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Re: “After years of development, luxury Royalmount mall set to open Thursday” (The Gazette, Sept. 3)

Amid much fanfare, the first phase of the Royalmount development is opening. Despite complaints that the complex will draw shoppers away from downtown, Royalmount will give Montrealers shopping options that the downtown core can no longer offer.

Under the current city administration, downtown Montreal is a sad shell of what it once was. Endless and unco-ordinated construction, detours everywhere, restricted parking access and ridiculous parking meter hours have all contributed to driving Montrealers away from downtown, where it is no longer fun to shop, eat or simply stroll around.

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Mayor Valérie Plante and her administration should acknowledge once and for all that orange cones and bike paths do not attract shoppers and fun-seekers. Until the situation gets resolved, I expect downtown will continue its decline.

Allen Rubin, Westmount

Park’s makeover could note history

Re: “Montreal to invest $27 million to revamp Jeanne-Mance Park by 2026” (The Gazette, Sept. 2)

Hopefully Montreal’s new plans for Jeanne-Mance Park will include interesting information on the history of the park and its surrounding area. Formerly known as Fletcher’s Field, it was a favourite meeting place and green space for immigrants, including Holocaust survivors, in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Next to the park, many gather on Sundays around the Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument for the Tam-Tams — the drumbeats, the dancing, food and good vibes. And what about the nearby Mordecai Richler gazebo, with its history of music and speeches?

Shloime Perel, Côte-St-Luc

A surefire test for historic anglos

Re: “Prove you’re a ‘historic anglo’ by taking this quiz” (Josh Freed, Aug. 31)

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Could the makers of Chez Hélène, The Friendly Giant and even wacky Johnny Jellybean have imagined their Montreal kiddie audiences of the 1960s would cite these TV shows as proof of “historic” anglo status in 2024? Well, judging from reader comments on Josh Freed’s column, having watched those shows certainly qualifies you as a historic anglo, and thus eligible for medical service in English.

But there are other means of testing. For instance, did you and your mom hit the long-defunct garment-district factories on a Saturday morning for fabulous discounts while everyone else paid retail? If so, that’s proof of being a historic anglo.

And there’s a surefire question that reveals lifelong membership in the anglo tribe: What was the hot, portable snack with the tantalizing aroma sold in Eaton’s department store on Ste-Catherine St. back in the day of Johnny Jellybean? Hint: The answer is bilingual and has to do with a popular condiment.

If “le chien-chaud Dippy Dog” rings a bell, well, your right to medical services in English must be guaranteed. In fact, the Dippy Dog — a coated hot dog harpooned on a stick for dunking in mustard — should become the anglo community’s mascot, an example of good things coexisting.

Dorothy Lipovenko, Westmount

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