Milk Bottle Water Tower

jeeff: 5th Jul 2006 - 20:04 GMT

i like that, and the owl tag on it. i was going to take some photos of it but i couldn't get the right angle.

EvilGentleman: 5th Jul 2006 - 20:21 GMT

Yeah, I know. I was not very satisfied with the angle I had, either. I wound up taking this shot from the parking lot at the corner of Rene Levesque and Mackay. I think I could do better if I climbed on top of one of the buildings nearby, but I have not figured out how to get there yet. I should just go into the Mariott and hope housekeeping does not mind me walking into an upper-floor room and taking a pic out the window while they work.

Chris Erb: 5th Jul 2006 - 21:48 GMT

I tried getting to windows in the Mariott but there were no windows from the hallways and I wasn't brave enough to walk into rooms that were being cleaned.

EvilGentleman: 15th Jul 2006 - 19:20 GMT

Hmmm, mental note, if we should ever organize "citynoise on the road" tours. Always book rooms in hotels with good views. Even if we do not need a room for accommodations, we should still pitch in together for a room with a good view to shoot from, and also to serve as a city-center oasis where we can refuel between photo-walks.

Ex-Montrealer: 30th Sep 2006 - 02:29 GMT

Moved away in 1985 - so even though names were already changed I will always think of Boul. Rene-Levesque as Dorchester, the Marriott as the Chateau Champlain, etc!

When did Farine Five Roses lose the "Flour"?

areacode212: 11th Dec 2006 - 00:02 GMT

Just like Ex-Montrealer, this will always be the "giant milk bottle on Dorchester" to me. When I was a little kid, I always looked forward to driving past this thing...I would stare at it, enraptured.

fctlmn: 28th Feb 2008 - 01:46 GMT

Used to work part time during high school, mostly summers, for a 'milkman' from Guaranteed. For me seeing that 'milk bottle' meant the long day was over. The milk part was on Aqueduct St (whatever it is now??) and the opposite building housed Purity Ice Cream - same company I believe. After the last summer I worked there I moved away. Never thought about the place shutting down. Not too far from the milk bottle I remember a billboard for cigarettes which 'blew smoke' from the guy's mouth.

EvilGentleman: 28th Feb 2008 - 20:32 GMT

fctlmn, thank you for sharing some memories of Montreal that I am too young to have.

Aqueduct Street is now known as Rue Lucien l'Allier, and has a metro station of the same name just down the hill from the old Guaranteed Milk building.

While trying to verify that Lucien l'Allier and Aqueduct Streets were one and the same, I found a 1907 street atlas of Montreal that I had previously lost. tinyurl.com/2x2bz6 I also found some really good maps at McGill University's website www.mcgill.ca/gic/collections/links/guides/subject/hist/

EvilGentleman: 28th Feb 2008 - 20:36 GMT

On the first website linked in the above comment, please note it is in French, and the word "télécharger" is French for "download". It's free, don't worry.

jdpalmer: 9th May 2009 - 19:22 GMT

enyed this article What year did Guqaanteed milk shut down ?

Wonder: 31st Jul 2009 - 12:56 GMT

In shut down in 1990. In 2003, it's been by by E-commerce but since the plan is classified historical, it will only be restaured instead of the original plan to destroy it. Since 2003, the building on wich the bottle stand serve as shooting place for different movies. Speaking of the first movie shoot in the building was in 1974, a movie called Sweet thing with actress Carole Laure. It was a King Kong movie and the scene where the gorilla cloimb the bottle and make love inside it's cap had put the bottle on international fame!!! Since then many other movies, video clip and televesion show have been taking place in the building. Lucky Number Sleven, Bon cop Bad cop, Being John Malkovich, The Covenant to name only those

EvilGentleman: 8th Aug 2009 - 15:37 GMT

Wonder, I thank you greatly for all the information. Most of this, I did not know, including the fact that Guaranteed Milk was still in operation when I was a young adult. I do not recall their milk cartons on any store shelves, but I recall a milk truck used to still pass through Kahnawake and distribute glass bottles of milk in the late 1980's. Could this have been them?

EvilGentleman: 8th Aug 2009 - 15:54 GMT

And for those of you who may have difficulty understanding Quebecois or French-Canadian English, particularly those of you outside of Canada, I shall do my best to translate Wonder's beautifully informative comment into standard English:

Guaranteed Milk shut down in 1990. The Guaranteed Milk buildings were purchased in 2003 by E-Commerce, and since this building is classified as a historic site, it will be restored, and not destroyed, as they had originally planned to do.

Since 2003, the building with the bottle on top has been used as a shooting location for many different movies.

The first movie shot there was actually back in 1974, a King Kong-type movie under the title of "Sweet Thing", starring actress Carole Laure. There was a scene where the gorilla climbed the bottle and made love in the cap on top, which helped to make this bottle internationally famous.

Since that time, many other movies, video clips and television shows have been shot in (or on) the building. Notable movies include Lucky Number Slevin, Bon Cop, Bad Cop, Being John Malkovich and The Covenant, to name but a few.

Wonder, I hope I did an accurate job of re-quoting your information. Once again, I thank you.