Activities > Special Projects > Urban maple grove

A Maple Grove in Our Own Backyard

Introduction

The Urban Maple Grove allows Montreal residents to learn about the ecological dimension of our city’s trees and to rediscover their origins in Quebec folklore. As the initiative of a Montreal citizen, Mario Bonenfant, this project has educational and recreational aspects suitable for schools and the whole family.

We invite you to take a trip through the heart of our history and to take a stroll along Décarie boulevard. Several business owners are participating by either offering maple products or sugar shack meals. This is the first event of its kind in Montreal (to our knowledge) and all are welcome!
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Project roots

The first edition of the Urban Maple Grove took place in March 2005 in the schoolyard of école Jonathan and benefited the students of the Marguerite Bourgeoys school board. The project’s founder, Mario, took great pleasure in teaching the children and in the end seventeen trees were tapped for sap production. This project had great potential and in 2006, we were able to take it to the next level.

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The Maple Grove grows!

The 2006 edition of the Urban Maple Grove was launched March 9th at 10:00 a.m. in Beaudet Park in Saint-Laurent. This year, the Urban Maple Grove was supported by the Saint-Laurent borough and the association des commerçants de Décarie. Business owners offered a variety of maple products and one restaurant even added a full sugar shack meal to their menu. What a treat.

At the official site of the Urban Maple Grove 2006, 44 trees were tapped for sap production under the supervision of specialists from the borough. The sap flowed from the trees to everyone’s pleasure. Access to the sugar was free though a volunteer contribution was suggested. Thanks to the donations of our generous sponsors, kids from schools in Saint-Laurent were able to enjoy the taffy for free.

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An Educational Sugar Shack

The educational aspect of this project has three parts: maple production, ecology and the folklore of sugar shacks. People of all ages are invited to come and learn. Collaboration with the Marguerite Bourgeoys school board enabled access to a team of presenters, storytellers and musicians to enrich the activities.

The support of the minister of Agriculture (M.A.P.A.Q.) allowed us to post economic and cultural information about the maple industry of Quebec on sap buckets throughout the park. This interactive display encourages young people to explore the park and find answers to questions about the maple industry.

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In the news

«Sirop Chaud sous sirocco»
Les Nouvelles de Saint-Laurent, March 9, 2008

«L'érable à toutes les sauces»
Les Nouvelles de Saint-Laurent, March 2, 2008

«Une mini-érablière en plein cœur de Montréal» (.pdf)
La terre de chez nous, April 28, 2005

«Urban maple grove serves up something sweet» (.pdf)
Les Nouvelles de Saint-Laurent, March 20, 2005

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Thank you

The Urban Maple Grove was a unique experience that fostered community involvement and respect of all citizens for the displays and equipment. Éco-Quartier thanks its collaborators of this wonderful adventure:

• The borough of Saint-Laurent
• Le ministère de l’Éducation du Loisir et du Sport du Québec
• LOBLAWS Saint-Laurent, since 2005
• RONA entrepôt, for building a shelter for the evaporator
• Les réchauds Martin
• Les Pétroles Crevier
• Diplomat security agency
• Copie Laser Plus (760 Decarie boulevard)
• L’Association des producteur acéricoles du Québec
• Dominion & Grimm, built material for the maple grove (Anjou)
• Les Sucreries Jetté (la Mirablière) at the botanical gardens
• L’érablière L’Hermine (Havelock, near Hemmingford)
• Le cégep de Saint-Laurent (Intervention en loisir)
• Le Centre d’action bénévole et communautaire Saint-Laurent
• Shell Environmental Fund
• And the many merchants of Décarie boulevard

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