The Ring, a true Montréal icon
The revitalization of downtown Montréal was given a boost in June 2022 with the installation of The Ring, a 30-meter wide steel circle suspended above Esplanade Place Ville Marie. By returning the site to its original vocation as a gathering place in the central business district – and conceived as a means to add to the city’s vibrancy, spirit and resilience – The Ring is a shining example of the shared connection between Montréal, its citizens, and its visitors.
In a touch of Montréal flair, The Ring’s evening illumination (active since September 2022) mirrors that of the Mount Royal Cross, an unmistakable symbol of the city’s landscape, while simultaneously symbolizing the historic bond of the built heritage along an important axis in Montréal’s downtown core – one that serves as a window to more than 200 years of history, linking the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel and Esplanade PVM to McGill University, the former Royal Victoria Hospital, and Mount Royal.
Looking to the future, The Ring will also cast light upon the sustainable projects coming to McGill College Avenue, including the development of the REM’s McGill Station and a sprawling urban oasis, Place Oscar-Peterson, over the next few years.
This bold and visionary art installation was the final piece of the five-year, $200 million revitalization project of Place Ville Marie that saw the complete redesign of its Esplanade, as well as the opening of gourmet food hall Le Cathcart. The Ring took nearly two years to complete, involving a multidisciplinary team of talented individuals from both Montréal and Trois-Rivières that collaborated closely to create a symbolic structure in the heart of Québec’s largest metropolis.
Designed by award-winning landscape architects Claude Cormier + Associés, The Ring is one of the latest project from the same team behind other impressive urban renewal projects in Montréal such as the Pink Balls and 18 Shades of Gay in The Village, the Clock Tower Beach in the Old Port of Montreal, the stairs and fountain at the northern end of Dorchester Square, and the Lipstick Forest inside the Palais des congrès.
Financial assistance for the project came from Tourisme Montréal’s Fonds de maintien des actifs stratégiques en tourisme (FMAST) as well as from the Government of Quebec and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.
Daniel Bromberg
As a proud native of Montreal, Daniel channels his education in history and his work as a tour guide, writer, and photographer to share his love affair with the city. His passions include the local street art scene, sipping an allongé at a local cafe, discovering new green alleys, biking, and reading at home.