Human, accessible, connected and dotted with works of art from recycled industrial structures.
Lachine is a fascinating place that bears witness to events that have marked the history of the Montreal region. The Lachine rapids made it necessary to stop on the banks of the river at this location, which is still steeped in history today.
The present project aims to reunite a dismembered and mineralized sector by giving it an additional structuring thread. In our view, the revitalization of Notre-Dame Street involves making the street accessible on a single level, on a more human scale, and re-emphasizing its omnipresent industrial past by recycling industrial structures as works of art or other street furniture.
Diagnosis: a one-way street
This project proposes a one-way street where parking, public transport, pedestrians and bicycles cohabit. Each sector of the new street is differentiated by a different color or material, in the image of a European street. The intention is to reduce the number of cars on the road and allow for the creation of living and meeting spaces along the sidewalk. The new street is also intended as a link to other parts of the borough, connecting the bicycle paths. The current street is desolate (social and economic challenges) and lacks animation. Buildings are dilapidated, empty and neglected, accentuated by the aftermath of the pandemic, which saw public spaces abandoned for more than a year. The revitalization of Notre-Dame Street is a promising project that will enable the city to turn things around and breathe a breath of fresh air into the entire borough. With this project, the city is demonstrating its flexibility and agility to create a unique, attractive and resilient sector.
Lessons from Montreal projects
Refurbishing a major thoroughfare is a bold undertaking. Montreal has revamped many of its arteries, such as Rue St-Denis and Rue Laurier. Merchants suffer from long closures, and activities move to other locations. The street's rehabilitation alone does not allow for a total transformation.
Wellington Street in Verdun is an inspiring success story for Lachine, with an integrated approach to infrastructure rehabilitation and a concerted effort by commercial players to revamp the entire offering for residents. The many small businesses and mixed uses have made it a unique and welcoming living environment. Commercial premises have attracted local services. Careful integration of transportation has also ensured the influx of a maximum number of citizens.
Vision:
The redevelopment of Notre-Dame Street offers a unique opportunity to go back to the drawing board. Wires will be buried and a fully accessible street created. The reinvented street will offer a mix of public transport alternatives to the car. A swale in the center of the street will allow rainwater to be collected. The project will favor an ecological system (permeable paving stones) for water recovery (reference Frédéric-Back Park), with safety and aesthetics as the main criteria.
(From competitor's text)
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Some members of the jury emphasized the simplicity of the Untitled proposal by the Le retour team. However, the proposed design gestures are few and the programming limited.
(From jury report)
(Unofficial automated translation)
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