Lachine residents hope to give their lighthouse area a major revamp

MONTREAL -

Lachine's picturesque lighthouse and pier could be getting a revamp courtesy of a $10 million city fund set aside specifically for implementing citizens' ideas.

The lighthouse, which sets near 34th Ave. serves as a “meeting space” for residents, according to Julie Levasseur.

“It's also a landmark. Anybody that knows Lachine knows if you want to meet up with people on the side of the river, you usually say the lighthouse.”

Levasseur is part of a group of residents that want to make the lighthouse and pier an even bigger attraction. The group pitched the idea to the city, which has set aside the $10 million to carry out citizen-led projects. The pier and lighthouse facelift are among 35 ideas in the running.

“When the budget of the City of Montreal was proposed, we were like, 'You know what? We're going to propose a project and we're going to propose to revamp the whole area and create a boardwalk,” said Levasseur.

Among their ideas for the area is increasing vegetation and eliminating much of the asphalt and making the lighthouse accessible to the public.

“It's not that pleasant, satnding on a paved site like this. You can tell it's an industrial site. Our goal is to convert it to a public-use site,” said resident Tyler Ball.

The initiative has the blessing of the borough, which has plans for a larger revamp of the nearby marina.

“We have two bays that are incredibly beautiful on Lac St-Louis, that are just like a little nook that's protected from the rapids,” said Mayor Maja Vodanovich.

Part of the plan for the lighthouse area includes making it safer as a waterfront area.

“I didn't come here very often when my children were very young. They were very active, they would run around. I didn't want them to fall into the water, so the railings will really improve security,” said city councillor Michele Flannery.

Montreal residents area able to vote on their five preferred projects on the city's website until July 11.