Transition Montreal denounces demolition of La Ronde’s La Spirale

Transition Montreal mayoral candidate Craig Sauve wants La Spirale saved from demolition and more of the city's heritage protected.

Transition Montréal leader and mayoral candidate Craig Sauvé is condemning the planned demolition of La Spirale, one of La Ronde’s iconic towers, calling it another sign of the city’s failure to protect its collective heritage.

In a statement released Thursday, Sauvé said the dismantling of La Spirale, which follows the loss of other Expo 67-era attractions like the Pitoune and the Monorail, represents a broader problem of “silent privatization” of Montreal’s landmarks.

La Spirale, a rotating 360-degree glass observation tower built for Expo 67, has long been one of La Ronde’s signature attractions, offering panoramic views of Montreal and the Saint Lawrence River.

It now faces demolition beginning in November after years of inactivity and maintenance issues.

“We are witnessing a veritable privatization of our collective memory,” Sauvé said. “Symbolic places such as La Ronde, our churches, our municipal buildings and our historic buildings are being abandoned or left to speculation.”

La Ronde, which was built with public funds for Expo 67, was sold to American amusement park operator Six Flags in 2001 under a lease that runs until 2065.

Another of its attractions includes the Galopant carousel, the oldest wooden carousel in North America, which was built in 1885 and donated to the City of Montreal as part of Expo 67.

Heritage sites at risk, says Sauvé

Sauvé accused the Projet Montréal administration of neglecting the city’s heritage commitments, pointing to the Jean-Drapeau Park Master Plan, billed as a flagship project but which has now largely been shelved.

He also criticized the city’s support for a hotel project on Île Notre-Dame, which he said contradicts promises to protect the park’s cultural and natural heritage.

Transition Montréal highlighted several other heritage sites at risk, including:

• The former The Baie department store downtown
• Saint-Clément Church in Viauville
• Cadieux Forge, which was partly destroyed by fire in 2024
• The Royal Victoria Hospital, including its swimming pool
• The Chinatown historic core
• Place des Nations and the Biosphere, whose funding is set to run out within six months

Sauvé said his party will make heritage protection a key part of its platform ahead of the 2025 municipal election.

Proposals include restoring the city’s remaining Camiliennes (1930s-era underground public toilets), converting the Berri substation into a public art venue and adopting a citizen-led heritage policy.

“Heritage is not a relic of the past. It is a project for the future,” Sauvé said. “We refuse to let Montreal lose its soul to oblivion or speculation.”

Ensemble Montreal promises to listen to experts

Ensemble Montreal also criticized the Plante administration on the issue.

“Unfortunately, the current administration does not consult with experts in the field, namely the Heritage Council, which reports to the City Executive Committee,” said press officer Félix Lacerte-Gauthier in an e-mail to CTV News.

“Once in power, we will listen to the recommendations of experts such as those from the Heritage Council.”