After the Planetarium, the Insectarium and the Biodôme, it is the turn of the Botanical Garden to be given a makeover. The almost century-old institution created by Brother Marie-Victorin and horticulturist Henry Teuscher will undergo major work to restore its infrastructure and make the gardens more resilient. At a cost of $450 million, this major project, which includes the restoration of the greenhouses, will last around fifteen years.
In January 2023, a pane of glass came loose from the ceiling of one of the greenhouses. No one was injured, but management decided to close the greenhouses in order to install a fence to protect workers and visitors. Eight months later, the greenhouses are still closed to the public and work continues. The premises should reopen at the beginning of 2025, pending the major construction work which is looming.
Obsolete equipment
The Botanical Garden’s equipment is aging. The institution founded in 1931 has benefited from some renovations over the decades, but the time has come to undertake major work. Over the last ten years, Space for Life, which brings together five museums, has invested massively in three of them. Julie Jodoin, director of Space for Life, believes that this strategy has proven itself. “It was very profitable. We have increased traffic to Space for Life by almost 50% over the past ten years. And now, we want to take care of the garden,” she explains.
The Art Deco style Marie-Victorin building has been undergoing renovation work for two years. But other elements of the Botanical Garden, which covers 75 hectares, also need love. The vision of the future that we learned about Duty plans, in a first phase, the redevelopment of the west gardens, which include the collection of perennials and which run along Boulevard Pie-IX. This space has remained substantially unchanged since the creation of the Botanical Garden, almost 100 years ago. Starting in spring 2026, management will undertake work to make these gardens, like the entire park, universally accessible by eliminating thresholds and adapting stairs. “But we want to keep the spirit of the landscape architect Henry Teuscher who designed them,” explains the director of the Botanical Garden, Josée Bellemare, appointed to this position last November.
Display and production greenhouses also need a serious upgrade. These buildings, the oldest of which date back to the 1950s, allow the conservation of 22,000 species of plants, some of which are threatened and require special conditions. In particular, management wishes to convert oil-fired heating appliances to electricity, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60%, it is noted. “These greenhouses are really dilapidated, as much the foundation as the glasses and all the mechanics,” explains M.me Bellemare.
To this end, the elected officials of the executive committee of the City of Montreal approved, on Wednesday, a loan regulation of 150 million for the greenhouses, although we do not yet know the total cost of the project. The studies are underway, but the work will not move forward for a few years, says M.me Bellemare.
450 million project
The cost is significant, recognizes Caroline Bourgeois, responsible for large parks on the City’s executive committee, but this investment is essential for Espace pour la vie, which welcomes 2.7 million visitors per year and which generates revenue of 40 million dollars annually. “I couldn’t believe we would lose our garden because we let our greenhouses go. It would be an unspeakable tragedy. We must be able to ensure the preservation of this institution that has made Montreal shine for nearly 100 years. »
The cost of realizing the future vision of the Botanical Garden is estimated at 450 million over 15 years, financed mainly by the City of Montreal. In addition to the restoration of buildings and facilities universally accessible for visitors with reduced mobility, the project also includes work to improve stormwater management on the site, underground infrastructure and waterproofing of ponds, as well as a demineralization of trails. “Originally, the Botanical Garden was designed to be visited by car, with wide, asphalted roads,” recalls Josée Bellemare.
Although this vast project is likely to take more than a decade, management intends to maintain the accessibility of the premises for visitors.