Saint-Leonard Cavern
In 1982, Montreal’s city authorities were grappling with a recurring issue: teenagers illicitly exploring the Saint-Leonard Cavern. To address this, they implemented a creative solution — they installed a gate at the cavern’s entrance and started charging for tours. This new approach quickly turned the cavern into a popular attraction, drawing over 70,000 visitors for controlled, safe tours.
However, this commercialization and restricted access didn’t sit well with local spelunkers, particularly Daniel Caron and Luc Le Blanc. For them, the cavern represented more than just a tourist spot; it was a place of potential discovery and exploration, now hindered by regulations and limitations.