NO! This can not be. I won't believe it. I don't accept it.
Valerie Plante was attending an event yesterday evening to celebrate the grand re-opening of the St. Catherine and Wolfe st outdoor gallery.
While Plante was speaking at the event, a member of the gay village business association spilled some hot tea, and it caught Plante, and most of the attendees totally off guard.
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@photo.ingThe remarks that this would be "the last summer" for the colourful canopy of balls shocked Plante and her crew, as an "audible gasp" was heard throughout the crowd at the event.
Totally thrown off, Valerie Plante had a very quick huddle with her crew about this and came back to say that this was the first that she, or her team, where even hearing about the news.
"Well, I just heard about it and to be honest, I don't know who it's coming from" - said a shocked Plante just discovering this tragic news for the future of Montreal's gay village installation.
"...like I said, I don't know where this is coming from" reiterated Plante as she proceeded to say that she could not comment on this any further.
This would be terrible! Why would we remove something so iconic and memorable from Montreal's Gaybourhood? This just doesn't make any sense to me.
Plante went on to say that there will need to be some discussions with the village business association about this. The mayor of Montreal noted that we had just invested in these new colourful balls, and to make sure they are taken care off in the off-season.
Plante's office confirmed with CJAD that nobody in the office had any clue about this news, and everyone was left totally stunned to hear that this "so Montreal" feature may not be returning past 2018.
More than 180,000 suspended rainbow balls adorn Montreal's Gay Village every year between May and September. This is the marker of St. Catherine St. E becoming a super long pedestrian terrasse village, as well!
They have helped to make our Gaybourhood an international tourist destination. Montreal does have the largest gay village area in North America, after all!
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an association board member said they knew about the news of the balls for a while now!
I don't know what type of shenanigans is going on here, but somebody better get to the bottom of this, and fast! I sense a ton of angry gays coming.
Don't take away our rainbow and pink balls! How dare you!
Plante ended the conversation by simply stating that she will get some more information.
@levillagemtl
Furthermore, CJAD contacted Tourisme Montreal to get the dirt on this story, but they had not sent a response as of yet.
I really have no idea who's horrible idea this was, or why and how anybody could think this is a good move! Summernight strolls under a rainbow canopy in the village is some of the best city summer experiences one can find in Montreal.
My heart is breaking. Please, Valerie Plante, Projet Montreal, the gay village business association - STOP this from happening!