NEWS -- One of the only parks in Old Montreal is going to be destroyed, with a seven-storey condo development taking its place.
Known to locals as Pigeon Hole Park, is a rare bit of open green space in a part of town defined by tall buildings and narrow streets
"It's such a jewel to the neighbourhood. It's much appreciated by all residents," said resident Oudayan Dutta.
The park sits on private property leased by the city, and now the owner wants to build
In February, the city approved a plan to build a 200-unit condo building on the site of the park
In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson said the borough was unable to intervene in the matter.
"We were told that it would be sidewalk to sidewalk, from Notre-Dame to rue de l'Hopital and from St-Jean all the way to St-Francois-Xavier. Right in front of the Centaur Theatre, which is the old Montreal stock exchange," said Dutta.
On top of losing the green space, Dutta said the project would hide the century-old buildings that line the park
He's started a petition, demanding the Quebec cultural minister step in and block the project.
"Since this is an historic district, they do need their approbation in order to go ahead with this project," he said.
Quebec's Culture Minister Nathalie Roy was not available for comment but a spokesperson from her office said the details of the project are still being reviewed to ensure it respects the standards for a designated heritage site.
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