What is the 'Grand parc de l'Est?' Montreal unveils large east-end park project
A large swath of land in Montreal's east end will become a protected park space, the city announced Sunday.
The new park, officially called "le Grand parc de l'Est," will encompass just under 700 hectares, about three times the size of Mount Royal Park.
"By setting up this large park, we are giving ourselves the means to preserve and enhance natural environments for the benefit of east-end residents and the entire island," Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said in a press release originally published in French.
She said the park will protect biodiversity, provide accessible green space, and create "buffer zones" between businesses and residences.
With the park's boundaries established, the city could move to acquire the land inside of it, which is made up of public, private, and institutional property.
(Source: City of Montreal)
A CAMPAIGN PROMISE
Plante campaigned on creating an ample east-end green space leading up to her reelection in 2021.
"Distribution of green spaces in Montreal has never been equitable on the east side," Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Borough Mayor Pierre Lessard-Blais said at the time.
The east-end park is, in-part, a sister project to "le Grand parc de l'Ouest" -- another park plan in the West Island slated for 2030.
That project is significantly larger, encompassing 3,000 hectares, compared to the 700 reserved for the Grand parc de l'Est. If completed, it could be Canada's largest municipal park.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Canada being hit by 3 separate storm systems: Here's where
Winter weather is underway in parts of Canada with three storm systems bringing messy conditions from B.C. to Newfoundland and Labrador.
WATCH LIVE Oil, gas emissions to be cut by at least one-third by 2030: Guilbeault
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says the oil and gas industry will have to cut emissions more than one-third by 2030. A framework outlining the cap is being published today with plans to publish draft regulations next spring and get the final regulations in place in 2025.
Calgary mayor won't attend annual menorah lighting ceremony
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek won't be attending this year's annual menorah lighting, a ceremony that marks the beginning of Hanukkah, because she says the event has deeply divided residents.
Vegas shooter who killed 3 was a professor who recently applied for a job at UNLV, AP source says
Terrified students and professors cowered in classrooms and dorms as a gunman roamed the floors of a University of Nevada, Las Vegas building, killing three people and critically wounding a fourth before dying in a shootout with police.
The stunning 30-hour train ride that sells out in seconds
Historically a commuter train from Ankara to Kars, the train has gone viral among Turkish influencers in recent years for its stunning scenery through the east, full of off-the-beaten-path treasures.
Here's how much more it's expected to cost to feed a family of 4 in Canada next year
A new report by more than 30 researchers is estimating how much food will cost in 2024 and how much money it will take to feed families.
Are you pronouncing that right? Most mispronounced words and names in 2023
Some of the words tied to this year's hottest topics were also among the most mangled when it came to saying them aloud
DEVELOPING Widening Israeli offensive in southern Gaza worsens dire humanitarian conditions
The Israeli military hit Rafah in southern Gaza twice overnight, residents said, as United Nations officials warned there are no safe places left in the besieged territory.
U.K. says Russia's intelligence service behind sustained attempts to meddle in British democracy
Russia's intelligence services targeted high-profile British politicians, civil servants and journalists with cyberespionage and "malicious cyberactivity" as part of sustained attempts to interfere in U.K. political processes, Britain's government said Thursday.