I never had to pay at the main gate either, unless I visited during summer. I guess we'd have to call beforehand, just to be sure...

Also, just to add to the list of places-to-visit-if-it's-sunny, I thought maybe we could go on Mount Royal. There's a lot of flora there too, nice shadowy areas and not too many passersby.

I'm still struggling to find comfy indoor spaces that aren't overcrowded. So far, I believe universities are the most practical. ^_^;