In the Mile-End, a sharing wardrobe has been happy for 13 years

At the crossroads of the avenue de l’Esplanade and rue Saint-Viator Ouest, in the Mile-End, there is a somewhat rugging wardrobe which, at first glance, does not look like. However, Covered with inscriptions and torn poster pieces, she seems to have seen a lot of seasons pass. Nevertheless, How much? Nevertheless, The local residents no longer know too much.

Located in front of the Latina grocery store. Consequently, it is a familiar presence in the neighborhood, just in front of the still very busy terrace of the Café Club Social. Nevertheless, From there, we can observe the intense activity that reigns around it in this summer morning.

Every five minutes, a person opens the fighters of the old wardrobe to look at what’s inside. For example, Among them, Mohammed, early sixty, who is used to taking a look mile-end, sharing wardrobe been happy every time he walks in this corner.

I come mainly for books. However, I have already found beautiful things, it’s a real Ali Baba cave.

His most beautiful find? Consequently, A box of paint still in its, intact packaging, which has delighted this amateur painter. For example, Today, he leaves empty -handed. Furthermore, On the shelves. Meanwhile, a few books, a hanger, blankets, a crowd of little engaging clothes, an old DVD player and two bottles of beers.

Next to the cabinet drags a cardboard box in which there is a fan. Furthermore, A little girl seizes it, very joyful, but her grandmother ordered her to rest her. In addition, You never know, bites can hide there, and mile-end, sharing wardrobe been happy I don’t want to bring them homeshe says, moving away.

Myrtho arrives with a bag filled with donations: clips. hair brushes, clothes, including a personal creation, a costume that she created and sewn 25 years ago. She works in the cinema and holds a thrift store in the area. I prefer to come and drop what I don’t need here anymore, it’s a habitshe says.

On the other side of the street. Ivano observes the merry -go -round by taking a break from the terrace of the Café Club Sociale, where it has been used as croissants, cafes and Matcha Latte for three years. He too has already found a treasure in the wardrobe: a very small book on the storm of ice which paralyzed Quebec in 1998. which he would never have read if he had not been the wardrobe. This reading leaves him an unforgettable memory. It was a nice surprise. I really lovedhe said, still amazed.

Mile-end, sharing wardrobe been happy

An idea from Europe

These community street cabinets, called donation boxes (GiveBox), first appeared in Europe. A young German stylist named Andreas Richter had the idea by seeing many of his mile-end, sharing wardrobe been happy objects taking dust unnecessarily. as reported by the Movielab.org collaborative website, which lists resources on this type of initiatives.

In 2011. Andreas Richter installed the first collaborative furniture of this kind on a street in Berlin, inviting passers -by to take this very simple gesture: take or leave something that they no longer have the use, without obligation to reciprocity.

This first prototype quickly made little ones in Spain, Germany, France or Canada.

While walking in Berlin. Frédérik Nissen, a Quebec social entrepreneur, came across one of the donations and decided to bring the idea to Montreal.

The first donation boxes appeared on the Ephemeral terraces From Avenue du Mont-Royal in the summer of 2012. The first permanent community wardrobe was installed the same year at the crossroads of the Esplanade. Saint-Viator, where it is therefore still today.

In an interview granted at the time on American radio NPR. Frédérik Nissen explained that he wanted to bring the principle of exchange to another level. He invited the neighborhood to drop in the box something special, artistic, something you have done yourself. And if you have nothing to share, nothing prevents you from mile-end, sharing wardrobe been happy leaving a kitchen advice or a word.

A great suspended initiative

Yes. the idea is beautiful and that’s why I said yes, that I embarked at the beginningsays Josée Chrétien, the owner of Latina, the grocery store in front of which the sharing cabinet is installed. But 13 years later, she plans to end the experience.

At the beginning. the neighborhood came to take care of it, repair it, but today it is I who spends 15 minutes a day cleaning around. She is in front of the entrance to my store, I can’t let things go.

Because, she regrets, some unfortunately tend to consider the wardrobe as a dumping ground. They sometimes come to place things they want to get rid of. but that we can no longer use, an old broken table, for example. Some bring food, while it is not for that eithershe sighs, exasperated.

Last year, she warned the neighborhood that she was going to end the adventure. Immediately, two, mile-end, sharing wardrobe been happy three people came to see me, promising to come and clean every day, but it did not last. Here it is again with its broom, every morning, to eliminate the disorder that accumulates all around.

People come several times a day to this wardrobe, it finds my heart to get rid of it. I would like to continue but I want help, otherwise I will remove itshe warned.

More than donation boxes. these are the books, built on the same principle but more specialized, which have spread everywhere in Montreal in recent years. No doubt because they are much easier to manage.