The draft regulations aimed at allowing the redevelopment of part of the site of the former Royal Victoria Hospital to carry out a project overseen by McGill University, among others, should be adopted, believes the Office de consultation publique de Montréal ( OCPM). The preservation of views of Mount Royal must, however, be a “sine qua non” condition of the project, while the requests of members of a Mohawk community concerning the research and preservation of graves that may be on this site must be heard. , claims the paramunicipal organization.
At the end of May, the OCPM was mandated by the City to consult the people of Montreal on the future of the site of the former Royal Victoria Hospital, founded in 1893, which has been largely abandoned since the episode mergers in the hospital sector that led to the creation of the McGill University Health Center on the Glen site in 2015. The virtual consultation, due to the pandemic, began last September and focused on a Master Plan for the development of the site , where McGill University wishes to carry out its “New Vic” project. The establishment thus wishes to add more than 25,000 m² to its current campus by developing an innovation center in sustainable development and public policies intended for its professors and students on part of the site of the former hospital complex.
Protect Mount Royal
In the 180-page report submitted by the OCPM at the end of this consultation, the organization recommends the adoption of the two draft regulations that will allow the new McGill University pavilion to see the light of day. The report nevertheless contains 31 recommendations to guide the development of this site, located near the city center and at the foot of Mount Royal.
Thus, the OCPM requests in particular that the wooded areas and green spaces located to the north of the huge site be integrated into Mount Royal Park. The addition of a six to eight-storey wing to the north of the Women’s Pavilion should be canceled in order to ensure the preservation of the views of this natural jewel with heritage value, which must be a “condition sine qua non for the pursuit of any requalification project” on this site.
“In the recommendations, everything is there to ensure that we have an innovative project, a sustainable and exemplary project,” rejoices the director of public affairs for Les Amis de la montagne, Maryline Charbonneau.
Moreover, the OCPM considers that “the integrity and public ownership of the soil” on this site should be preserved by regulatory means; a recommendation that echoes the various citizens and community groups who have expressed concern in recent months that condo buildings or hotels will eventually emerge on certain parts of this site that would be privatized.
“A master plan still requires a lot of work, but several of the recommendations are in line with our requests”, also reacted to the To have to Tuesday the assistant director of policies at Héritage Montréal, Taïka Baillargeon, who notes the importance of having “solid governance” to ensure that the redevelopment of this site is done according to the rules of the art in the coming years.
The report also recommends that the development of this land take into account the concerns of members of the Mohawk community who mentioned in public consultation that this site could house “pre-colonial Aboriginal burials” or even Aboriginal children. The OCPM therefore recommends that the City of Montreal “ensure with its partners, and in consultation with the representatives of the groups concerned, that the potential or pre-colonial burials located on the site of the former Royal Victoria Hospital are treated with due deference” in anticipation of the massive work to come on this site.
“You have to do things in the right order and in the right way to ensure [savoir] what happened on the site to be able to move forward “with its redevelopment, reacted on this subject the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, on the sidelines of a press conference. “We welcome this recommendation very favorably. »
No social housing
Organizations also argued during this public consultation that social and community housing could see the light of day on this site, as the city center greatly needs it. However, while acknowledging the existence of a “significant crisis” in housing, the OCPM argues that the site of the former Royal Victoria Hospital does not provide “the best conditions for the development of affordable housing”, in mainly because of its “isolation”, which does not make it “a suitable place to live for families and seniors”.
Joined by The duty, McGill University said it was delighted with the OCPM’s observation “to the effect that participants from the fields of economics and planning openly support the project for the new McGill University pavilion”. “The report mentions that the economic benefits of the project promote innovation and competitiveness, particularly in the context of economic recovery,” notes media relations manager Shirley Cardenas.
The realization of the “New vic” project is scheduled for 2028.