City people fleeing town: Journal
The Journal says Montrealers are fleeing the city and claims that few people were seen in the city’s parks over the weekend. I haven’t set foot in Jarry Park since the crowded weekends a month ago – can this be true? How many of us have chalets in the country?
walkerp 09:29 on 2020-07-06 Permalink
Maybe only the parks in Outremont and Westmount were less crowded. I was down on the canal on Saturday night and it wasn’t jam-packed, but definitely lots of people out on the benches and lawns.
mare 09:43 on 2020-07-06 Permalink
Our neighborhood park was pretty quiet this weekend, after being jam packed since all this tarted, even on colder days. Camp sites and hotels are open, so maybe people are enjoying their well-earned vacation now the pandemic is over and everything is open again.
And a *lot* of people have family cottages, or at least know people that have one. Even I know people who have one and stay there, but I don’t see them very often, and I wouldn’t want to stay with friends who think it’s a good idea to have lots of friends staying over.
A day trip with some social distanced swimming is probably a good stress relief though.
Kevin 10:44 on 2020-07-06 Permalink
The parks in NDG that I passed since St. Jean have had far fewer people than is normal. Even the splash pads.
Just about everyone I know who has a cottage/chalet/investment property has been staying there if their job allows them to work remotely — or if they were laid off. I’ve got neighbours who have only seen their tenants 2 or 3 times since March.
Dominic 14:09 on 2020-07-06 Permalink
I would say also that a lot of people are doing backyard BBQs if they can, especially in the West Island, and 450. I know I’ve spent a lot of time in backyard patios and pools in the past few weeks. Traffic is still pretty light getting in and out of the city.
Vazken 15:03 on 2020-07-06 Permalink
I biked through Jarry Park on Saturday and let me tell you, it was PACKED. Not like sardines but there was a LOT of people, congregating in large groups as well.
I passed by to see how the pool was doing and then noped out of there when I saw the crowds.
GC 17:19 on 2020-07-06 Permalink
From the circle of people I know, there are definitely more backyard BBQs going on. As well as people who own chalets inviting others over to those backyards.
I also know a lot of people who have left on short vacations to other parts of Quebec or even Ontario.
Dhomas 07:40 on 2020-07-07 Permalink
I’m currently writing this comment from the campground in Oka. This place is packed. Most spots are booked through September here. The website actually had a waiting room so as to only allow a certain amount of people on it at a time, due to the high demand.