This past weekend, the ERA Toronto office paid a visit to their Montreal counterpart. With the sun shining and 22 degree weather in September, the stage was set for a fun-filled weekend exploring Montreal. (Scroll down for the slide show.)
The weekend began on Friday night with a late night tour of the new Montreal office. This summer, Jan Kubanek and Emma Greer relocated to the Belgo Building on Ste-Catherine Street West, in the heart of downtown and right next to the Quartier des Spectacles. The Belgo Building was built in 1912 by Finley & Spence as the Scroggies Department Store. In 1958, it underwent a major renovation and now houses a mix of art galleries, artists studios and other creative spaces.
On Saturday, the office was lucky enough to participate in a walking tour of Silo 5. ERA’s Jan Kubanek, who has presented tours as a volunteer guide for Heritage Montreal for many years, led the group through the site, which consists of a series of monumental silos, in the city’s Old Port. (Thank you to Heritage Montreal and the Canada Lands Company for making this tour possible.) Following the tour, the group relaxed on the other side of the canal, enjoying the view of the setting sun on the silos.
Sunday morning, the group met up in the neighbourhood of La Petite Patrie for a brunch feast, with fresh pastries and local produce from the nearby Jean-Talon Market. The neighbourhood is a perfect example of the Montreal typology of walk-up row houses, spiral staircases and lush vegetation lining the streets.
For majority of the weekend, the group was left to their own devices, allowing ERA Toronto to discover, and fall in love, with the beauty of Montreal.
Check out the slide show:
