Montreal Wins Skate Canada's Bid for 2020 Worlds

[skategal]

Dear Canadian friends, I'll need your advice in planning, re: access, as things develop.
I don't want to repeat the frustrating nightmare which I experienced in Boston!

You can count on us.

I'm planning a recon trip so I'll keep my eye out for accessibility.

 

[pat c]

Dear Canadian friends, I'll need your advice in planning, re: access, as things develop.
I don't want to repeat the frustrating nightmare which I experienced in Boston!

No worries, ask and we'll try.

 

[barbarafan]

Dear Canadian friends, I'll need your advice in planning, re: access, as things develop.
I don't want to repeat the frustrating nightmare which I experienced in Boston!

I live in Montreal so If I am able to get answers to your questions I would be most pleased to do so.

 

[icie]

Heaven willing, I will be there.

I hope I'm there too & I get to meet you.

 

[DFO]

2020 is far enough to allow you time to learn French, mes amis! Your next post should be in French. In some case, it could be hilarious. I could tanslate...

I'm living close to Montréal and worked for 30 years at the Montréal Botanical Garden. If you have time to do something else than watching skaters, this is a must place if you like flowers. Even if the weather is not nice, there are 10 greenhouses to visit. The Insectarium, just beside, should be during their "Butterflies goes free" exhibits. Thousands of butterflies flying around you. And if you are more attracted to animals, the Biodome is just on the other side of the street. Four ecosystems recreated indoor. The Metro will leave you at one street corner of these muséums.

We are a little early to start discussing access, hotels, food, but if you could deal with the nordic winter climate (and some slushy days in between), Montréal is a place loved by most tourists. BTW, if you are a little insecure, French is usually the first languages used (it's a law) but you will have no problem to be served in English, especially if you take the time to say a few French words. Most, if not all, hotels and restaurants downtown will welcome you with both languages, "Comment puis-je vous aider/How can I help you?"

And no, there is no subway yet near the airport.

 

[Debbie S]

Unfortunately, I don't know any French, but I hope to be there anyway. I've been wanting to visit Montreal but was thinking of it more as a summer destination, lol. Guess I will have to invest in a hat and ski mask (or are the majority of tourist spots accessible by subway and underground walkway?).

 

[Firedancer]

I don't know any French either but I am really hoping to be there too. This would be my first worlds.

 

[kimkom]

I don't speak any French, which is really unusual for someone born and raised in Northern Ontario. I'm not gonna lie, I've put off trips to Montreal because I've heard so many horror stories about refusing to serve customers who don't speak French. Maybe it will be different if they know there is a large event being held with people from all over the world. I can't really put a whole sentence together, but hopefully, I'll get by with the words I do know. The clean words anyway.

 

[el henry]

Actually, it might be easier if you don't speak French....

At one time, as an Anglophone (American) I was fluent in French, and now consider myself semi-fluent. But my few times in Montreal, as much as I love the city, the people, etc., ay yay yay. I thought I knew all about the Quebecois accent, the pronounced nasals, the short "i" sounds, and other differences from the "French" French that I had learned. Tabernak! I could barely muddle my way through, and this was back when I was fluent. I had to talk to my "French" French friends to boost my confidence.

Won't keep me from Worlds

 

[barbarafan]

I don't speak any French, which is really unusual for someone born and raised in Northern Ontario. I'm not gonna lie, I've put off trips to Montreal because I've heard so many horror stories about refusing to serve customers who don't speak French. Maybe it will be different if they know there is a large event being held with people from all over the world. I can't really put a whole sentence together, but hopefully, I'll get by with the words I do know. The clean words anyway.

You will be fine..The english population is huge & it most restaurants hotels etc downtown would ask for serving staff to be blingual as they would be shooting themself in the foot not to. All hospitals, doctors police etc are also functionally bilingual..In my parents generation french was not taught in english schools...I am in my mid-sixties and we had french starting in grade 2 but taught by english people who learned their french from english people...It was really horrible...For my kids we had evolved enough that we were able to find schools with french immersion programs so my kids r fine.

 

[DFO]

Well, I didn't wanted to start a French-English racism post. There are stubborn French people as there are stubborn English people and stubborn people in every other languages. But there are a lot of nice people around the world. Try to avoid the first ones and stick with the later. I always like my US friends trying to speak a little French, but as soon as I discover I'm much better in English than they are in French, I'm switching to English and, if they want to continue practicing their French, that's fine with me. But, sometimes, somebody amaze me with a French so good that I'm comfy that we will have a better understanding in French. C'est la vie!

 

[DFO]

I forgot. Figure skating is an universal language!

 

[barbarafan]

I forgot. Figure skating is an universal language!

ITA......just use your SVP when you r asking for something and merci whenever anyone does something for you and don't forget to smile.

 

[manhn]

Even when I attempt to speak French ("Bonjour! Je m'appelle manhn!"), they will speak in English because of my accent. Really, no concerns, especially in Montreal.

 

[kalamalka]

As barbarafan, DFO, and manhn have said, no one should be afraid of being a unilingual anglophone in Montreal. Other than the sign laws, it's a very bilingual city, and I too usually find that people switch to English as soon as they realize that my French is less than fluent - even though I understand most spoken French and my accent's not that bad. In fact, if you're Canadian, why wait to 2020 to go - it's a wonderful city to visit.

 

[kwanfan1818]

And cable TV in Montreal gets American channels, too. I was there over Canada Day weekend last summer before I took the train across Canada, and I watched the Independence Day fireworks on July 3 from Burlington, Vermont

 

[clairecloutier]

Ziegler/Kiefer just posted that 2020 Europeans will be in Graz, Austria.

Looks like the ISU provisional allotments for championship locations has been released, but I can't get it to load right now.

 

[Miezekatze]

Yeah, the ISU website isn't loading at the moment, but I checked the website of the Austrian federation and they say the event has been given to them , so I guess that counts as official...

I'm considering going to Austria in 2020 (Worlds in Montreal would be cool too, but unfortunately a bit too far away and too expensive).

 

[victorskid]

Ziegler/Kiefer just posted that 2020 Europeans will be in Graz, Austria.

Looks like the ISU provisional allotments for championship locations has been released, but I can't get it to load right now.

ISU website response "Service Unavavailable" but a tweet confirms Montreal Worlds 2020; Graz Euros 2020; Tallinn World Juniors 2020 & Seoul 4CC 2020.

 

[Aceon6]

I'm considering going and my brain still has all of my Quebec vocab if only I could summon it. Maybe a side trip to Piopolis is in order so I can get a copy of my father's birth record.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

I wouldn't be worried about being an English speaker in downtown Montreal! In fact, it is sometimes hard to be first served in French.
Montreal is used to hosting many events which bringing in many foreigners, who come back years after years (Formula One, Jazz festival, etc.) Tourism is a big part of income for Montreal and people do speak English in the main institutions/attractions. In fact 58% of Montrealers speak both languages, and 12% only speak English... so technically, you'll be fine 70% of the time! And the remaining 30% most likely wouldn't get a job downtown...

These numbers would be different has in Quebec City but still... Foreigners got it through all fine at the GPF...

 

[JoannaLouise]

I am sooo excited for this!
For the next ~3 years, I am going to be like a little kid asking "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

 

[TanithandBenFan]

These numbers would be different has in Quebec City but still... Foreigners got it through all fine at the GPF...

Other than the time the parking lot attendant and then the arena usher yelled at us in French, not understanding that we had no clue what they was saying, it was all good at GPF.

 

[canadianskater]

I'm so excited! I already called my skating friend and told her to save her pennies because we were going to Wolds in 2020. Also living in Ottawa, I feel obligated to go to Worlds because Montreal is probably as close as I will be able to get!

 

[skatesindreams]

You can count on us.
I'm planning a recon trip so I'll keep my eye out for accessibility.

No worries, ask and we'll try.

I live in Montreal so If I am able to get answers to your questions I would be most pleased to do so.

I hope I'm there too & I get to meet you.

Thank you all.
skategal, I'll look forward to your report.
I assume that I'll be staying in one of the major hotels.

 

[Lara]

It's actually unfortunate for my own skills how little French I need to speak.

The core downtown area where the Bell Centre's located is very Anglophone so as others said, I wouldn't worry about not being understood at stores/restaurants/hotels. If you're polite and obviously a tourist you shouldn't be given a hard time (assuming you're not unlucky to come across a jerk). And I can make a post with the most useful words to know once we're closer to the event.

 

[mposl]

I have always wanted to visit as it seems like a beautiful place so I think I'm going to start saving my pennies. After attending Worlds in Boston I have been hoping it would return somewhere reasonably close to me so I could attend again.

 

[pat c]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-jacques-cartier-bridge-375-live-2017-1.4119720

interesting

 

[4rkidz]

I love the bridge An blue seems fitting. Don't blame the residents complaining about the costs, but that aside looks fabulous

 

[lexeoe]

per this file:
http://static.isu.org/media/518363/wc20_bids_summary_web.pdf

looks like Montreal 2020 will be utilizing the Sheraton, Fairmont and Marriott Chateau Champlain