Metaphory (2001)

The former Palace cinema on Rue Sainte-Catherine was supposed to be the site of a new type of multimedia entertainment centre that would later conquer the world. But repeated delivery delays, the mediocre quality of the Océania multimedia show presented there and the high ticket prices quickly put an end to the adventure. The Métaphoria centre, which also included video game rooms, a climbing wall and a café, was closed a few months after it opened, swallowing up 24 million US dollars in public money in the process.

The Village of Émilie (1991-1998)

Quebecers loved “Caleb’s Daughters” so much that tens of thousands of them visited a reconstruction of the village of Émilie after the television series was broadcast. But the love story between the “beautiful mist” of Ovila and the Quebecois lost its intensity over the years. Visitors quickly became rarer. The village closed its doors in 1998 after welcoming more than 400,000 fans over the course of the season. In 2002, the entire property on the site was auctioned off and the remaining sets were demolished. A sad end for this tourist attraction near Grand-Mère.

Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions of Quebec (1996-1999)

Museums often struggle to attract crowds, especially when the exhibitions are frankly boring and static. This was the case with this museum in Trois-Rivières, which opened in 1996 but was already drowning in debt less than two years later. The deficit was so large that in 1999 the Quebec government put the museum’s operations on hold to find a new purpose for it. In 2003, the institution finally reopened with a new concept and a new name, the Musée québécois de culture populaire, a reincarnation that was much more successful.

Grey Rocks (1906-2009)

Founded in 1906 on the shores of Lake Ouimet, near Mont Tremblant, Gray Rock is considered the first resort in the Laurentians. Americans once flocked there to slide down the mountain’s small slopes and take lessons at the ski school, one of the most prestigious in North America. However, due to a lack of investment, the station and inn are gradually falling into disuse, so its closure in spring 2009 came as no surprise to anyone.

Belmont Park (1923–1983)

Located in Cartierville, northwest of Montreal, this amusement park has left its mark on several generations of Montrealers. It seems that everyone over 35 has had unforgettable moments on the rides with unbelievable names like the Pirouette, the Magic Carpet and the Traban, not to mention the incredible haunted house. However, this magical place did not survive competition from La Ronde, the increase in its property taxes and an incident in 1979 in which two children were injured on a carousel, which tarnished the place’s reputation. Thousands of people are still in mourning.

Planet Hollywood (1998–2001)

Several Hollywood stars arrive in Montreal for the opening of this downtown restaurant. On McGill College Avenue, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Cindy Crawford and Dennis Rodman (does anyone remember him?) parade on the red carpet in front of a cheering crowd. But the day after the party, it becomes clear to everyone that this chain, whose decor is made up of cinema artifacts, only sells ordinary burgers at unusual prices. Few restaurant critics mourned his death.