Green Transportation – Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal, Botanical Garden, Montréal, Québec

Ville-Marie is the name of a borough (arrondissement) in the centre of the city of Montreal, Quebec. It is the economic, tourism and cultural hub of Montreal. The borough is named after Fort Ville-Marie, the French settlement that would later become Montreal, and which was located within the present-day borough. The borough comprises all of downtown Montreal, Old Montreal and the Old Port, the Centre-Sud area, most of Mount Royal Park, as well as Saint Helen’s Island, and Île Notre-Dame in the Saint Lawrence River.

Ville-Marie’s contribution to the Mosaïcultures Internationales competition was entitled "The Living City." It celebrated the fact that Montreal is one of only a handful of North American cities whose downtown core is home to thousands of people. Nestled between the skyscrapers that dominate the cityscape, a number of compelling initiatives are in the works to make the neighbourhood quieter, safer and eminently livable for those who give it its vibrancy. One of these projects focuses on making Ville-Marie a more pedestrian-friendly area. Every summer, the streets of Ville-Marie become an oasis of peace among a sea of office towers. The economic "lungs" of the city turn green, with sustainability-oriented initiatives designed to encourage active transportation, curb greenhouse gases in key areas and foster sense of true community. The vehicle-free streets are warm and welcoming, setting the stage for encounters as invigorating as they are inspiring.

For a description of the art of Mosaiculture and of the Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal competition, please turn to the first photo in this series at:

www.ipernity.com/doc/jonathan.cohen/33872015