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Montreal has opened a new tourist attraction that takes visitors sky-high for a view of the city's extensive skyline and heritage buildings. La Grande roue de Montréal, a 60-metre-tall observation wheel and the largest of its kind in Canada, was officially unveiled to the public on Friday.
The attraction is equipped with 42 climate-controlled gondolas that boast ultra-clear tempered glass panes, allowing its occupants to survey the panoramic scene around them. Now a unique fixture in the Montreal skyline, the massive Ferris wheel gives visitors unobstructed vistas of the city centre, Old Montréal, the Saint Lawrence River to the south, and the remnants of the iconic 1967 Universal Exposition on Sainte-Hélène and Notre-Dame islands.
"We are extremely proud to be offering this world-class attraction to Montrealers and visitors," said Jeff Jorgensen, president, La Grande roue de Montréal. "La Grande roue de Montréal is an ambitious undertaking — the wheel, and the facilities at its base, would normally have taken one year to build; we accomplished it in seven months, in spite of a few imponderables to deal with. We know that people have been anxiously awaiting this experience and I can assure them they will not be disappointed."
With a total ride time of 15 to 20 minutes, occupants will be treated to at least two full rotations. One of the pods, called the VIP Cabin, features supreme Italian leather seats and a glass floor experience. The $27 million project was fully financed by private investment and designed exclusively for Montreal by Dutch Wheels BV.
