Valérie Plante’s team wants to build a park above the Décarie highway, near the eco-neighborhood that it offers on the site of the former Blue Bonnets racecourse.
The mayoress announced Tuesday morning her desire to cover some forty meters of the highway, between rue Jean-Talon Ouest and rue des Jockeys, just at the foot of the Namur metro station.
“The Décarie highway remains an urban scar in the neighborhood,” said Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Projet Montréal candidate for mayor of Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, during a press conference. . “Getting around on foot or by bike on Boulevard Décarie remains unpleasant: noise, pollution and the speed of cars reduce the attractiveness of the sector. The project would cost around 10 million.
Denis Coderre and Ensemble Montréal are proposing an overlap over 800 meters from Décarie, between Côte-Sainte-Catherine and Queen-Mary. They expect a bill of 700 million.
“For us, what is important is to go there in a pragmatic and efficient way, that it is achievable quickly”, replied Mme Plante, confronted with the proposal of his opponents. “If you ask me the question: would I like that, cover all the highways in Montreal and make them into parks? Obviously. But from a practical point of view, achievable and effective, for me, this beginning is the most important thing to do. ”
The Plante administration has been criticized by opposition at city hall for its decision to start anew planning for the development of the residential district that will take the place of the Blue Bonnets racetrack. Ultimately, around 7,500 housing units should be built there “including a minimum of 2,000 social housing units and 2,000 affordable housing units, which will remain so for at least 40 years”, according to the political party.
Tuesday, Valérie Plante indicated that the sale of lots to developers should begin in 2023. She refused to commit to a date for the inauguration of the first homes.