With the Governor General of Canada in attendance - The Old Port ends the year in style with new lighting for the Clock Tower and a major national award for the virtual exhibition Action Stations!

MONTREAL, Dec. 14, 2011 /CNW Telbec/ - Starting today, Montrealers and visitors to the Quays of the Old Port of Montréal and surrounding area will be able to marvel at the new nighttime look of the Clock Tower, thanks to innovative architectural lighting designed in collaboration with Éclairage Public, Groupe IBI-CHBA et EXP Conception. As His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, pulled the rope to ring the bell, the Tower was lit up in all its splendour. One of the city's iconic symbols, the Clock Tower is now equipped with exceptional lighting that showcases the architectural details of this remarkable Beaux Arts-style monument, a tribute to the sailors of the Merchant Marine who were lost at sea during the world wars.

"We are so proud to see this symbol of our history etched against Montréal's night sky and reflected on the waters of the St. Lawrence. The Clock Tower's new lighting provides a unique opportunity for all Montrealers to rediscover this architectural treasure, which can be seen from Amherst Street, the Jacques Cartier bridge and from almost anywhere along de la Commune Street. The Clock Tower is one of those indelible images of Montréal that leaves a lasting impression on everyone who sees it," said Mme Claude Benoit, president and CEO of the Old Port of Montréal Corporation.

The new lighting coincides with another event related to the life of the Port during World War Two: the virtual exhibition Action Stations! Life at the Old Port of Montréal, 1939-1945, created by the Montréal Science Centre. This exhibition was honoured with the 2011-2012 History Alive! Award of Excellence for History in Museums, presented by the Canadian Museums Association and Canada's History.

The award was presented on December 12 at Rideau Hall by the Governor General of Canada. The exhibition was unanimously chosen by the jury for its innovative approach, the diversity of resources used and its original presentation of history.

"We're especially proud of this honour since it recognizes our teams' creativity in interpreting our heritage," said Mme Benoit. "Through the use of digital technologies, this exhibition highlights the historical importance of the Old Port of Montréal in positioning Montréal in Canada's war effort."

About Action Stations!
The result of extensive archival research, the virtual exhibition Action Stations! takes visitors back to a place and time in our history: the port of Montréal during the Second World War. Through the eyes of nine fictional characters, the exhibition looks at activities in the Port, mobilizing the war effort, supplying the Allies, the presence of submarines in the Gulf and the St. Lawrence River, escorting convoys, naval battles, the threat of spies, shipbuilding and what life was like for sailors in Montréal.

Action Stations! can be visited online free of charge at the Quays of the old Port website, www.quaisduvieuxport.com/patrimoine.html.

About the Clock Tower
The Clock tower was built between 1919 and 1922 under the authority of Montréal's Harbour Commissioners, acting on an idea proposed by a group of citizens to erect a monument in honour of the members of the Merchant Marine lost at sea during the First World War. An inscription was later added in memory of the seamen lost in the Second World War. Its clock mechanism, manufactured in England by Gillett and Johnston, is a replica of London's Big Ben. With its powerful light, the tower also served as a lighthouse to guide ships entering the port. Originally, it also served to conceal the sheds that lined the quays.

About the Old Port of Montréal Corporation
A government corporation established in November 1981, the Old Port of Montréal Corporation manages the Quays of the Old Port of Montréal and the Montréal Science Centre. The Corporation plays an active role in Montréal's economic development, offering recreational and tourist products and services that are innovative and unique in the industry.

Image with caption: "The Old Port of Montréal ends the year in style with new lighting for the Clock Tower, city's iconic symbol. On the picture: His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, Mrs Claude Benoit, President and CEO of the Old Port of Montréal Corporation (CNW Group/OLD PORT OF MONTREAL CORPORATION)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111214_C6794_PHOTO_EN_8256.jpg

For further information:

Source: Old Port of Montréal Corporation
Information:
Julie Mailhot
514-283-8085
[e-mail]