MONTREAL, Sept. 20, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - This morning, Alan DeSousa, Vice-Chair of the Montréal Executive Committee and Member responsible for sustainable development, the environment and parks, along with Charles-Mathieu Brunelle, Executive Director of the Space for Life, unveiled the preliminary concept for an innovative mobile restaurant-bus at the Space for Life. They were joined for the occasion by representatives of the project partners, i.e. Michel Labrecque, Chair of the Board of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), Michel Parent, President of the Syndicat des cols bleus regroupés de Montréal, and Louis Marquis, Secretary General of the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS).
The converted former STM bus, as developed with eco-design firm Mouvement créatif, will encourage green energy choices, serve healthy and imaginative fare incorporating food plants, and offer a fun, relaxing experience for visitors. "This restaurant-bus initiative is a great contribution to sustainable development. By recovering and reusing equipment, supporting the clean tech sector and promoting the need to preserve biodiversity, it fits in perfectly with the city's efforts on behalf of the Montréal community," said Mr. DeSousa.
"The Resto-bus is the fruit of bold and unique collaboration between the Space for Life and the STM, the Syndicat regroupé des cols bleus de Montréal and the ÉTS. Thanks to the know-how and expertise of these highly committed partners, the Resto-bus will offer visitors a mobile, green, original and inspiring eating experience," added Mr. Brunelle. The Resto-bus will travel around the Space for Life site starting in May 2013, to help meet the demand from the more than 700,000 additional visitors expected with the opening of the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium and the International Mosaiculture exhibition at the Botanical Garden. The completely redesigned bus will have room for about fifty people inside, on its rooftop terrace and in its outdoor "picnic" area.
Getting closer to nature … through food
The Resto-bus promises a refreshing break for families who come to spend a whole day exploring the Montréal Biodôme, Botanical Garden, Insectarium and Planetarium. The menu will offer a wide variety of dishes featuring mainly local ingredients. The food will also reflect the different institutions' themes: imagine, if you will, a salad topped with crunchy insects (did you know that entomophagy is one of the solutions envisaged to help reduce world hunger and biodiversity loss?) or edible flowers!
A bold and fruitful partnership
The idea of a mobile restaurant-bus was made possible thanks to the donation of a former bus by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), assistance with the environmental aspects from the École de technologie supérieure (ETS) and the labour to convert it from the members of the Syndicat des cols bleus regroupés de Montréal, the Montréal blue-collar workers union.
Space for Life, the first space in the world dedicated to humankind and nature, brings together the Montréal Biodôme, Botanical Garden, Insectarium and Planetarium. Together they are committed to safeguarding and showcasing biodiversity and invite people from Montréal, across Canada and around the world to join in this bold, creative urban movement.
SOURCE: Espace pour la vie
Karine Jalbert, Communications Co-ordinator
514 872-1453/ 514 250-3230
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Nadine Fortin, Communications Co-ordinator
514 868-3053/ 514 250-7753
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