The city of Montreal is forging ahead with plans to turn McGill College Ave. into a pedestrian square that will be used as a tourist hub and a light-rail station.
“We know people are craving to have more pedestrian areas in Montreal and I think this one is a perfect one,” said Mayor Valerie Plante.
Before it moves forward, though, the city will hold six weeks of public consultations. They will be held this fall to hear what ideas people have about transforming the bustling downtown street into a pedestrian-only square.
The Plante administration confirmed in April that it wants to change McGill College Ave., between Sherbrooke St. and Place Ville Marie, into a public square free from car traffic.
No budget has been determined for that project, but it is part of a $123-million revitalization of downtown – a plan that includes a makeover of Ste. Catherine St. that will make it more pedestrian friendly.
The city said it wants to break ground next year to coincide with the building of the new REM station, and both are slated to be finished in 2021.
It’s expected than 16,000 people will use that stop during morning rush hour every weekday.
“I terms of sequence, it's good because we're going to do the work there when we build the station, the REM and after that there will be this vision that will be implemented,” said REM spokesperson Jean-Vincent Lacroix.
Plante said she wants the public square to become as iconic as Mount Royal or Old Montreal, transforming the busy intersection to a promenade three times larger than Place Jacques-Cartier.
"We want to make sure this place will be in all tourist books. People will say I'm going to Montreal of course I've got to be on McGill College Avenue because that's the place to be, it's cool. We have great views, it's exciting, there's action happening. That needs to happen with citizens sharing what they envision," said Plante.
One issue that will delay the city's plans is another construction project due to begin in October: the downtown station for the REM will be located on the east side of McGill College Ave.
While the station is being built, pedestrian and vehicle traffic will frequently be barred from the east side of the street.
In the meantime the city is moving ahead with plans to pedestrianize a short stretch of Ste. Catherine St., as well as planning changes to Phillips Square, Dorchester Square, and Saint James Square.
