Superhero stunt flops at Pins/Parc

>> He is a grown man in green and yellow tights.

by CRAIG SEGAL

He wears big round glasses and a fake upturned moustache. He is Pins-Parc.

 Last Monday, Pins-Parc--in real life a professional actor--starred in a sad news conference in which he gave the media several hours' notice that he would slingshot himself across des Pins to protest the des Pins/Parc interchange. And then, in the pouring rain, a half-dozen supporters stood around waiting for the media to show up.

 Robert "Bicycle Bob" Silverman ran over to a TV news van at a red light but the van took off. The Journal de Montreal shot a few pictures of Piney, facing ass-backwards, waving madly in the apex of a large elastic held by two women. Alas, he never actually attempted to slingshot himself across the interchange.

 After the publicity stunt Piney was defeated a second time when an unstable City Hall regular ripped Piney's glasses from his face because he'd entered City Hall in his offensive puke-green superhero costume. "We were disappointed," admits stunt organizer Sylvie Gougeon. "The citizen was angry and screamed a lot. Pins-Parc was surprised and did not want to get in a battle with him."

 But Pins-Parc is no coward, he's going to keep up the struggle for a pedestrian-friendly intersection at Parc and des Pins. On October 23, he says he will attempt to fly over the interchange with a rocket pack strapped to his back.

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