The land around the future Bois-Franc station of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) looks sad for the moment. However, they are in the crosshairs of the boroughs of Saint-Laurent and Ahuntsic-Cartierville, which are working together to establish a common vision for the future district. Their ambition? Create a real living environment, focused on active and public transportation, according to the principles of sustainable development.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
“We are setting the rules of the game,” says Alan DeSousa, mayor of the borough of Saint-Laurent. When the REM arrives and developers buy land, the City’s vision will be known, because the Special Planning Program, which will be adopted by the two boroughs, will be part of Montreal’s Master Plan. The heights of the buildings, the densities will be known. By doing this work upstream, we prepare the ground for development to take place in an orderly fashion. »
The future TOD-type district (Transit-Oriented Development), structured around public transit, will straddle the two boroughs. “There is a desire to do things well together rather than each on our own,” says Éric Paquet, director of urban planning and business services at Saint-Laurent. “It’s a short, medium and long term vision, because many buildings are still viable. The issues are multiple. »
A diverse living environment
Émilie Thuillier, mayor of the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, wants the neighborhood to be inhabited by people of varying ages and incomes. “People of all budgets will be able to find accommodation and they will have everything nearby,” she explains. There will be parks, the YMCA Cartierville, which is already there, the future cultural and community center of Cartierville, services, businesses and terraces. People can walk around. It will truly be a living environment. In addition, the Bois-Franc station will provide access to downtown. Eventually, it will be an extraordinary corner. »
ILLUSTRATION FROM THE CDPQ INFRA AND REM SITE
The future Bois-Franc station, of the REM, will be at ground level. It will promote the emergence of the TOD Bois-Franc area, which is jointly planned by the boroughs of Saint-Laurent and Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
“Currently, it is one of the poorest places in our borough, continues Mr.me Thuillier. The beauty of it is that it’s not just going to gentrify. »
The housing that will be built will not be just for people who have money. People will be able to continue to live in this neighborhood, regardless of their income, then we will attract new people, from various backgrounds, which will allow for greater density and support for local businesses.
Émilie Thuillier, Mayor of the Borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville
A benchmark for Quebec
Emmanuel Cosgrove, general manager of Écohabitation, is eager to see a real eco-district in Quebec, which can serve as a reference. He can no longer see neighborhoods built on the other side of the Atlantic shown as an example.
“Eco-districts are sculpted with public consultation, but also with the leadership of elected officials who say: “no, with us, it will not happen the same way”, he says. Griffintown, which takes 20 years before the grocery store finally arrives, it’s not planned. It’s a little groche, while in the eco-districts, everything is thought out. There are recipes for creating pleasant neighborhoods, with the right percentage of green spaces, necessary for human well-being. »
Unlike buildings, which are inhabited after a three-year cycle, green neighborhoods take decades to fulfill their promise, he notes. Hence the importance of having a clear vision from the start.