Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Choups. No matter how you want to pluralize it, they will be there to welcome you this summer. Three Montreal parks will welcome stray sheep between June and September 2022.
In addition to their now annual presence throughout the season at Maisonneuve Park, the sheep will criss-cross the Chevalier-Cuivré and André-Corbeil-dit-Tranchemontagne parks in Rivière-des-Prairies from June 5 to July 24 as part of a pilot project.
The sheep are from Biquette, an organization that campaigns for eco-grazing – using animals instead of machines to maintain green spaces. Online, Biquette claims the benefits of the practice include reduced air and noise pollution, as well as increased biodiversity through animal droppings.
This will be the fifth year that sheep will be present in Maisonneuve Park. The city has yet to release this year’s schedule. In years past, the sheep pastures have hosted public workshops and yoga sessions.
The site is more broadly dedicated to familiarizing the public with eco-agriculture. In 2021, a chicken coop and a beehive accompanied the sheep. Collective gardening tubs, an “educational checkerboard of ground covers”, information panels, medicinal plants and a self-service loom lined the sheep enclave.
The pilot project in Rivière-des-Prairies is in its second year.
Get the details on both projects below.
Sheep in Montreal parks
Where: Maisonneuve Park (Rosemont–La-Petite-Patrie), Chevalier-Cuivré Park and André-Corbeil-dit-Tranchemontagne Park (Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles)
When:
- Parc Maisonneuve: June 11 to September 4, 2022
- Chevalier-Cuivré Park and André-Corbeil-dit-Tranchemontagne Park: June 5 to July 24, 2022
Details: Sheep will demonstrate the benefits of eco-grazing in two boroughs this summer. The programs for this season have not yet been released, but previous editions of this project have included workshops and on-site activities.
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