ProjetMILL: Bridging Industrial History and Community Engagement
Photo by Alma Perreault (Sappos Photography)
“It’s impossible to live here [Pointe-Saint-Charles] and not get sucked into the culture,” says Jules Rodschat, who moved to the neighbourhood nestled in the borough of Le Sud-Ouest in Montreal in 2024. After arriving in the area, Jules immediately sought a way to get involved in the cultural scene while bringing the community together. He started off by hosting jams in his apartment, but when his landlord made him stop due to noise complaints, he had to find another way to gather people.
Walking around Pointe-Saint-Charles, once a bustling hub of industry, Jules noticed an abundance of abandoned industrial buildings, sparking an interest in Montreal's industrial history. His background in architecture and engineering, combined with his desire to cultivate community, inspired Jules to launch ProjetMILL: a non-profit that aims to rejuvenate the space located at 785 Rue Mill. Once a thriving industrial building, the space at Rue Mill is what Jules describes as “a skeleton of a building.” Piqued by his curiosity about the history of his neighbourhood, Jules came across the spot after taking lots of walks in the area. He contacted the owners, Robin and John Doak, who treat and preserve the space as an artist would treat their artwork, and they were fully on board with Jules’ plan to bring new life to 785 Rue Mill.
With a goal of creating inclusive, community-oriented events while spotlighting the industrial history of Pointe-Saint-Charles, Jules began his non-profit journey with Andrea Wyllie and the support of Jeunes Volontaires, a program for people under the age of 30 in Quebec that encourages young people to carry out a project they propose. Through an employment assistance allowance and an operating budget for expenses related to the project, young people are able to embark on a project of their choosing. The program also gives young people a mentor to help guide them with their project. Jules chose Scott MacLeod to fill this position, a multidisciplinary artist who, through both music and film, has been recording the industrialization history of various neighbourhoods in Montreal, specifically Griffintown. Aside from providing him with financial support and guidance, getting involved with Jeunes Volontaires also gave Jules invaluable experience in grant writing, asking for bursaries, and balancing budgets, all crucial skills for running a non-profit.
Photo by Jasmine Bergeron (LFOtech) @ 785 Rue Mill
While the building on Rue Mill may no longer be structurally intact, Jules has transformed the space into a community hub of art and music, hosting film screenings, antique markets, and jazz jams, to name a few. After some attendees of the summer programming asked how ProjetMill would be able to continue into the winter months, Jules once again went searching for somewhere in the neighborhood to hold events. His search led him to a bank-turned-house on Wellington, where ProjetMill’s winter programming takes place, which includes events like open mics and jazz jams.
Collage by Jules Rodschat and Jasmine Bergeron (LFOtech)
Although ProjetMILL’s overarching theme may be industrial history, arts and culture programming are essential to the organization’s mission, and the two are often closely intertwined. Jules draws inspiration from Little Burgundy, a historically Black neighbourhood in Le Sud-Ouest that was once a hub of Black railroad workers, due to its proximity to Montreal’s train stations and racial discrimination laws restricting the occupations that non-white workers could hold. The neighbourhood quickly became distinguished for its vibrant jazz clubs, a place for workers and Americans dodging prohibition laws to gather. For Jules, ProjetMILL is all about understanding this history and collectively dreaming of a better future. He also emphasizes the need to democratize history and “give the mic to everyone.” A “More Learning” section can be found on ProjetMill’s website, where readers are invited to leave comments and corrections, allowing perspectives other than the author’s to be featured.
For more neighbourhood-specific history, Jules advises checking out the historical societies and co-ops that many Montreal enclaves have, and engaging with the events they put on. Pointe-Saint-Charles, for example, is home to Bâtiment 7 and Action Gardien, two fantastic community-oriented organizations for people looking to explore the neighbourhood more. If you’re interested in starting a non-profit in your own neighbourhood, Jules emphasizes surrounding yourself with trustworthy people and listening to their critiques, in addition to ensuring your own needs are financially covered. He also advises only to embark on projects you actually want to take on, as “you won’t be able to survive if it’s not something you’re passionate about.”
Photo by Jasmine Bergeron (LFOtech) @ 785 Rue Mill
Coming up on the agenda for ProjetMill is the release of its summer programming, which will drop on April 26. The organization’s three-month financial campaign will also launch that same day. With an overarching mission of education, ProjetMill hopes to raise $50,000 in order to host larger and more all-encompassing events. Additionally, 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the Lachine Canal, a 14.5-kilometre canal that passes through Le Sud-Ouest. True to the mission of combining industrial history with community gathering, one of the goals of the financial campaign is to produce an event commemorating the birth of the canal. In collaboration with Parks Canada, this commemoration will feature an exhibition on wheels that will travel from Pointe-Saint-Charles to Lachine, complete with moving machines, performances, books, and art installations.
For those interested in getting involved with the organization, Jules recommends attending their events and offering a helping hand if you’re looking to get more hands-on volunteering experience. “What you see it as now may not be what it is in 5 years,” says Jules, so keep an eye out for an exciting and diverse array of events in ProjetMill’s future.
More information can be found on ProjetMill’s Instagram or on their website.
