Waterfront occupied by the Bonaventure Expressway
in the Technoparc area.

Photo: Société du Havre de Montréal

Vision - Bird's-Eye View of Harbourfront

The greenbelt will replace the Bonaventure Expressway corridor and link up the various recreational facilities, from Rapides de Lachine Park to the islands and Old Montréal, and taking in the basins area and the Lachine Canal. The Bonaventure Expressway will be transformed into a controlled-access scenic route. Shifting it north-ward will free up some major waterfront sites that can accommodate high-use tourist facilities and offer contact with the park and the river. Pierre-Dupuy Avenue will be straightened out and extended to Point St. Charles so that the neighbourhood is no longer cut off. Another link will provide river access for residents. The large tracts of industrial land along Bridge Street and on either side of the railway right-of-way could be developed and would be an excellent site for the installation of major recreational and tourist facilities.

Illustration: Christian Thiffault, Architectes

Current state of waterfront near Victoria Bridge
in the Technoparc.

Photo: Christian Thiffault, Architectes

Waterfront

Relocating the Bonaventure Expressway will allow extension of the greenbelt along the river, from Rapides de Lachine Park to Cité du Havre Park. When incorporated into the linear park, this significant new facility will be accessible to all Montrealers and will become the focus of recreational activities on the banks of the
St. Lawrence. It will also highlight major heritage assets such as the Victoria Bridge, Montréal's first span across the river.

Illustration: Christian Thiffault, Architectes

Current state of main gateway to business district.

Photo: Société du Havre de Montréal

Gateway to the City

The northern section of the Bonaventure Expressway, between
De la Commune and Notre- Dame streets, will be converted into a divided urban boulevard so as to join up the Faubourg des Récollets and Griffintown, and link these neighbourhoods with downtown. The land freed up As result will be developed in the same manner as the renewal work being done in the Faubourg des Récollets and the Cité Multimédia, transforming Montréal's main gateway into a lively residential neighbourhood

Illustration: Christian Thiffault, Architectes

Peel Basin area, a major rehabilitation opportunity.

Photo: Société du Havre de Montréal

Area of the Basins

Following on from other development initiatives, the rediscovery of the various basins at the foot of Peel Street has focussed attention on a hub whose spokes lead to the recreational facilities of the Old Port, Lachine Canal and Jean-Drapeau Park. The area around the Tate and Wellington basins would be an ideal site for the installation of high-use tourist facilities. The Bonaventure Expressway, converted into an urban boulevard, could either run under the basins via a tunnel (as shown here) or cross over the Lachine Canal east of the Peel Basin via an urban bridge. Providing safe public passageways between the Lachine Canal and the Cité du Havre will breathe life back into the basin area and open up the possibility of new land uses without compromising existing industrial operations.

Illustration: Christian Thiffault, Architectes

Champ-de-Mars Metro Station Area

Covering up the Ville-Marie Expressway opposite the Champ-de-Mars will make it possible to re-establish the links between the historic district and the Faubourg Saint-Laurent. Moving the Berri/Saint-Laurent exit down to Saint Denis Street will help provide safe access to Old Montréal for users of the Champ-de-Mars metro station and the many pedestrians who walk to the harbourfront from the Quartier latin district. The harbourfront streetcar service will run along Saint-Antoine and Saint-Urbain streets to link up with the entertainment district.

Illustration: Christian Thiffault, Architectes

Proposed tramway network

Plan: Multiconcept graphisme inc.

Harbourfront Streetcars

Streetcars will provide transportation throughout the harbourfront area, from the Champ-de-Mars metro station to Notre-Dame Island, stopping along the way in Old Montréal and the Old Port, where they will run on the existing tracks. Matching the scale of the city and its streets, they will adopt the colour scheme of Montréal's old streetcars and will share the road with both motor vehicles and pedestrians. Use of streetcars will significantly reduce traffic congestion on the harbourfront as well as greenhouse
gas emissions.

Illustration: Christian Thiffault, Architectes

3D Animation

GRCAO, University of Montréal - Giovanni De Paoli,
Jonathan Dorthe, Neil Melendez

The City find back the St. Lawrence

The rediscovery of the basins located down of Peel Street.

The transformation of the Montréal's main gateway into a
lively neighbourhood.