A small “urban forest” project in the city center, announced with great fanfare in 2021, has been postponed for several years due to a traffic jam on construction sites in the Quartier des spectacles, we have learned The Press.
After winning an international competition, its designer worries that the wasteland called “066” will never become an oasis of greenery. The repeated delays of the new Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) project are to blame.
“I am very worried that the project will be completely dismissed,” said architect Ziad Haddad, president of WAA Montreal, citing the possibility that a delay of several years could cause priorities and decision-makers to change. “This is a project of scale and impact. An iconic project in downtown Montreal. »
IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF MONTRÉAL
The project selected by international competition
With a team, Mr. Haddad proposed greening this small lot, located in the northwest corner of the Quartier des spectacles, and installing a footbridge open to the public. Revealing that the WAA proposal (named “Garden of Emiliano”) had been accepted, Valérie Plante described it as a “legacy” of her administration.
According to the feedback obtained by Mr. Haddad, the work may not begin before 2027, after the conclusion of the MAC project. The inauguration of the park itself was initially planned for 2024. The plans and specifications have not yet begun: even if WAA received the green light tomorrow morning, it would still take around three years for the urban forest to emerge from the ground, a assessed the architect.
“Reviewing timelines”
At the City of Montreal, we assure you that no final decision has been made.
“The City of Montreal is currently evaluating the coordination of various projects in this sector, the intensity of activities of which, particularly in the summer period, presents challenges,” indicated Hugo Bourgoin, communications for the City of Montreal, by email. “No decision has been made at this time regarding the timeline of the mentioned project. »
“We are in the process of reviewing the timelines based on the various works in the sector,” said Robert Beaudry, elected responsible for urban planning on Valérie Plante’s executive committee.
As for the Quartier des spectacles, we indicate that the increasing number of construction sites in this sector of Montreal create a challenge for the technical teams of festivals, who see their work space shrink each year. Land 066 is one of the few still available.
“It’s quite critical,” said general manager Éric Lefebvre. The construction site of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), which is due to open nearby, represents an additional “headache”.
“It’s a lot, a lot of difficulty to have all these projects at the same time, and we are very comfortable that we are staggering projects,” he continued, making it clear that this is not not the Quartier des spectacles which makes this type of decision, but that the postponement “makes [l’]business” of the organization.
“There is nothing critical for us” in seeing the urban forest project arrive as quickly as possible, illustrated Mr. Lefebvre. “There is no rush. »
The vacant lots in the area – numerous 15 years ago – have gradually given way to construction, so that today, “we have a performance hall, but we don’t have backstage”.
The story so far:
2021: The Jardin d’Emiliano project wins the international competition aimed at finding a new vocation for the wasteland, with inauguration planned three years later.
2021-2023: The new building project for the Museum of Contemporary Art, located nearby, is progressing slowly due to an exploding bill.
2023: Not yet started, the Jardin d’Emiliano is already running behind schedule and its construction may not begin before 2027.