Philippe Schnobb, chairman of the board of the STM, tells CJAD 800 that when the STM had to clean out Garage Bellechasse on Casgrain Street before it could be demolished, they decided to make the most of it.
"We had to clean up the place, so we thought the best way to do that was a garage sale," Schnobb said.
That sale started Sunday morning at 10 AM, but the line-up actually began around 6 AM. Schnobb says he expected the sale to be popular, but he was blown away by just how overwhelming the demand has been for vintage STM signs, ticket boxes and more.
"I think it shows that Montrealers have a very emotional link to their metro system," he said. "For Montrealers, it's an interesting opportunity to own something from the stations they visit every day."
As of 1 PM when Schnobb spoke with CJAD 800, he said there were hundreds of people lined up inside the garage waiting to browse, with hundreds more still outside. "I can't even see the end of the line-up," he said.
The proceeds will be donated to a variety of charities around the city, and Schnobb says that they hope to hold another garage sale in a few years after they renovate some current metro stations, such as Beaudry, where they will save anything they can to be resold as a part of Montreal's history.