Montreal's manhole covers are too ugly, city opposition says

Montreal's manholes are too ugly for a city about to turn 375 years old, the city's opposition party says. One councillor is hoping a design contest will help beautify the streets.

"I spent a great deal of my adult life abroad, and in may cities you see manhole covers are not just for plugging holes, they are pieces of art," said Guillaume Lavoie, who represents RosementLa-Petite-Patrie for Projet Montral.

"We couldn't have thought of more plain ordinary design."

Lavoie says 700 to 800 new sewer covers are installed in the streets of the city every year. And he is certain the city can buy creative new sewer lids at no additional costs. It's just a matter of making a new mold.

"All manhole covers are custom made for their cities. Why on earth would we have a custom-made ugly one?"

He cites the cities of Vancouver, Toronto, Barcelona, Seattle, Berlin and Seoul as having particularly eye-catching designs.

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Guillaume proposes a contest to solicit new designs from the city's residents, and that multiple designs could be chosen.

Projet Montral will table a motion this week at a council meeting. "I expect the mayor to be in support and the motion to be unanimous," Lavoie said.