Whether you know Montreal or you do not – walking along a heritage trail is a great way to discover a city and see familiar places with new eyes. I am the director of the Musée des ondes Emile Berliner, and I was curious to explore with our heritage trail Montreal’s radio past on the actual sites. I took some photos of all the mentioned locations in Circuit 1 and wanted to share them. You can get an idea of the experience and, if you cannot make the trip to Montreal, you can still participate online. I had a great time and I learned a lot thanks to Alain Dufour’s great research.
The images were taken on May 7th 2020. The tour took me 2 hours and 15 minutes, including some longer stops and a short detour. I decided to drive to the first location by car due to the coronavirus crisis. However, parking can be difficult even during the lockdown of the city. At the end of the tour, I walked from location J to location A down on Peel Street which took me 10 minutes. I was walking fast. Visitors who would like to use public transportation could take the Metro to Bonaventure Station, the closest metro stop to the beginning of the circuit. I had a paper printout of the circuit guide with me, which I like because the text is large enough that I did not need my reading glasses. I will walk Circuit 2 using my smartphone and share my feedback on that option.
When you go, be advised that Montreal is in major construction mode. Take a map with you or your smartphone should you need to take a detour. The PDF map provided online is a good tool for general orientation, but not sufficient for people unfamiliar with the city. During my tour on a Thursday, social distancing was always possible, even in the popular Old Montreal and Downtown. The walk is easy, with some short down-hills and up-hills. The circuit works well on a bike or with a stroller as long as you do not plan to visit the inside of buildings, where you will often find stairs.
I wish you, online or on the street of Montreal, a great time with Montreal’s Radio Pioneers.
