visiting one of Montreal's newest parks: Parc des frères Charon

A new park in the Ville Marie district: Parc des frères Charon


Spot the park (hint: the circle right in the middle of the picture)



Nature encroaching close and closer... gotcha!


Tall grass and other native vegetation, the wind really made it come alive.



Modern, high-tech, drinking fountain. It was not working.

A drinking fountain does not need modern digital technology. Mechanical valves have worked well for, oh, around 7,000 years. But to a young designer reinventing the world this old technology is not a desirable feature. This high-tech version of the traditional water fountain does not work, and is therefore useless. How useless? As useless as...


Condo dwellers out for a stroll in the park


One of the better views from on top of the park's lookout deck.

Located at the edge of Old Montreal, but surrounded by newly built condos of varying appeal, this square was rebuilt in the last couple of years, and is now a "new park."

The park is a circle of untrimmed green space, where nature takes charge (but in this post-modern universe, it's probably a curated selection of plants). At one corner is a circular tower/deck. Up here there are some historical plaques to inform you, and a bench lets you sit to enjoy a break from enjoying the view.

Read about the project to redesign the park here. You might be surprised to learn that it cost $1.7 million dollars. For that money, the high-tech water fountain should not be broken only one year after it is built. In fact this should be a lesson taught to all first-year design and architecture students: don't futz with new solutions to problems that were solved a century ago, like a drinking water fountain that actually works.

Nearby is the Poste Adélard Godbout. You'll have to visit it to learn more.


Who was Adélard Godbout? You should know this. This electrical station is dedicated in his honor.