City of Montreal unveils plans to encourage outdoor sports and local shopping – Montreal
Mayor Valérie Plante unveiled the city’s winter plans to encourage Montrealers to shop locally and go out and exercise during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
To begin with, the City plans to open 25 winter “stations†in 17 arrondissements. They will be equipped with outdoor street furniture and colored lighting intended to brighten up public places, car parks and vacant spaces. The stations will be based near shopping malls to encourage people to visit and shop locally. The resorts have a budget of $ 600,000 and are part of the city’s previously announced $ 6 million vacation assistance plan.
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“We worked with artists, designers – it will be a very cool and unique experience,†said Plante. “It inspires people to buy local, because this year we need to encourage our local businesses more than ever. They need us to survive, not online businesses.
Plante said that while organized indoor sport is not available this winter, she wants to encourage Montrealers to get out and exercise in the city’s 20 large outdoor parks. She said all of the city’s major parks will offer outdoor activities, including snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and skating. The fat bike will be offered in the Anse-Ã -l’Orme, Cap Saint-Jacques and Pointe-aux-Prairies parks.
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She said that with the cancellation of the annual Fête des Neiges this year at Parc Jean-Drapeau due to COVID-19, outdoor activities will be offered there, including skating and cross-country skiing.
“We will have an interesting program there that will be available all winter.
She said that for the first time, people will be able to go online to reserve equipment and places to participate in outdoor activities.
“Go to the City of Montreal’s website and choose the activity you want to do,†she says. “If you want to snowshoe, he’ll tell you where you can do it and how to do it, online.
The city also announced that it is offering free rental of snowshoe and cross-country ski equipment to children under the age of 18.
“I want our teens and young adults to enjoy the outdoors as well,†she said. “We want to make it easy for everyone – small, medium and large – to enjoy winter. “
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