Maestria Real Estate Development Partners Donate $100,000 For Children's Wellness

A collaboration with artist Séguin Poirier that will contribute to exposing 1,250 young people to art

Click here to download official photos 

MONTRÉAL, June 17, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - Devimco Immobilier, Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ and Fiera Properties, the real estate investment platform of Fiera Capital Corporation, partners in the Maestria real estate development located in the city's Quartier des Spectacles, have given two donations totalling $100,000 to The Lighthouse Children and Families and Fondation du Centre jeunesse de Montréal, for young people to receive art education from artist Bernard Séguin Poirier. 

Through this donation, 1,000 young people receiving services from the Centre jeunesse de Montréal and 250 receiving pediatric palliative care from The Lighthouse Children and Families will have the opportunity to participate in art workshops given by Mr. Séguin Poirier. For nearly 20 years, he has been working to democratize art through creative sessions in which children create their own works of art. These pieces, displayed on squares of enamel on copper, are then assembled to form massive murals, many of which are exhibited in public or private institutions. To date, over 80,000 young people in Québec have been able to develop their creativity through this project.

"We learned about the artist's work and approach with children when we acquired the piece Changer le monde (changing the world)," said Normand Bélanger, President and CEO, Fonds de solidarité FTQ. "It was created in 2011 by 1,500 young people from the Centre jeunesse de Montréal with Mr. Séguin Poirier and will have a special place in one of the two Maestria project buildings."

Serge Goulet, President, Devimco Immobilier, noted: "We saw great potential in reintroducing such a project to give other young people and their families the opportunity to contribute to beautifying the spaces, but most of all, to provide them with a rich new experience to help them harness their creativity."

And Pierre Pelletier, Senior Vice President, Opportunity and Development Funds, Fiera Properties, declared: "Maestria is located in a creative neighbourhood. It was very fitting for us to collaborate once again with a talented artist who shares his passion for art with Québec youth by enabling them to experience it first-hand. The result of this artistic process is a source of hope for all its participants."

The partners visited the two organizations for the official presentation of this donation and had the chance to attend a creative workshop led on site by Mr. Séguin Poirier for children and their families.

The Lighthouse Children and Families expressed its gratitude to the partners and acknowledged the generosity of this very kind gesture: "Art brings comfort to children's daily lives, and this initiative gives loved ones the opportunity to share a soothing activity with their child during difficult times," said François Charpentier, director and parent of a child at The Lighthouse Children and Families.

Fondation du Centre jeunesse de Montréal, for its part, made it a point to reiterate the therapeutic potential of these activities for young people: "Art is a wonderful tool that helps our young people thrive while being exposed to the world, enabling them to express themselves and extend the range of their voices," added Patrick Palerme, Chair of the Board of Directors of Fondation du Centre jeunesse.

Creating with younger and older people is a passion for Mr. Séguin Poirier. He believes that creativity shapes youth: "I want to continue to put the spotlight on children and teens who cross my path. Caring for children is the most noble and fundamental duty of a society," he said.

This is the second major donation in 2019 by Devimco Immobilier, Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Fiera Properties in support of children; the partners also gave $300,000 to the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation, through the Square Children's project, this past February.

Backgrounder on the Maestria development

Maestria is a prestigious project inspired by the cultural vibe of Montréal's Quartier des spectacles. This mixed-use project consisting of two towers of 55 and 58 storeys high, linked by an aerial walkway, will be accessible via Jeanne-Mance, De Bleury and Sainte-Catherine streets. It will feature unparalleled views of downtown Montréal and the St. Lawrence River, giving its residents front-row seats to Place des Festivals. This is the largest development of its kind in the city. Sales for Tower 1, with over 430 units, began in spring 2019.

SOURCE Devimco Immobilier