Once, one of Canada’s most densely populated districts, Griffintown is now dotted with vacant lots and uninhabited areas. At the corner of a small street, at the end of a dirt alley, the sun rises on the Horse Palace. Leo Leonard, the owner, stands lonely and fragile, just like this place that is his whole life. But at 83, Leo, the ultimate representative of the Irish community which founded this neighbourhood, must resign himself to leave.
What will become of this century old building and its inspiring picturesque beauty? Where will Jean, Judy and the other coachmen, who work here everyday, go? Will the land fall into the hands of real estate promoters, greedy for space to build new condos? Will the foundation that was set up to preserve the stable be able to insure its survival?
In the manner of an urban tale, the film invites us to reflect on the meaning and value of the intangible heritage of our cities. In a poetic mode and a humanist perspective, The Horse Palace evokes, through strong and touching characters, the memory of places in which we live, often without really knowing them.
At the pace of their daily lives, through the make-over of the urban space, Leo and his companions reveal to us a fascinating world which is disappearing, taking away a lot more than meets the eye. Marked both by loss and link, the history of the Horse Palace tells us not only of a district becoming obsolete or of an out-of-date trade, but of human beings and their ability to remember and spin a yarn.