Accentuated by the urban exodus caused by the pandemic, the suburbanization of the third and fourth crowns is increasingly disturbing certain defenders of heritage. Many of them also see the municipal campaign as a way of making themselves heard, made worried by the arrival of new constructions that clash with the ancestral architecture around Greater Montreal.
In Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, in the Laurentians, Jacques Girard made him one of his hobby horses during his campaign to be elected to the municipal council. Independent candidate, the antiquarian by profession has long criticized the outgoing administration for not having done enough to avoid the demolition of certain ancestral houses. But one of the spark plugs of his commitment was the recent zoning change, which now allows the construction of four-story buildings in the downtown core.
“It doesn’t make sense. I understand that we have to densify the city center that we have to bring in new sources of income, but at least the new constructions must be integrated into the built heritage ”, thunders Mr. Girard, who has in his sights two projects in particular.
The first is a four-storey building that will include a microbrewery and ten apartments above. Scheduled for next year, it will be built on the site of the village’s first general store, a heritage building that was recently demolished after falling into disrepair.
The second, an imposing five-storey building – including the mezzanine – should also rise from the ground in 2022. The developer then plans to rent all of the housing units through Airbnb.
“These are disproportionate projects, slice Jacques Girard. And often, the materials used are not consistent with the materials of the time. Gray freestone with white joints is good for Sherbrooke Street in Montreal. It has nothing to do with old houses. “
And for good reason, the town center of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, where these two projects will emerge, still has its share of wooden houses, a precious legacy of the colonization of the Pays d’en haut. However, as many of them are built on three floors, the arrival of two four-story buildings in the vicinity will not swear so much, believes Mayor Denis Chalifoux.
“It’s going to be modern, but it will tie in. The arrival of tourists and residents will greatly help the businesses in the surrounding area. Moreover, there are hardly any vacant premises in the city center, whereas when I arrived, half of the spaces were unoccupied. If we want to have a lively city center, we have to attract people to the city center, ”defends the one who will bow out next Sunday after a 12-year term.
Difficult balance
The fact remains that Mayor Chalifoux recognizes that it is not always easy to respect a certain patrimonial harmony in a booming city like his. According to the chief magistrate, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts has gained between 200 and 300 permanent inhabitants since the start of the pandemic, not to mention the many visitors who have converged there every weekend for a year and a half.
Bolstered by this demographic boom, this city of 10,000 souls, nestled between Mont-Tremblant and Saint-Sauveur, has recorded twice as many constructions and renovations as normal: a reality prevalent in all the municipalities surrounding the region. suburb of Montreal. Hence the need to give bite to current town planning regulations, to prevent this new development from becoming anarchic, warns Louis Tremblay, president of the Friends and owners of old houses in Quebec.
“Our little old houses must be better protected,” pleads Mr. Tremblay. And by that, we are not only talking about heritage houses that are classified. We are talking about all the old houses that are in good condition. It is also necessary to protect the perimeter around. It does not mean to be against contemporary constructions. It means ensuring that they are integrated into the heritage environment. “
The main street
However, do the new residents really want to preserve what remains of the ancestral character of their city? In Saint-Gabriel, in Lanaudière, one of the oldest houses has been for sale for three years and has never found a buyer, even though it was in relatively good condition.
Consequence: barring a miracle, it will soon be demolished to make way for the village SAQ, which had to move because of the lack of parking at its current location.
” It’s truly sad. We really did everything to not get there. The house is currently on sale for a $ 1, if someone wants to move it to restore it, ”laments the mayor, Gaétan Gravel.
The latter was re-elected without opposition, but the fact remains that the preservation of heritage will be a decisive issue in the next four years. As other ancestral homes are threatened, Saint-Gabriel seems more and more to have served as an inspiration for the song. The main street Colocs, so the new Tim Hortons and McDonald’s contrast with the architecture of the surroundings.
“It’s like that all over the region. These big banners pay a lot of taxes, and it’s the money that leads. For here, it is already too late ”, is convinced the owner of the dairy bar of the place, Daniel Martin, defeatist.