After public outcry and a petition, the much-debated location for a beach in Verdun on the St. Lawrence River has finally been resolved.
The borough announced Monday it will be located behind the Verdun Auditorium.
Ever since the multi-million dollar beach project was approved in 2014, the borough had been leaning toward putting the beach behind the Natatorium, a pool complex on LaSalle Blvd.
That plan came under fire by environmentalists and some residents who said the beach would disrupt the delicate ecosystem in the nearby wetlands.
Opponents also said that there wasn't enough parking in the area to accommodate the expected crowds.
One resident gathered a petition of more than 1000 signatures and presented it to the borough council last month.
Borough Mayor Jean Francois Parenteau said he wanted the beach to be a boon for the area - not a divisive issue - and in the end parking was a deciding factor.
“It's not so far the metro, only two or three minutes and it's included inside the recreational place and it's by the swimming pool, auditorium de Verdun and the skate park, so I think it's a more unifying place for the population,” he said.
Now that the decision has been made, the work begins.
The beach is expected to be open to the public in the summer of 2017, in time for Montreal's 375th anniversary.
