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This Is What Parc La Fontaine's New Outdoor Theatre Will Look Like Next Year (PHOTOS)
- The City of Montreal has released new renderings of the renovations to the Théâtre de Verdure in Parc La Fontaine.
- The new space will be open to the public year-round.
- Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.
It'll be another year before Montrealers gets to see the renovated Théâtre de Verdure at Parc La Fontaine but it seems that it'll be worth the wait. New renderings released by the City of Montreal today showcase an impressive redesign of the once-forgotten venue in the heart of the Plateau's favourite park. "The redevelopment of the Théâtre de Verdure takes into account the expectations of the population and our long-term vision for La Fontaine Park," said Magda Popeanu, executive committee member and Director of Culture and Diversity for the City of Montreal.
The open-air theatre, which has been sitting empty since 2014, has been at the core of a revitalization program for Parc La Fontaine. Originally planned for 2018, the redesign was delayed by a few years.
The performance area first opened in 1956 and hosted ballets, operas, plays, and concerts.
In the following decades, it was a hot-spot for jazz concerts, recitals, and was once the home of an international dance festival.
"Parc La Fontaine occupies a privileged place in the heart of the Plateau-Mont-Royal population who frequent it for its beauty, its relaxation and sports areas, as well as for its theatre," added Plateau-Mont-Royal borough mayor Luc Rabourin.
The redesign will comprise of a brand-new stage and include elevated seating for up to 2,500 people.
Keeping with the original design, the stage will be located on the island in Parc La Fontaine's pond and will have an open-air, open-concept design.
The seating area will be universally accessible, as well, with around 20 spaces for wheelchair users.
Voici le nouveau concept du théâtre de Verdure au parc La Fontaine : un théâtre à ciel ouvert, à la fois moderne et… https://t.co/Xa6n6NJaZv— Ville de Montréal (@Ville de Montréal) 1583425077.0
"This place of cultural diffusion will be in harmony with the landscape of the park thanks to its modern and light structure covered with plants and its bleachers made of wood, steel, and concrete," said Popeanu.
The redesign takes "into account the history and the environment of this magnificent open-air theatre which embodies the Montreal lifestyle and Montreal culture."
It's unclear how much the renovation will cost the City of Montreal.
Architecture firm Lemay was tasked with the redesign and will soon hire a construction firm to help them with the renovation.
The area will be open to the public all year long, with the exception of the stage.
Le nouveau théâtre de Verdure ouvre la voie à la transformation du parc La Fontaine, un lieu de culture, de rencont… https://t.co/y6OnoLfyGP— Valérie Plante (@Valérie Plante) 1583426871.0
The new Theâtre de Verdure is slated to open in 2021.
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Parc La Fontaine will be seeing quite a bit of construction in the coming months, but don't worry folks, it'll all be worth it!
To find out more about the Théâtre de Verdure redesign, visit the City of Montreal's official website.
