Potential light show at Canada’s largest cemetery causes controversy

The Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery is in preliminary discussions with a Montreal multimedia company to create an immersive light and music experience on its site, and it has some families with loved ones buried there concerned.

The company is negotiating with Moment Factory, a studio that has created light and music shows around the world, including the Aura experience at Old Montreal’s famed Notre Dame Basilica.

In a statement to Global News, a representative for the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery said:

“The Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery is currently collaborating with Moment Factory in order to assess the potential for showcasing its Mount Royal heritage site through an immersive experience, while preserving the utmost respect for the site, its primary purpose, and those who rest there.

“At this stage, the initiative is strictly preliminary: no final concept, timeline, nor official decision has been established. Should an official project be confirmed, we will be pleased to answer your questions and provide further details.”

The experience would take place in the evening, after visiting hours, and would generate revenue for the cash-strapped cemetery while highlighting some of the ground’s sacred monuments.

But family members who are active in the cemetery remain concerned about the potential for an entertainment experience happening on sacred ground.

“I don’t think it should be turned into a carnival. There is no place for that here,” said Jimmy Koliakoudakis.

Both his parents are buried in the cemetery, and his mother’s burial was delayed by eight months several years ago when the cemetery was embroiled in a prolonged labour dispute.

Koliakoudakis  says the idea of an evening entertainment experience may force people to look for alternate burial sites.

“If people knew before burying their loved ones it would be turned into a festival amusement park, I really doubt they would go ahead,” he said.

Koliakoudakis visits his parents’ graves regularly.  He worries about the cemetery becoming a tourist ground.

“It’s not a movie set, it’s not Hollywood. It has one purpose — to bury the dead,” he said. “Families come here to pay their respects and that is the key word, respect. I think by management having even exploring that idea, it’s disrespectful to the families.”

The cemetery sits on 341 acres with 55 km of roads. About one million people are buried there.

Michael  Musacchio buried his 26-year-old daughter Vanessa there in 2021. He is active in the cemetery, and has fought for better access hours so he can visit his daughter more frequently.

“You lose a child your world turns upside down, so it’s important to come,” he said.  “We just come even for just a few minutes to say hi.”

He recognizes the cemetery needs money, but cautions that any show there should be done carefully.

“If the revenue will help them maintain the grounds for the families it may be a good thing. However, it cannot turn into an entertainment circus,” Musacchio said.

“The cemetery should involve families to say this is what we are doing because quite honestly this was a shock.”

Les Amis de la Montagne Executive Director Christophe Derrien told Global News in a statement:

“Our role at Les Amis de la Montagne is to ensure the preservation of a mountain that is already under significant pressure. In this case, we have raised important issues related to the project’s potential impacts, and we are currently conducting scientific surveys to rigorously document the ecological realities of the site.

“Any project of this nature must be examined with caution, taking full account of the site’s biodiversity, wildlife, and heritage value. The required authorizations are, moreover, the responsibility of the competent authorities, notably the City, with which we collaborate in a factual and constructive manner.”

For now, the cemetery says, no final decision has been taken.

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