Jean-François Gagné arrives to meet us on Gouin Boulevard at a run. He doesn’t have a car in a neighbourhood that is not considered an El Dorado of sustainable mobility: Montréal-Nord. “I’m an alien,” he admits. “But I have access to thousands of Communautos.”
We are at Eusèbe-Ménard Park, beautifully located on the banks of the Rivière des Prairies, where another representative of the Association pour la mobilité sécurité de Montréal-Nord (AMSMN), Julie-Anne Moreau, is waiting for us. “Gouin is the most beautiful boulevard in Montréal-Nord,” she says.
“We want to make Gouin Boulevard safer and more beautiful,” says the mother of two. “Currently, it’s a transit route for those who don’t want to wait on Henri-Bourrassa Boulevard.”
The Montreal North Association for Safe Mobility is leading the “Rêver Gouin” project, which has the support of 300 signatories and organizations such as Piétons Québec, Solon, Vélo Québec, the Montreal North Historical and Genealogical Society and the Montreal North Volunteer Action Centre.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Julie-Anne Moreau and Jean-François Gagné in front of the part of the Gouin Boulevard bike path without a sidewalk in Montreal North
The Association is campaigning for Gouin Boulevard to become one-way in Montréal-Nord (between Saint-Vital and Langelier boulevards), as has been the case in the west in Ahuntsic and in the east in Rivière-des-Prairies for several years. “A question of harmony,” explains Julie-Anne. “The one-way system would allow for the addition of a sidewalk. People walk right on the bike path.”
We have indeed seen with our own eyes how much of a confusion of uses there is. With the increase in active travel, the bike path that has existed since 1982 is very busy, especially since there are many people in wheelchairs from neighbouring residences. But above all: a segment of the path occupies a side of the street without a sidewalk where there are historical signs! “It’s way too confusing and it’s super dangerous,” thunders Julie-Anne. “When there are guided tours, people don’t know where to go,” adds Jean-François.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
The Cazal house, which dates back almost 250 years, is one of those that has a historical sign.
Fortunately, the Montreal North Association for Safe Mobility feels that it is being listened to by elected officials. It had a meeting with Sophie Mauzerolle, responsible for mobility in the city center, and another with the mayor of the district, Christine Black.
“There were zero speed bumps in Montréal-Nord three years ago. The borough has added a ton,” Jean-François points out. He is also pleased with the addition of bollards and new bike paths in the neighbourhood.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Jean-François Gagné and Julie-Anne Moreau are among the citizens who created the Association for Safe Mobility of Montreal North (AMSMN). The former is also behind the parents’ collective Pas une mort de plus, which campaigns for road safety around schools.
Restoring the image of Montreal North
With its Rêver Gouin project, the Association for Safe Mobility of Montreal North (AMSMN) also wants to highlight the historic character of Gouin Boulevard and Montreal North.
We were treated to a captivating guided tour with Jean-Paul Guiard, president of the Montreal North Historical and Genealogical Society.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Jean-Paul Guiard, president of the Montreal North Historical and Genealogical Society
He recounted the time when people came to their cottages in Montreal North by tramway and when a ferry allowed people to get to Laval by boat on L’Archevêque Avenue before the Pie-IX Bridge was built. “Until the 1950s, this was the countryside here,” he explained. “In 1915, there were 960 inhabitants. In 1950, there were 12,000.”
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PHOTO TAKEN FROM THE ARCHIVES OF THE CITY OF MONTREAL
Although the tramway has stopped going to Montreal North, you can still clearly see where the terminus used to be, through a strip of land that belongs to the City.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Where the Marché Ste-Gertrude convenience store is today, there was once an iron merchant.
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PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Residents of Montreal North are upset that there are no benches around the Brignon-dit-Lapierre house, which has been restored and where shows are presented.
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“This was the nerve center because it was the terminus of the tramway,” he said as we stood at the corner of Gouin and Pigeon Avenue, across from Aimé-Léonard Park. There was a time when there was a grocery store and a 700-seat movie theater, the Régal.
Julie-Anne Moreau also dreams that it will once again become “the heart of the village” with a café, an ice cream shop and local shops.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Aimé-Léonard Park received a facelift in 2021 with a new chalet and facilities for children.
Especially since Aimé-Léonard Park, right next door, is the most beautiful in Montréal-Nord, says Jean-François Gagné. The view and the path on the water give us a completely different image than the one – associated with poverty and crime – that many people have of the neighbourhood.
Good news: Cité-Mémoire would like to design a multimedia trail that goes through Gouin Boulevard. In the meantime, Jean-François and Julie-Anne continue to “dream” about it. The public is also invited to a walk organized by their association on September 7, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.