BND '09: Stop the Disneyfication of the Main!
Buy Nothing Day is a global rejection of consumer culture. We find it important to stop the corporate takeover of our historic neighborhoods and streets and our small independent cultural zomes and local businesses before consumerism has a chance to take root. This is why, on this Buy Nothing Day, we have chosen to take a stand against the planned Disneyfication of the Main.
St-Laurent Boulevard is the cultural nexus of Montreal. It is a place where cultures have met for over a century. It is the central street in a community of artists. It was even given histoircal status by Parks Canada in the late 90s.
That hasn't stopped developer Angus from planning to demolish a section of the street where independent artists perform and thrive in order to construct an office tower. It also hasn't stopped a city government from allowing and even forcing the developer's project to continue.
We have seen this before. New York City under Giuliani saw Times Square turned into a corporate Disneyfied wasteland while independent and smaller businesses and artists were pushed to the side. This cannot happen in Montreal!
Therefore, in solidarity with the artists striving to protect the Main from corporate interests and in hopes of changing the public discourse to one where Disneyfication is no longer an option, we will be taking our theatre into the belly of the beast and culture-jamming the Angus Development Corporation.
To get involved, please contact bnd@optative.net
For more on the story, please check out:
background:
latest:
http://www.forgetthebox.net/blog/?p=1235
appeal to Prince Charles, heritage buff:
Developer's shady past:
http://www.forgetthebox.net/blog/?p=1080
Although OTL is a separate entity and acting on its own, we fully support the efforts of the Coalition to Save The Main.