AngeNeige

It all started when Francis saw someone taking a picture of the murals at Ange Neige about two months ago. Often we see tourists stopping to admire and take pictures of the mural above the front door of the Angel looking over a balcony and the dancing angels mural on the side wall that has been there since 2002. The dancing angels were commissioned and painted by a graffiti artist so as to overcome the problem of graffiti on the side wall it was suggested by the city of Montreal Graffiti Clean-Up Department to overcome the problem because it would take them months before they could come and do the work to clean up the graffiti.

Back to the photographer, I didn’t see the person though somehow felt something curious stirring in me. I thought no more of it and then about 10 days later a registered letter arrived. After signing for the letter I opened it and it appeared to be from the city of Montreal something about not having a permit for the signs. Please get in contact with them before 10 days or I will be fined!!! Okay, so I phoned the Plateau office of the city and the Inspector translated the letter for me so I could be 100% clear as to what it is they wanted. He said I should come to their offices and meet with a préposé. Which, of coarse, I did the following Tuesday during a snow storm only to be informed that the signs, which originally in 1997 when I first went to this same office for a permit and was told if the store name isn’t on it is a mural and no permit was required now was a sign and much too big. I had to go back and measure the both murals which they are now calling signs because they have angels in them and I sell angels. If the murals were of dogs it would be no problem. They’d be murals. I asked what was the law in 1997 when I went into business and the question was passed over but now they were going to see about a grandfather clause from three years ago and instead of 1/4 of the one sign I could keep 1/2 of one of the signs and not the other and pay them $150 one time for a permit. I was to decide what I wanted to do and have the work completed by March 30th. I was so frustrated and pleaded my case and was told that now by April 30th the mural above the door has to be down and the wall where the dancing angels are if I remove the wings and the rays from the background and paint it a solid color can stay without a permit and no fees because it is now a mural.

So, would you be frustrated? Games people play. It will be a new look for Ange Neige. Our city looks for tourism by advertising Le Plateau Mont-Royal “originality on every street corner and a smile on every face. Welcome to the “hippest” neighbourhood of North America’s most bicycle-friendly city!” Now they want to take away some of its charm!