/
The best dive in town!

Huge Griffintown plan unveiled

Andy Riga, The GazettePublished: Thursday, November 22 2007

Don't be so negative and don't let this one slip by.

That was the message to Montrealers yesterday from Mayor Gerald Tremblay, who urged people to keep an open mind about a $1.3-billion residential-and-commercial project that aims to revitalize Griffintown, a run-down area at the foot of Peel St., between downtown and the Lachine Canal.


Described as one of the biggest private investments in Montreal history, the project, whose details were outlined yesterday, would include 3,830 residential units, retail outlets, a concert hall and a network of parks and public spaces.

Tremblay, who wholeheartedly supports the project, said he fears a backlash similar to the one that scuttled a $1.1-billion Loto-Quebec/Cirque du Soleil plan to build a casino and entertainment complex in the nearby Peel Basin last year.

"We must move beyond this type of inertia," Tremblay said of the negative reaction to the casino project.

"It is time we stop adopting such negative attitudes since it is only normal that in a major metropolis like Montreal that we should be able to at least explore projects that can have a positive impact on the social, cultural and economic development of our city."

Tremblay made the comments at a press conference at which he announced the city supports the project and that the South-West borough will hold public consultations on it in February. The city hopes to approve the project in April.

If that happens, the developer - Devimco, the company behind the DIX30 shopping centre in Brossard - says construction would begin in 2009, with completion within eight to 10 years.

At a separate press conference, Serge Goulet, co-president of Devimco, said the company has consulted for months with people who live, work and own businesses in the borough.

To deal with concerns it heard, it included more residential units (almost two-thirds of the floor space), added parks and public spaces (a total of 600,000 square feet), reduced the number of large stores included in the project (they would now make up less than a quarter of retail space) and moved parking underground (there would be 5,000 paid spots). It's also counting on the city's proposed tramway linking Griffintown to downtown and Old Montreal to alleviate traffic.

The project would feature several towers ranging from 10 to 24 storeys; the tallest building would be a hotel overlooking the Lachine Canal, which would have 32 floors.

To allay concerns of heritage activists, the developer said it will protect 12 structures (including the New City Gas and Crathern & Caverhil buildings) in the area, the former heart of the city's Irish community.

Two other buildings of historical value will be moved; another four will be demolished and partially rebuilt.


The area to be developed is currently home to 47 people, most of whom live in housing on Mountain St. that will not be affected by the project.

The developer wouldn't say how much of the land it already owns or has options to buy. But it said about 50 property owners own land in the area. Company co-president Jean-Francois Breton said enough deals with property owners are in place to leave the company confident that it will be able to buy all the land needed and won't have to ask the city to expropriate land.

Devimco and the city still have some convincing to do.

Pierre Morrissette, head of the Regroupement economique et social du Sud-Ouest, said his group's members - borough businesses, residents, community groups and unions - are reserving judgment until the public hearings.

They'll raise concerns about increased car traffic, how public transit will be integrated into the project and the amount of low-income housing included.

He said 800 people currently work in the area and the developer has given his group assurances it will ensure that many of the 4,330 permanent jobs to be created in the development will go to borough residents.

It's unclear how the area's heritage will be preserved, said Heritage Montreal's Dinu Bumbaru. Saving buildings isn't enough, he said. "There's the street pattern, the scale on the street, the character of the buildings, the views - of the Lachine Canal and the Five Roses sign, for example," he said.

Bumbaru wondered why the borough will hold the public consultation, rather than the city's independent Office de consultation publique. "This sounds like it's going to be a little kitchen meeting over a billion-dollar project," he said.

Downtown merchants, for their part, fear the project will pull people away from businesses on and around Ste. Catherine St., said Andre Poulin, executive director of Destination Centre-Ville, which represents downtown retailers.

"Instead of coming to Ste. Catherine St., people will go there - a brand new development," he said. "People working downtown will jump on the tramway and in a couple of minutes be there for lunch."

The city says it doesn't expect the Griffintown project will affect downtown. Tremblay pointed to a report the city commissioned from HEC Montreal marketing professor Jacques Nantel. He was asked to review a study the developer commissioned of the project's impact.

Nantel concluded Griffintown will probably not affect downtown businesses. He noted stores there are losing customers to suburban malls, with remaining downtown customers taking public transit and shopping on foot. Griffintown retailer would cater to different shoppers - those in cars.

This is the link of the group Save GrifinTown

http://savegriffintown.wordpress.com/

This is the link of more pictures

http://www.flickr.com/groups/savegriffintown/pool/

Montreal Geography Trivia

There is a single traffic light in the City of Montreal where it is permitted to turn right on red (after making a complete stop, of course, following the code routière). But 75% of the time, this issue is moot.

Where is this traffic light, and why isn’t it an issue most of the time?

UPDATE (Jan. 16): The answer is at the corner of Jacques-Bizard Blvd. and Cherrier St.



Did you get the right answer? If you are interested, there are more on this website http://blog.fagstein.com/tag/montreal-geography-trivia/ .

Hope you like it!