Centraide launches its 40th campaign on October 2 - Part of downtown will be closed to traffic

20,000 people will take part in Centraide's March of 1,000 Umbrellas

MONTREAL, Oct. 1, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - A limited area of downtown Montreal will be closed to traffic on Thursday, October 2 for the March of 1,000 Umbrellas, which will officially kick off Centraide of Greater Montreal's 40^th annual campaign.

From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.:

• McGill College Avenue (west side) will be closed to automobile traffic between President Kennedy Avenue and St. Catherine Street West.

From 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.:

• St. Catherine Street West will be closed to automobile traffic between McGill College Avenue and Jeanne-Mance Street.

Important: Between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., it would be preferable to avoid the entire downtown area bordered McGill College Avenue, De Maisonneuve Boulevard West, Jeanne-Mance Street and René-Lévesque Boulevard.

Centraide's March of 1,000 Umbrellas will bring together some 20,000 people—including representatives from the business world, public sector, trade unions and community agencies, as well as volunteers—to support the fight against poverty and social exclusion. The general public is invited to join them.

The marchers will begin assembling at 11:30 a.m. on McGill College Avenue. The march will begin at 12:15 p.m. and proceed east along St. Catherine Street to the Place des Festivals of the Quartier des spectacles, where the financial goal of Centraide's 2014 campaign will be announced.

Centraide is an umbrella organization that solicits the help of citizens and corporations to financially support 362 community agencies that, in turn, provide essential support to one person in seven in Greater Montreal.

Campaign 2014 will run from October 2 to the end of December. Anyone wishing to make a donation can call 514 288-1261 or visit www.centraide-mtl.org.

Click here for the map of the streets closed to traffic.

SOURCE: Centraide of Greater Montreal

Annick Gagnon, Public Relations Coordinator, Phone: [phone], ext. 242 / Cell: 514 566-7077, [email protected]