The Société des transports de Montréal (STM) unveils Tuesday the new entrance to the Mont-Royal metro station, under construction since 2018. However, part of the restoration remains to be completed this fall.
Posted at 10:30 a.m.
Natural light, an upcoming work of art, a green roof and above all, two new elevators: the Mont-Royal metro station has had a facelift. After almost four years of work and 50 million dollars, it becomes the twentieth station to be accessible to people with reduced mobility in Montreal.
The inauguration took place on Tuesday in front of the station located on avenue du Mont-Royal, by Éric Alan Caldwell, chairman of the board of directors of the Société de transport de Montréal and Laurence Parent, borough councilor of Plateau-Mont -Royal.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, THE PRESS
Laurence Parent and Eric Alan Caldwell
Mont-Royal station has been extended, two fixed staircases leading from the platforms to the street have been added, as well as a pedestrian tunnel above the track to go from one platform to the other and two elevators. The transformation work was carried out without ever having to close the station, a “true tour de force” for the STM teams, according to Mr. Alan Caldwell.
” [La STM et la Ville de Montréal] seized the opportunity of the accessibility work to improve not only the route of the population, but also the user-friendliness and the design of the Gérald-Godin public square, near the station, explains Laurence Parent. Now, everyone will have easier access to the neighborhood, to Mont-Royal Avenue and to the area’s unique commercial and cultural offer. »
“We welcome the inauguration of the new entrance to Mont-Royal station, which will be accessible to everyone,” said Christine Black, spokesperson for the Official Opposition to the City of Montreal for public transit and mobility. It should be remembered, however, that Projet Montréal is progressing at a snail’s pace in making metro stations universally accessible. »
Work will continue in the fall
Although the new entrance is now open to the public, work will continue in the fall to complete the repair of the part of the station that remains open, finalize the installation of a work of art by artist Simon Bilodeau and complete the landscaping, warns the STM.
The work of art will consist of three walls more than four meters high decorated with a mosaic of castings. It will refer to “specific aspects of the architecture and the layout of the station’s environment, as well as its functions and its history”, specifies the press release from the STM.
In Montreal, 11 other projects are underway to universalize access to metro stations, namely at Place-des-Arts, Angrignon, Berri-UQAM (yellow line), Édouard-Montpetit, D’Iberville, Jolicoeur, McGill, Outremont, Pie-IX, Place-Saint-Henri and Villa-Maria.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, THE PRESS
“All of this work benefits not only customers with motor limitations, underlines the STM, but also families with young children, seniors and travellers. »