The Montréal Botanical Garden designated a National Historic Site of Canada
Montréal, May 29, 2008 – Everyone is smiling at the Montréal Botanical Garden, the oldest of Montréal's Nature Museums, for it has just been designated a National Historic Site of Canada by the Honourable John Baird, federal Minister of the Environment. Brother Marie-Victorin, the Botanical Garden's founder, was in fact named a National Historic Person in 1987 by the federal government.
Francine Senécal, Vice-Chair of the city of Montréal Executive Committee and member responsible for sports and recreation and Montréal's Nature Museums, welcomed this excellent news: "This recognition of the Montréal Botanical Garden's national historic significance reminds us how lucky we are to enjoy such a vast and magnificent garden in the heart of our city. The Garden is unquestionably one of the major symbols of Montréal's history, traditions and culture, yesterday, today and tomorrow."
The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada cited three main reasons for recommending that the Garden be designated a National Historic Site of Canada:
· the extent of its collections and facilities, making it one of the world's leading botanical gardens, with 22,000plant species and cultivars, some thirty thematic gardens – including the Rose Garden, ten large exhibition greenhouses, the Chinese Garden, the Japanese Garden and the First Nations Garden, not to mention its immense arboretum;
· the evolution of the Botanical Garden, and the way it has remained faithful to its founders' vision, as an "ideal botanical garden" with superb esthetic qualities, a scientific vocation and educational and social functions. Its multifaceted growth has been in line with the vision of Brother Marie-Victorin, the driving force behind this ambitious project, and Henry Teuscher, the landscape architect who drew up its plans;
· the wealth and diversity of its collections, used for research, conservation, display and education – the cornerstone on which any botanical garden's scientific and educational mission is built.
Gilles Vincent, Director of the Montréal Botanical Garden, who worked hard with his team to support this candidacy, is also delighted at this great distinction. "It is a very significant designation for the Botanical Garden, since it recognizes all the work done throughout the site over more than 75 years. I am thinking of the gardens, greenhouses and Arboretum, as well as the many scientific activities for the public and the research that all have contributed to making the Botanical Garden what it is today. Over the years the Garden has become more and more beautiful and diversified, so that our visitors can not only explore the world of plants, but also learn about different human cultures!"
The honour will be recognized with a commemorative plaque on the Botanical Garden site. In the meantime, Montrealers are invited to come and enjoy this exquisite and unique historic site even more often!
May 29, 2008
Posted in: Canada