Page 51 - Designing Ways 264
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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




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