The Experience of Living In or Around Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles
Montreal, city of festivals. The hard-branding construction in Montreal, i.e. the alteration of its physical characteristics with the objective of creating a unique experience, was realized through the (re) development project of the Quartier des spectacles. Located in the Faubourg Saint-Laurent neighbourhood, the (re) development project, which embodies multiple interventions within a 1 km2 area, seems to have created a new investment dynamic in the neighbourhood. In addition to commercial and leisure activities that cater to tourists and visitors, local investment has attempted to re-invigorate the image of this downtown neighbourhood as a desired residential environment. Montreal’s central neighbourhood is witnessing important physical and social transformations. The impact of (re) development projects on long-term residents is difficult to establish and evaluate. Interested primarily in the complexity of the experience of residents’ daily life in and around the Quartier des spectacles (re) development project, this study uses a phenomenological approach, by means of in-depth interviews with long-time residents. Analysis identified three major themes related to their experience: attachment, they/them, and change/challenges. The experience of the Quartier des spectacles is multidimensional: the Quartier des spectacles as a physical site, an image, an experience of festivals and people, and a catalyst for change. But this experience calls into question the definition of the Quartier des spectacles as a residential environment.