Opposition to the removal of 250 parking spaces in Parc-Extension, for the development of new cycle paths, is growing and even gave rise to acts of vandalism on Thursday: paint and oil were used. were spread on the roadway and signs prohibiting parking were removed.
At the intersection of avenues Querbes and d’Anvers, a few dozen demonstrators had installed chairs on the street on Friday morning to prevent workers in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension district from continuing the work. development of the lane reserved for bicycles. Police officers were on site to prevent excesses.
A resident of the neighborhood, who said he agreed with the new configuration, was attacked and insulted by a demonstrator for several minutes, before others intervened to try to calm the latter.
“People are angry,” said the area’s municipal councilor, Mary Deros, who arrived on the scene at lunchtime to speak to the protesters. “The removal of these 250 parking spaces will affect how many families with several children, people with reduced mobility, elderly people? »
Mme Deros is part of the opposition, while the borough has a majority of elected officials from Projet Montréal, the party of Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, notably the mayor of the borough, Laurence Lavigne-Lalonde.
The development planned by the borough means the removal of parking on one side of the street to make way for two cycle lanes, one in each direction.
The demonstrators met at the scene insisted that they are not opposed to cycle paths, but that they want a solution allowing them to be created without removing so many parking spaces for cars, in such a densely populated area, where few residents have a driveway or garage.
A solution, they add, which would avoid the current tensions between two groups of residents.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The development planned by the borough means the removal of parking on one side of the street to make way for two cycle lanes, one in each direction.
“I’m a plumber, I have to park my truck near my house on the street,” explains Tony Alevizos, a resident of Querbes Avenue. “Already, when I come back at the end of the day, there are very few spaces available. It will be even worse now. »
For the deputy director of a daycare located on the street corner where the demonstration was held, Hélène Stratis, the new cycle lane entails the removal of a three-space drop-off point that parents used to come and drive and bring back their children. She also fears that her employees will have difficulty parking in the area.
Other protesters noted that spaces reserved for people with disabilities have had to be moved much further away, which will result in much longer travel times.
During the last meeting of the district council, two weeks ago, citizens came to express their dissatisfaction to elected officials. There were so many of them that the police had to intervene to limit access to the council room.
Questioned by residents of the targeted area, borough officials defended themselves by saying that consultations had been carried out on the new dedicated cycle paths. But opponents say the removal of parking spaces was only announced last June.
Elsewhere in the district, tensions have also emerged in the Saint-Michel district, where the development of a cycle path on Avenue Legendre also leads to a reduction in on-street parking spaces. Protests have been held in this area over the past two weeks.