Hyper-specific Montreal Question about Place Bonaventure

April 1, 2021 8:51 AM

When did the sign on Place Bonaventure in Montreal change from red to blue?

The earliest Google Street View of the sign I could find was from 2007 and it was already blue then. The image with the red sign comes from this construction company's page which suggests that it was from 1996.

Wikipedia mentions a major renovation in 1998 so that may be a good candidate timeframe. This Dec. 2001 clipping from the Montreal Gazette also mentions further planned renovations after those from 1998.

posted by mhum to Grab Bag (6 answers total)

Can't say for sure, but given the post referendum timeframe you cite, it could be that red, a colour associated with Canada and it's Anglo-ness wasn't as patriotic as blue, a colour long associated with New France and Quebec.
posted by Zedcaster at 9:47 AM on April 1, 2021

Of course, reading your question again I see you asked when and not why. Oops.
posted by Zedcaster at 10:10 AM on April 1, 2021

Hi mhum! I think I remember the red sign (though it could be a false memory...) and I moved to Montréal in Fall 1997. Not a smoking gun, but evidence for an upper bound on how long ago it changed.
posted by louigi at 10:24 AM on April 1, 2021

Response by poster: Oh hey louigi! It's been a long while, hope you're doing well.

Part of why I'm asking the question is to see if I can pinpoint whether the sign had changed before or after I left Montreal in Dec. 2000.
posted by mhum at 10:43 AM on April 1, 2021

It may have been done in 1998 when they did the renovations that added windows.
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:30 PM on April 1, 2021

Looking it up, apparently the renovations were only completed in 2001
posted by Jane the Brown at 3:31 PM on April 1, 2021