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Jacques Primeau, General Manager, MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE with some members of his team
Photo credit: Benoit Rousseau for MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE
it required extraordinary involvement from the Skating Loop attracted an impressive popularity of the project was evident as
both creators and craftspeople.” number of skaters in 2022: between 250 soon as it was announced; it generated
- Jacques Primeau, Chief Executive and 300 people per hour took advantage 153 times more traffic than usual on the
Officer, Montréal en Lumière of this unique winter experience. Festival's social networks.
But the technical challenges were Completely reimagined and
Brilliantly met technical challenges brilliantly met by the Montréal en Lumière exhilarating, this multimedia installation
Bringing a project as elaborate and team and its supplier, Échafauds Plus, all illuminates the city centre in the middle
audacious as the Skating Loop to life in the name of making Place des Festivals of winter, enabling citizens to reclaim
presented its share of challenges. The a winter gathering place that would be as public space. It also forms part of the
team wanted the installation, which welcoming as it is magical. The creative social mission of Montréal en Lumière,
would occupy the entire Place des thinking, incessant calculations, and great which endeavors to ensure that the
Festivals, to have a positive visual impact, ingenuity of the teams involved made this site is accessible to as many people
not only for skaters on the ice, but also aerial structure with an immersive visual as possible through hundreds of free
for people admiring it from outside the and sound experience possible. With this activities, including skate rentals offered
rink. The design of this impressive aerial project, the experience of the traditional on site by CCM, so that everyone can
structure had to also support the weight skate trail has literally been taken to the indulge in a unique Montreal experience.
of bystanders, as well as four inches next level.
of ice, coolant…and an 8,300-pound Success at every turn And that's just the beginning. This year,
Zamboni! Additionally, the ice would In 2022, nearly 25,000 skaters enjoyed the Skating Loop is one of the flagship
require frequent resurfacing, given that the magical Skating Loop experience. The activities of the 2023 edition of the
dw • Issue 264 51

