Comments on: Bony City http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2006/10/10/bony-city/ Exploring urban life through word and photography Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:14:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Owen Rose http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2006/10/10/bony-city/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Owen Rose Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:31:46 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2006/10/10/bony-city/#comment-44 I believe that stone fell out of favour mainly because of the high up-front cost of purchasing and installing it. Over the last 50 years, Montréal has been awash in crumbling concrete and warped asphalt. At one point, I heard that stone was too difficult for our Montréal winters. Having visited the Scandinavian capitals, where it also snows, I see that this argument doesn't hold up; therefore, the main reason is still budget. The Quartier international (QIM) and other projects are thankfully beginning to put stones and pedestrians back into favour. What's old is new again. I believe that stone fell out of favour mainly because of the high up-front cost of purchasing and installing it. Over the last 50 years, Montréal has been awash in crumbling concrete and warped asphalt. At one point, I heard that stone was too difficult for our Montréal winters. Having visited the Scandinavian capitals, where it also snows, I see that this argument doesn’t hold up; therefore, the main reason is still budget. The Quartier international (QIM) and other projects are thankfully beginning to put stones and pedestrians back into favour. What’s old is new again.

]]> By: Christopher DeWolf http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2006/10/10/bony-city/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Christopher DeWolf Thu, 12 Oct 2006 16:49:51 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2006/10/10/bony-city/#comment-43 Fascinating, Owen. I remember looking in awe at the quality of the masonry in Brooklyn brownstones. Stone really fell out of favour in North America sometime in the 20th century, not only for use in buildings but for use on the ground, too. Any idea why? Montreal is a perfect example. Park walkways made of cheap asphalt, sidewalks made of cement. Neither of these are very durable so of course with our winters they require constant maintenance and are in generally poor condition. We seem to have passed a turning point, though. All of the new squares and sidewalks in the Quartier international are made of stone; the sidewalks at the new Pine/Park intersection and on newly-refurbished Bernard Street have solid granite curbs. Fascinating, Owen. I remember looking in awe at the quality of the masonry in Brooklyn brownstones.

Stone really fell out of favour in North America sometime in the 20th century, not only for use in buildings but for use on the ground, too. Any idea why? Montreal is a perfect example. Park walkways made of cheap asphalt, sidewalks made of cement. Neither of these are very durable so of course with our winters they require constant maintenance and are in generally poor condition.

We seem to have passed a turning point, though. All of the new squares and sidewalks in the Quartier international are made of stone; the sidewalks at the new Pine/Park intersection and on newly-refurbished Bernard Street have solid granite curbs.

]]>