Elevator music

We had heard of a Heritage Montreal tour of the grain silo complex in the old port, called Silo #5, so on Sunday, we headed down there to see what it was all about.  The first part (rusty, middle-right) was built in 1905, out of steel, and additional sections built in concrete, the most recent in 1959.  It's usefulness started to decline in the '80s, and by '94, it was shut down completely.  They're now trying to come up with creative ideas of how to re-use the place.

The silo sits on a pier built of wooden caissons infilled with earth excavated during the building of the Lachine canal.

This is the oldest part, built of riveted steel, forming square grain bins.

Some of the conveyors used to load & unload ships, and to transport the grain to flour mills and breweries further along the pier.

Some of the equipment inside the old part.

An interesting art installation - they've got speakers and microphones inside one of the concrete silos, and if you call the phone number (514) 844-5555, and speak, the result can be heard when standing at the base of the silo, as well as on the website (www.silophone.net), and at a set of speakers across the water in the public part of the old port.

I love translated signage - what exactly would constitute "lively flames"?

Before the tour, we visited the old port, and just happened upon a military band and a bunch of soldiers marching through!

Cirque du Soleil has their traveling show set up on one of the piers.

And on the way home, we stopped by my favorite old lunching spot. 

Hard to believe that this adventure will be over in a week from now!!