Place Émilie-Gamelin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Place Émilie-Gamelin |
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Outdoor chess at Place Émilie-Gamelin.
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| Type | Town square |
| Location | Quartier Latin, Ville-Marie Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Created | May 17, 1992 |
| Operated by | City of Montreal |
| Status | Open all year |
| Public transit access | Berri-UQAM (Montreal Metro) |
| Website | https://jardinsgamelin.com/en/home |
Place Émilie-Gamelin (also known as Berri Square) is a lively public square in the heart of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was created in 1992 to celebrate Montreal's 350th birthday. The square is surrounded by busy streets like Berri Street and Sainte Catherine Street. It's also right next to important places like the Berri-UQAM Metro Station, the Université du Québec à Montréal, and the Grande Bibliothèque du Québec (a big library).
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History of Place Émilie-Gamelin
This square is named after Émilie Gamelin, a kind nun from the Roman Catholic faith. She founded a religious group called the Sisters of Providence.
Émilie Gamelin and her sisters were famous for helping people in need. They ran a "soup kitchen" called l'Œuvre de la Soupe. This kitchen provided warm meals to people in Montreal who didn't have homes or enough food.
Their original building, the Asile of Providence, was taken down on August 14, 1963. This was done to make way for the construction of the Montreal Metro system. Once the metro station was finished, its roof became the new public space. It was first called Berri Square. Because of its history of helping people, for a long time, many people who didn't have homes often gathered in this square.
Art and Sculptures at the Square
Place Émilie-Gamelin features interesting artworks that you can explore.
Skyscraper, Waterfall, Roads, Brooks... a Construction
At the north end of the square, you'll find a large metal sculpture. It's called Skyscraper, Waterfall, Roads, Brooks... a Construction. This unique piece was created by the artist Melvin Charney.
Mother Émilie Gamelin Statue
Inside the metro entrance on the southwest side of the park, there's a bronze statue. It honors Émilie Gamelin and is called Mère Émilie Gamelin (Mother Émilie Gamelin).
This statue is 1.9 meters tall. It was made by sculptor Raoul Hunter in 1999. It was officially shown to the public on May 25, 2000. This date marked 200 years since Émilie Gamelin was born. It also celebrated the renovation of the metro entrance kiosk.
The statue shows Émilie Gamelin with her right hand reaching out. This symbolizes her helping people in need. Many people shake her hand for fun, which has made the bronze on her hand slowly fade. The City of Montreal owns this special statue.
Images for kids
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Memorial in park to Émilie Gamelin.
