Skateboarding in Montreal, Cool?
May 1, 2016 12:33 PM Subscribe
My wife and I are going to Montreal for our anniversary, and are trying to figure out whether or not we should bring our skateboards.
From what we can gather, skateboarding is permitted on bike paths, on paths in parks, and at skateparks, but nowhere else. We're not doing any tricks and are relative beginners so just looking for a place to practice cruising around while on vacation. Skateparks don't really work since we don't do tricks and just need some space to coast: no need for stairs or half pipes or anything. My wife may or may not be comfortable skating on bike paths. So are there just regular parks that we could go and practice in? We're staying in Le Plateau. Or should we just leave our boards at home?
From what we can gather, skateboarding is permitted on bike paths, on paths in parks, and at skateparks, but nowhere else. We're not doing any tricks and are relative beginners so just looking for a place to practice cruising around while on vacation. Skateparks don't really work since we don't do tricks and just need some space to coast: no need for stairs or half pipes or anything. My wife may or may not be comfortable skating on bike paths. So are there just regular parks that we could go and practice in? We're staying in Le Plateau. Or should we just leave our boards at home?
People definitely do skateboard on less traffic heavy roads, and I assume they are not ticketed. About 10 years ago I lived by Parc LaFontaine and skateboarded to get around.
Keep in mind that Montreal roads are notoriously full of pot holes and gravel. If you're used to smoother roads, skateboarding may not be as enjoyable here. But people do do it!
posted by eisforcool at 1:00 PM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Keep in mind that Montreal roads are notoriously full of pot holes and gravel. If you're used to smoother roads, skateboarding may not be as enjoyable here. But people do do it!
posted by eisforcool at 1:00 PM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I live in Montreal, and honestly, unless you'd feel naked without your boards, I think you should leave them at home. Montreal drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can all be loose cannons in their way. If you're staying in the Plateau you can easily walk or take the metro to and from the features most people find interesting. One of the things people like to do is walk up to the Mount Royal lookout, and you can't skateboard up to there.
posted by zadcat at 3:38 PM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by zadcat at 3:38 PM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
As previously seen on the Blue, Montreal is well acquainted with The Devils toy.
posted by Zedcaster at 4:02 PM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Zedcaster at 4:02 PM on May 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
OMG. The roads here are so bad. You will be very sad if you try to skateboard anywhere.
posted by 256 at 4:32 PM on May 1, 2016
posted by 256 at 4:32 PM on May 1, 2016
Response by poster: 256, are just the roads bad (we won't be skating on them anyway) or the paths in the parks as well?
posted by gnar_gnar at 6:29 PM on May 1, 2016
posted by gnar_gnar at 6:29 PM on May 1, 2016
Bring a phone to call for help when you disappear in one of our potholes :)
You'd probably be better served by getting a bixi 3-day pass for easy transportation.
posted by coust at 6:57 PM on May 1, 2016
You'd probably be better served by getting a bixi 3-day pass for easy transportation.
posted by coust at 6:57 PM on May 1, 2016
I've seen plenty of recreational skateboarders here, mostly on regular streets. Mostly on quiet streets with good pavement, which makes sense! I agree with others above that you should check the pavement quality on any particular street before just going for it.
Sometimes I see skateboarders on bike paths, but I'm not sure it's a great idea. The separated bike paths in the Plateau are pretty narrow and have heavy bike traffic, you'll get in the way. Other paths are just lines on often-busy streets, that's no help either. If you want to skateboard on bike paths try the more park-ish ones, like at the Lachine Canal or Parc Maisonneuve—during work hours, when the parks aren't as flooded with recreational cyclists.
Fun is great, but don't expect to use your skateboard as your primary method of transportation. As others have said, you'll probably die by pothole.
There are some skate shops here, I don't know if any are good, but they likely have more knowledge about where's good to skateboard. Maybe call one and ask?
posted by vasi at 2:10 AM on May 2, 2016
Sometimes I see skateboarders on bike paths, but I'm not sure it's a great idea. The separated bike paths in the Plateau are pretty narrow and have heavy bike traffic, you'll get in the way. Other paths are just lines on often-busy streets, that's no help either. If you want to skateboard on bike paths try the more park-ish ones, like at the Lachine Canal or Parc Maisonneuve—during work hours, when the parks aren't as flooded with recreational cyclists.
Fun is great, but don't expect to use your skateboard as your primary method of transportation. As others have said, you'll probably die by pothole.
There are some skate shops here, I don't know if any are good, but they likely have more knowledge about where's good to skateboard. Maybe call one and ask?
posted by vasi at 2:10 AM on May 2, 2016
Response by poster: So we went to Montreal, sans skateboard though, and can now report back. Saw many a skateboarder, most ridding on cruiser wheels -- the pavement was indeed rough and pot hole-y but no more than my neighborhood. The bike paths and bike culture + low density compared to New York made it seem very skate-able. Unfortunately Air Canada requires you to check a skateboard so, no boards for us.
posted by gnar_gnar at 5:45 AM on June 15, 2016
posted by gnar_gnar at 5:45 AM on June 15, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hollypolly at 12:56 PM on May 1, 2016 [2 favorites]