Talk:Dow Planetarium

Montreal Planetarium vs. Montréal Planetarium
This article was recently moved to Montréal Planetarium on the basis that: "The official name requires an accent in the "e" of Montreal. Please see the english version of the official website for evidence: http://www.planetarium.montreal.qc.ca".

First, we typically use the most common English language name for article titles in Wikipedia, not necessarily the official usage (otherwise the Montreal article would be moved to Montréal). Further, WP:CANSTYLE is quite clear - the title should "be what an English speaker would most likely recognize as the usual name of the subject." In Quebec, political considerations often cause public authorities to use accents on Montreal and Quebec in English-language texts. That does not mean Wikipedia should automatically follow suit (otherwise we'd get stuck with the ridiculous French-English mélange of "Québec City" that only a bureaucrat could love). It appears that the English-language media still refers to it as the Montreal Planetarium in recent reports (see, for example, here).

If there is any desire to move it to Montréal Planetarium, there should be a discussion here first, in accordance with WP:RM. Skeezix1000 (talk) 19:27, 17 March 2008 (UTC)

In English the name Montreal does not need an accent. Point final.

I have updated this entry with information on the new planetarium. It was written (June 2013) as if still looking forward to the eventual new installation, which opened April 2013.

We do need one or more photos of the new building. I will try to find time to take some myself. I looked on the official site for press photos free to use, but did not find any. zadcat (talk) 22:03, 26 June 2013 (UTC)


 * I would recommend creating a NEW (and separate) article entitled the "Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium" and move its information to there. This article should be renamed "Dow Planetarium", with a brief mention it has been superseded by the RTA Planetarium. FYI: "Montreal Planetarium" (nee Dow Planetarium) officially refers to the old site built in the 60's at Chaboillez Square. The new planetarium does not use Montreal in its name, it is simply the "Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium", hence why a new article needs to be created. Ignore the debate about accents or French spelling, that is just Quebec separatist propaganda spilling over into Wikipedia. I think Quebec has embarrassed itself enough as is, with Pastagate, Spoongate or the racist Quebec Soccer Association turban ban...just to name a few incidents that have been reported internationally. --Apple2gs (talk) 02:34, 27 June 2013 (UTC)