At Empire, we care about our local skate scene. This is why we’re happy to say that four years after its official legalization, skateboarding at Montreal’s Peace Park is still bringing waves of positive energy in the Quartier des Spectacles, to the point where there’s talk of renovating the place according to the skater needs.

One july afternoon at Peace Park

An amateur photographer takes random pictures, a hurried worker runs across the park in his brand new suit, young people enjoy the day on shaded bleachers, tourists come and go, amazed as they see a bunch of skateboarders easily executing tricks on the smooth granite platforms of the park.

Policemen patrolling on their bicycles stop near the skaters, but only to say hello. We no longer notice the drug addicts doing their thing in a corner or the alcoholics looking for a fight in another. There's no doubt, since skateboarding got legalized at Peace Park, the place is burgeoning with life.

Sitting on the forest green granite block surrounding the park, skaters discuss about the two policemen who had just left on their bikes. Even after four years of legalization, it is still unusual for a skateboarder to be treated nicely by the authorities. After so many years of illegal practice, most people who have been going to Peace Park on a regular basis before the legalization are still shivering with stress when a man or woman in uniform is in sight.

" Have a nice day ", yells one of the skaters to the leaving policemen. It’s David Boots, director of the shock documentary Peace Park and the guy who made skateboarding legal at said place. Basically, if the cops left the park without giving tickets to anyone, it’s because of him. According to Boots, who still skates the park on a daily basis, what we just witnessed is a prime example of a huge progress regarding the urban development of major cities like Montreal.

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It’s with this particular vision that David Boots accomplished his goal of transforming Peace Park. Once a hostile zone, torn by major conflicts between the inhabitants of the neighborhood, the building owners, the police and the various groups of misfits who frequent the park, which we were once part of, Peace Park is now a place where skaters can be part of the actual community.

A huge progress regarding the urban development of major cities like Montreal.

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

After witnessing young skaters performing a few impressive maneuvers, we sat down and kept talking...

How do you convince a guy like Denis Coderre to legalise skating at a public park like Peace ?

 Skating’s legalization at Peace Park was the result of a long process that started in 2004 and took 10 year to accomplish. The SAT moved in next to the park in 2002 and immediately noticed the problems we were having with the city. They saw how the skaters brought a positive energy and balance to the park and offered to help me legalize. It finally happened in 2013, right after the release of my documentary.

 The Peace Park movie depicted how the park became the heart and soul of skateboarding in Montreal, and the "For the People" premiere, which was a full on event and skateboard contest helped too. The premiere was and still is the most successful event in the park the city had ever seen. These two factors really helped change the city’s attitudes towards skateboarding in the park.

The " For the People " premiere was and still is the most successful event in the history of the park

David Boots

With the support of the SAT, who have been working to animate the park in various ways since 2006, I went to a council meeting in 2014 to speak with Denis Coderre and to present a pilot project that was about legalizing skateboarding in the Park, but only for the summer. After organising several events that animated the parc and demonstrated the positive impact of skateboarding in the Quartier des Spectacles neighborhood, the project was officially accepted.

Is the mayor Still happy with the project ?

When Mr. Coderre officially legalized skateboarding in the park after the pilot project, he said: " It’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve made (...) It’s part of the solution concerning the park’s problems, and it’s one of the nicest projects I’ve seen. " We are now four years later and it's still legal to skate there so I imagine he's still happy about it.

It’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal

 Other than skating, what changed at Peace since the legalization ?

 Let's see. No one hangs out there anymore but skaters. No alcoholics, homeless or street folks. There are no drugs being sold at all either, which is very good. The things you don't see that have changed the most is the way that the skaters are being taken into consideration by the city.

What's next for Peace park ? Any projects, remodeling, videos, etc.?

Peace Park is deteriorating and it is only a question of time before the city will renovate it. To ensure that Peace Park retains its essence, and that skateboarding will remain legal in the park, the SAT, myself, and the renowned architectural firm Rayside Labossière are proactively working on a proposal for the city to renovate the place.

It’s only a question of time before the city renovates the park

The best way to convince the city to renovate the park and keep it skateable is by holding the weekly Skate Jams and the Rollout. Those skate jams show that the skateboard community is consistently present and bringing positive energy in the Quartier des Spectacles and the Rollout is that once a year event where the SPVM and the skateboard community renew their commitment to collaborate and work together. Until the park gets fixed, it is imperative that we continue to animate the park with skateboarding and skate events to ensure skateboarding keeps its claim to the park.

To never miss out on the action taking place at Peace Park every day, follow @Peaceparkmtl on Instagram and visit peacepark.com !