Old Port of Montreal

Old Port of Montreal Vieux-Port de Montréal
The Old Port of Montreal
Location
Country	Canada
Location	Montreal, Quebec
Details
Opened	1830
Operated by	Old Port of Montreal Corporation inc.
Owned by	Government of Canada
Website http://www.oldportofmontreal.com/

The Old Port of Montreal (French: Vieux-Port de Montréal) is the historic port of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Located in Old Montreal, it stretches for over two kilometres along the St-Lawrence River in Old Montreal. It was used as early as 1611, when French fur traders used it as a trading post.

In 1976, Montreal's Port activities were moved east to the present Port of Montreal in the borough of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

The Old Port was redeveloped in the early 1990s, under the direction of architects Aurèle Cardinal and Peter Rose. It is today a recreational and historical area and draws six million tourists annually.

The historical Old Port offers Montrealers and visitors alike access to a wide variety of activities, including the Montréal Science Centre, with an IMAX Theatre, and the Montreal Clock Tower. It offers riverfront access for walking, cycling, roller-blading, quadricycle, pedalo and Segway rentals. It is also located at the eastern end of the Lachine Canal, which has itself been extensively refurbished as a popular destination for cycling, roller-blading and pleasure boating. Cultural events include the Festival Montréal en lumière, Igloofest and the Matsuri Japon festival.

In June 2012, an urban beach, called the Plage de l'Horloge (Clock Beach), opened adjacent to the Clock Tower. The beach consists of sand, Muskoka chairs, a boardwalk, a bar, showers and misting stations. Visitors are charged a fee for admission. Work began on the site in the fall of 2011, including the installation of parasols. The beach was designed by Claude Cormier, who has also designed urban beaches in Toronto.