Montreal is preparing to demolish a library less than 30 years old to make way for a new cultural center, a decision that raises environmental, financial and heritage criticism.
“It’s distressing,” denounces a standard bearer of sustainable architecture in Quebec, while local elected officials argue that the citizens of the neighborhood deserve the best possible project.
The architectural concept selected for the new Espace Rivière, in Rivière-des-Prairies, was announced last month. It does not preserve the yellow brick building of the current public library of the district, inaugurated in 1995. Some of the materials should however be reused.
“I’m really, really happy that we’ve come to this project, which is an integrated library, cultural center and community center project,” explained borough mayor Caroline Bourgeois in an interview. with The Press.
[La bibliothèque actuelle], it is not a building to which one necessarily has a great attachment. It is a building which is not only very, very cramped, but which is not suitable.
Caroline Bourgeois, Mayor of Rivière-des-Prairies
“It is deficient in terms of services. We are next to a secondary school and we are not even able to accommodate a large influx of young people,” she added.
The architectural competition organized for the design of the Espace Rivière did not include an obligation to keep the current building. In fact, none of the four finalist projects included the structure itself.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY AFFLECK DE LA RIVA
Architectural rendering of the future facade of the Espace Rivière
Keeping the building, “it was problematic in several ways”, explained Richard de la Riva in an interview. It is his firm, allied with Coarchitecture, LGT inc. and François Courville, who won the contest. There were “big pieces” to integrate into the project, such as a performance hall or loading docks. “It was really becoming a very difficult constraint to have a project that simply worked well. »
The Espace Rivière must be built between 2024 and 2026, then be inaugurated in 2027.
The project by Mr. de la Riva and his colleagues foresees the reuse of 80% of the structural steel in the new building, as well as part of the brick.
“So inconsistent from the City”
Despite this goodwill, the project will still send tons of materials in good condition to the dump, denounced André Bourassa, former president of the Order of Architects and standard bearer of sustainable architecture in Quebec.
“No, no, no, no,” repeated Mr. Bourassa, seeing photos of the building promised to the peak of the demolition workers. It’s so inconsistent coming from the City of Montreal. I can not believe it. I am flabbergasted. […] I made buildings in 1995. We didn’t make them in papier-mâché! »
To me, that doesn’t make any sense. We don’t have a second planet. Resources need to be taken care of. [Pour agir de la sorte]you have to be unaware of what the resources cost.
André Bourassa, former president of the Order of Architects
Mr. Bourassa says he has no doubts about the goodwill of all those involved, that “everyone did what he could”. In his opinion, the maintenance of the building should have been imposed in the rules of the competition. Otherwise, the participants will obviously have been tempted to wipe the slate clean in order to propose the most impressive project to win the bet.
The library “isn’t demolished, so it’s not too late” to change course, he added.
“Archaic attitude worthy of the 1960s”
The City of Montreal indicated that it had not associated a dilapidation rating with this building. According to a 2014 inspection, “a few items were in good condition and several others in fair condition,” publicist Camille Bégin reported by email. “Electromechanical systems (plumbing fixtures and HVAC distribution) need to be replaced. Above all, a modification to the existing building would have forced it to be brought up to standard, which would have resulted in significant costs, again according to the City.
For Heritage Montreal, which defends Montreal’s built heritage, the situation raises questions. “It deserves an explanation, this demolition of a recent public good,” said Dinu Bumbaru, the organization’s policy director.
At the time of a proactive policy of ecological transition at the City of Montreal, demolishing an existing construction rather than aiming for its innovative adaptation seems like an archaic attitude worthy of the 1960s.
Dinu Bumbaru, Director of Policy at Heritage Montreal
Mr. Bumbaru underlined the “heritage and environmental sensitivity” of the architects behind the selected project.
Keeping the building would have generated “additional costs,” replies Caroline Bourgeois when asked how taxpayers should react to the short existence of the public library.
“I am convinced that this is the best project we have on the table,” concluded Mayor Caroline Bourgeois. “Rivière-des-Prairies deserves a project like the one on the table. […] I do the pros and cons and we are much more winners. »