Protest over sudden closure of beloved Montreal music venue La Tulipe

On the same day the Le Plateau-Mont-Royal borough amended a noise bylaw, there was a loud show of support for a beloved venue that is closing due noise complaints.

Several people gathered near Mount-Royal and Papineau avenues Thursday night to protest the closure of La Tulipe.

The owners decided to shutter the century-old club after an appeal court overturned a judgment allowing it to remain open.

At issue was a municipal noise bylaw invoked by neighbours of the club, banning any noise from a venue that could be heard next door.

On Thursday afternoon, the borough council amended that bylaw to allow showrooms, bars and cultural establishments to make some noise as long as their decibel levels are not too high and they don't make excessive noise.

While some neighbours are still concerned, councillors say it's not a free-for-all and will protect other cultural establishments from having to close due to noise.

 

 

 

 

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Musicians sign open letter to save 'jewel of Montreal and Quebec culture'

The uproar over the loss of yet another live music venue is not quieting down. On Friday, 100 musicians, comedians, humorists and other players on the cultural scene published an open letter denouncing the Quebec Court of Appeal's decision to force Montreal's La Tulipe concert hall to stop emitting noise that could disturb its neighbours.

The letter, published in the Friday edition of La Presse, states that "discontent of a handful of individuals" should not decide the fate of a "collective jewel."

"We hope that this giant of our cultural history will not disappear in silence. We hope that our voices, which join those that have echoed in La Tulipe for over 100 years, will be heard”, they wrote, calling on the City of Montreal to intervene.

The signatories of the letter, backed by Tire le coyote and Dumas, point out that La Tulipe is a "jewel of Montreal and Quebec culture" and an easily accessible venue located in the heart of the city.

“By placing individuality above the collective, the Quebec Court of Appeal seems to be showing indifference to our reality as cultural workers," the group wrote.

"We refuse to see cultural heritage sites disappear on legal technicalities”, they state."

The letter was signed by several musicians, including Robert Charlebois, Ariane Moffatt, Daniel Bélanger, Isabelle Boulay, Michel Rivard, Cœur de Pirate and members of Les Cowboys Fringants, among others.

Louise Latraverse, Guy A Lepage, Alexandra Stréliski, Corneille, Louise Forestier, Christian Bégin and Damien Robitaille are also among the many signatories.

With files from CTV Montreal's Caroline van Vlaardingen and The Canadian Press