Jacques Aubé sees a bright future for Montreal’s Quartier Latin, and he has the connections to make it happen.
Those with long memories will recall a time when St-Denis St., particularly the area bounded by de Maisonneuve Blvd. and Sherbrooke St., was the cultural hub of the city — when the biggest names on the entertainment front, both franco and anglo, played Théâtre St-Denis. And when restaurants and stores in the area were able to partake in the resulting profits.
Those were the days when our Quartier Latin was something to sing about — when the area wasn’t singing the desolation blues of more recent times.
Certainly contributing to the downturn was the shifting of the cultural scene to the area now known as the Quartier des spectacles, among other spots in the city. Unabated road construction, COVID, and store and restaurant vacancies also took their toll. That part of St-Denis — among others — soon began to empty out. And the Quartier Latin looked like it was on life support, with questions abounding as to whether it could ever be resuscitated.
There is a long way to go, but there is even more hope on the horizon with Wednesday’s announcement that Jacques Aubé, a major player in the city’s cultural scene, has been named the chief executive officer of Espace St-Denis.
There’s no doubt that Aubé has both the cultural cred and the connections.
“It’s going to take a lot of love, but I’m confident we can restore life like it was in the Quartier Latin,” Aubé says in an interview. “I’m in the process of speaking to many on the arts scene about bringing events back to the street.”
“I would compare Espace St-Denis to the old Forum as a monument in the area,” Aubé says. “There has been some incredible talent that has come to Théâtre St-Denis over the years: Bob Dylan, Jon Bon Jovi, Elvis Costello, Ozzy Osbourne.
So, what’s Aubé’s game plan?
On that note, Aubé confirms he’s speaking to ComediHa!, the new JFL owners.
“There have been talks about working with them. Nothing is set yet, because I’m just getting started here. But I really expect we will be opening a lot of doors. I work with everyone, like the Evenko team and other city players. I’ve got plenty of ideas to bring to the table. The goal is to bring Théâtre St-Denis back to life, to bring culture and the economy back to the street. And I’m optimistic about achieving that.
“Give the people what they want and they will come back. It’s really not more complicated than that, and it’s fun to have that opportunity to do that again.”
“We’ve collaborated together in the past and he has the necessary experience and qualifications to take Espace St-Denis to the next level,” says Fogel, who co-produced Lasting Impressions.
“It is vital for the city to restore the glory of the Quartier Latin, and I wish Jacques the best of luck.”