For immediate release

PRESS RELEASE

Protest against the Montréal Old Port

Montréal, July 17, 2007 – In a recent press release, the Old Port of Montréal Corporation reminded people of their decision to ban dogs on their site for sanitary reasons. In order to reinforce their message, they recently put up huge signs at their various entrances to indicate that dogs are not allowed.

The Old Port of Montréal Corporation who is managing the Crown property, does not tolerate any dog, on a leash or not, on their territory. To put it in perspective, the territory of the Old Port of Montréal represents an area of 48 hectares, is 2.5 km long and lies along the St-Lawrence River, bordering on Old Montréal. It also represents the only sizeable park for residents of Old-Montréal.

For sanitary and security reasons, allegedly, any person walking a dog, be it at 6:00 am when the Old Port is empty, whether his dog is on a leash or not, whether he picks up after his dog or not; any person with a dog will be chased out of the territory, like a plague-stricken person. The Old Port management seems to consider dogs as a major problem, even as a threat to tourists visiting the area. But is that their biggest health, security and image concern? The homeless practically living in the Old Port, people who litter, people who feed seagulls, drunk reveler, drug addicts etc. are probably a bigger concern to visitors to the site. Well, according to the Old Port, only dogs are filthy! Yet, they are often the only one who can inspire a smile from busy passer-by and even from the homeless.

Is it too much to ask the management of the Old Port Corporation to use common sense? Security agents, who are now chasing all dogs from its territory, could probably make better use of their time by evicting only those who do not follow the rules, such as having their dog on a leash, picking up after their dog, etc. Again, that would be rational common sense. If done in this way, I’m sure that security would have more time to devote to other nuisance on their territory.

To show our disapproval, human and canine members of our association of dog owners, Canine Club Vieux-Montréal, are going to wear, just like Marie and Charlemagne in our picture, a T-shirt on which you can read “Welcome to the Old Port of Montréal” right above the same pictogram used by the Old Port to prohibit dogs. Canine Club Vieux-Montréal invites everyone who disagrees with the Old Port Corporation to sign its online petition proposing to the Old Port to allow dogs on leash on its territory while restricting their access to mornings only during the busiest period of the year, between June 24 and Labor Day. People interested in signing this petition can do it directly on line at the following address: www.petitiononline.com/ouichien/petition.html.

We are not asking for the moon. We’re asking for common sense.

Source : Canine Club Vieux-Montréal

Info : Jean-Luc Bouchard

        info@clubcaninvieuxmontreal.org

For immediate release

PRESS RELEASE

The legendary dog Pilote got her park

Montréal, May 18, 2008 – The association of dog owners Club Canin Vieux-Montréal, from whom originate the demand addressed to Borough of Ville-Marie to transform the green space at the corner of Duke and Brennan into a dog park, has now found a very appropriate name for it.

The City Counsellor, Catherine Sévigny, who piloted this project, had suggested to the Club to find a name for this beautiful dog park which officially opened last year on September 20th. The Canine Club looked towards the Place d’Armes at the foot of the monument to Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve, where is Lambert Closse and his dog Pilote who became the heroine of our city on March 30, 1644.

The story says that the early settlers of Ville-Marie succeeded in their fight against the Iroquois mainly because of the fort built for their protection but also with the help of the chief of security, Lambert Closse, and his dog Pilote. On the night of March 30, 1644 Pilote made history. Her barking warned the settlers of an impending Iroquois attack. She save them and became the heroine of Ville-Marie. So, the Club Canin Vieux-Montréal chose to name the park Pilote in her honor.

Of course, this name remains unofficial unless the Toponomy authorities, like the Club, see this story as a good opportunity to link the legendary Pilote to a superb park dedicated to exercise and pleasure of dogs.

Meanwhile, the Club Canin Vieux-Montréal has prepared a poster telling this story which will be revealed to its members on May 21st  at 4 pm, at the occasion of the reopening of the park which has been closed since April 3rd for ground protection and improvement work.

Source :Club Canin Vieux-Montréal

www.clubcaninvieuxmontreal.org

info@clubcaninvieuxmontreal.org

info : Marlène Savard

telephone : 514 237-2007