Citizen mobilization for a self-managed center at the Canardière garage

For the third time this month, the Canardière garage parking lot, located at the corner of Henri-Bourassa Boulevard, was the scene of an artistic and citizen mobilization on Saturday. An initiative from the Agora collective, which wishes to lobby for the creation of a self-managed social center in the old garage. A project to which the City says no.

The sun was shining Saturday afternoon, as artisans quietly filled tables with works from the trunks of their cars and curious citizens began to arrive.

: we want to demonstrate what we could put in these places”,”text”:”Yes, demonstrations are important, it’s important to shout, to say what we have to say, but we , we want to say it in another way. Especially in struggles like this, where we want to reappropriate places: we want to demonstrate what we could put in these places”}}”>Yes, demonstrations are important, it’s important to shout, to say what we have to say, but we want to say it in another way. Especially in struggles like this, where we want to reappropriate places: we want to demonstrate what we could put in these placesexplains Anaé Gagnon, from the Agora collective, which organizes the activity.

The market was entirely self-managed by the craftsmen present on site, in line with the desired vision for the conversion of the garage.

The Agora collective’s approach supports the self-managed social center project, supported by the Littoral Est Citizen Table.

People do their things themselves, then we are just there to bring about mobilizationexplains the activist, who adds that The best way to meet people’s needs is by asking people what their needs are..

A self-managed project to meet space needs in the sector

In the wake of the abandonment of the InnoVitam project in the sector, the Littoral Est Citizen Table unveiled in December a project for a self-managed social center that it would like to see born in the Canardière garage.

The City of Quebec had unveiled a few days earlier its vision for the redevelopment of the sector, which involves the construction of 1,600 housing units in the short term and 5,000 in the long term.

This overall vision of the City should make it possible to replace the void left by the abandonment of the Quebec government’s InnoVitam project and the end of Medicago’s activities in the sector.

According to Daniel Guay, member of the Citizens’ Table, the social center would fit perfectly into the final version of the City’s Development Vision in the sector, and he hopes for a quick announcement on the subject.

: let’s do a development here”,”text”:”There are already needs in the Maizerets district, in the Limoilou district, for community premises. There aren’t any, there are some who are expelled, so we say to ourselves: let’s do some development here”}}”>There are already needs in the Maizerets district, in the Limoilou district, for community premises. There aren’t any, there are some who are expelled, so we say to ourselves: let’s make a development herehe argues.

The City says no to a self-managed project

The City of Quebec is currently consulting various players in the sector to determine the future of the garage, as part of the development of its Vision of the Canardière neighborhoods.

One thing is certain, however, it will not be a self-managed center , confirms in writing the political attaché in the mayor’s office Elainie Lepage. She explains that several avenues are being considered. The City is not closing the door to the creation of a community center.

The objective is to set up a working committee this fall to think about the future of the garage with local partners.she adds.

A call for tenders for the construction of a street and a park on the site

At the end of April, the City of Quebec published a call for tenders for the construction of a new street and a resilient park on the site of the municipal garage on Chemin de la Canardière.

The tender includes plans for the redevelopment of the site and the partial demolition of two sections to the rear of the municipal garage.

The construction of a new cul-de-sac street, accessible via Henri-Bourassa Boulevard, and a resilient park to manage rainwater retention are also in the City’s plans.

But these plans do not lower the hopes of the Littoral Est Citizen Table. Its president, Marie-Hélène Deshaies, who also chairs the Maizerets neighborhood council, explains that this call for tenders does not did not seem alarmingfor the continuation of the center project.

However, she is awaiting additional details from the City.