Conversation – What Images Reveal: Different Perspectives on Mount Royal

A lover of cities and literature, Taïka has completed a master’s degree in Comparative Literature and a doctorate in Urban and Tourism Studies. She has worked on the reconstruction and preservation of built heritage in the aftermath of human and natural disasters, with a particular interest in the meaning of places and abandoned spaces in times of crisis. In recent years, Taïka has taught spatial planning and tourism. Parallel to her academic practice, she has also worked as a research consultant for the Collectif Villes Autrement (UQAM), which she co-founded.

Heather McNabb holds a PhD in History and has been a reference archivist at the McCord Stewart Museum for more than 20 years. Uncovering the stories hidden within photographs is a true passion for her, and she finds it equally rewarding to assist researchers at the Archives and Documentation Centre. She is fascinated by the discoveries about people, places and events of the past that emerge through the Museum’s collections.

For more than 25 years, Denise Caron has dedicated her career to researching and showcasing Montreal’s landscape and heritage. She has conducted extensive research for the City of Montreal on the evolution of the city’s iconic urban and natural landscapes, including Mount Royal. Grounded in rigorous archival research, her work has helped deepen our understanding of the area’s history and transformation while supporting planning and conservation initiatives.