Montreal is moving forward with the demolition of the facilities of the former Lachine marina, which will soon be transformed into a waterfront park. Buildings and equipment deemed obsolete will be deconstructed and removed from the site, an operation which will cost 1.2 million.
Posted at 1:01 p.m.
“We are moving to another stage. We are going to remove the obsolete equipment from the marina, in particular the sheds, the swimming pool and the gatehouses. We know that the citizens of Lachine and the entire city are impatient to see this new large park,” said Alex Norris, responsible for large parks on the executive committee, on Wednesday.
According to the City, the marina’s buildings and equipment “present risks to the safety of visitors”, which cites cases of “vandalism and illicit activities” creating a “feeling of insecurity” for nearby residents. .
The operation, which Mr. Norris himself describes as “demolition” of the old marina, will also and above all serve “to prepare the ground” for the development of the future waterfront park on the banks of Lake Saint-Louis. .
This budget of 1.2 million extended on Wednesday by Montreal also includes the installation of an electrical cabinet on a slab which will be located at the entrance to the future park, “in order to replace the electrical room of the entrance gatehouse building which will be deconstructed,” we read in municipal documents.
“Electrical and telecommunications connection work by Bell Canada via underground systems is also required,” specifies the City.
End of a saga
The news puts an end to a municipal saga which had spanned several years. It was in July 2020 that the City of Montreal first announced that the Lachine marina, which it owns, would be in its last year.
In total, the City park project was accompanied by substantial investments of 25 million, with the objective of “making the banks accessible to all”.
From the start, the Association of Plaisirs of the Lachine Marina (APPPL) strongly criticized the decision, judging that this marina was “historic” and that it “is one of the attractions of Lachine”. A lawsuit was even launched by the group, before being abandoned due to lack of financial resources.
The former borough councilor of the Canal district in Lachine, Julie-Pascale Provost, had also been excluded from the Projet Montréal caucus due to strained relations with her colleagues. The main interested party then maintained that it was her position on the Lachine marina issue that was disturbing the administration.
“In 2020, we made a big gesture. […] And as it is a sensitive environment on the banks, in addition to carrying out consultations, we have carried out studies in recent years to ensure that we are properly protecting biodiversity,” Alex Norris maintained on Wednesday.
