Ville-Marie mayor Benoît Labonté has shelved plans to pedestrianize the portion of St. Paul Street between Place Jacques-Cartier and St. Laurent Blvd. this summer. Although he claims that politics has nothing to do with his decision—more discussion with merchants is needed, he says—the folks in City Hall say that Labonté is just posturing in anticipation of his mayoral campaign in 2009. You might recall that, although Labonté supports the seasonal pedestrianization of Ste. Catherine St. in the Village, it was City Hall’s transport plan that recommended turning St. Paul into a pedestrian street.
Here’s what the Gazette is reporting:
the Montreal executive committee member responsible for that plan laughed when it was suggested that Labonté’s announcement was anything other than a political move by someone on the verge of running for the mayoralty of Montreal in 2009.
“I find it sad (Labonté’s) political agenda consists of deciding that, when there’s a problem, the solution is to do nothing,”André Lavallée said.
Labonté’s announcement short-circuits local provisions of a sweeping plan by city hall to re-think Montreal’s transportation and road system.
(…)
Friday’s announcement by Labonté comes in the midst of a bid by Mayor Gérald Tremblay to persuade the province to give the mayor at city hall – rather than the borough – control of Ville Marie, a move Labonté has challenged in a letter to Municipal Affairs Minister Nathalie Normandeau.
Asked if his shelving of the transport projects was to show he is still running things in the borough, Labonté said: “This isn’t partisan politics. This is a potentially interesting project, but we want to be sure it succeeds.”
Lavallée said he wondered why Labonté, prior to his political defection from Tremblay’s Union Montréal party, and still a member of the executive committee, didn’t raise concerns when the transportation plan was discussed last year.
La Presse has more detail on the city’s dealings with St. Paul businesses:
Lors d’une récente consultation publique au Marché Bonsecours, l’idée d’un projet-pilote de piétonnisation de la rue Saint-Paul dès cet été était partagée par plusieurs participants, notamment Jean-Marc Lavoie, du bar Les Deux Pierrots, et Ginette Major, présidente de l’Association des résidants du Vieux-Montréal. Mais M. Labonté n’en veut pas. «Même un projet-pilote doit être fait correctement, dit-il. Ces projets de piétonnisation ne font pas partie de notre culture et doivent être bien développés pour assurer leur succès.»
L’initiateur du projet à la ville centre, André Lavallée, responsable du Transport à la Ville et maire de Rosemont-La Petite Patrie, n’est pas très heureux de ce report. « Je ne comprends pas le recul de M. Labonté, dit-il à La Presse. Depuis un mois et demi, on est déjà en consultation avec les associations. Les gens nous disent que ça nous prend toujours 20 ans pour faire avancer des choses, qu’à la Ville, il n’y a jamais personne qui ne décide rien. Ça m’apparaît être un agenda politique pour M. Labonté.»
7 comments
dont worry, vision montreal is hard at work protecting the automobile from demonization.
well, I wouldn’t be so dramatic. I mean, from what I heard, the merchants want to discuss the idea.
Montreal is far from being Beijing or London when it comes to cars and pollution. I find Montrealers such extremists in the views of things. Here’s a idea: let’s tear down all buildings taller than 4 storeys, pedestrianize most streets and install bike paths on every large boulevard. Oh, and build parks on every last parking lot – wouldn’t want a building there to spoil views. :)
Well, there are bicycle paths on all large boulevards and many smaller streets in Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Strasbourg, and they do ok.
The plans regarding extensive changes to St. Paul Street,removal of parking on de la commune,as well as insertion of double reserved bus lanes were never transparent to the actual residents nor business owners who will be effected by such a radical change. Faced with the objections of the people who have actually invested in the redevelopment of this area Mr. Labonte’s decision is the right thing to do. Andre Lavalle does not live here nor has he invested in building a business here. If anyone is playing politics it is the civic administration. Let the city put its efforts to tram the area by working with the crown corporation of the Old Port and join it to the Griffintown. THe development of the Old City should not only be driven by festivals and shops that shut down every September leaving those who live here, work here, and pay taxes.
re: bike paths – Montreal is a harsh nordic climate not Amsterdam or Strasbourg. Not sure about the snowfall in Copenhagen so can’t really add a comment there.
All I know is that this past winter the new bike path along deMaisonneuve proved to be ridiculous. The fact that one of the most important arteries in the city has been almost halved and that it was totally covered in snow and ice (whenever I saw it) proves how ridiculous an idea it is. I just don’t think there are enough bike afficiendos who are going to use it particularly in the winter to warrant such a permanent pathway. I could have seen a temporary one installed from April – October. I would much rather see wider sidewalks dressed with trees and plantings. Indeed, I think we should get rid of street parking on Ste Catherine street and enlarge the sidewalks.
I like the idea of M. Labontés that pedestrian or car-free areas are not a part of Quebec culture. So shutting out cars on about a hundred metres of street where there is no room for cars anyway needs years of planning.
Has anyone ever tried to walk there on the more or less 2m wide sidewalk between parked cars and buildings without using the street? We won’t get far with people like him.
You missed the point of the permanent bike lanes —
1) they are removaing of space for the automobile: a subtle supply-side tweak of the equation which will likely push people into cars or bikes.
2) a permanent, visible monument to biking’s respectability and place in the city. something for social constructivists to go ga-ga over.
3) An advantage in the global competition for yuppies and hipsters from abroad. I don’t know if I would go as far as Richard Florida and pretend the fate of world civilisation depends on stealing these people from elsewhere, but it’s not the worst idea to have them moving in if you’re going to ask for a group of motivated, pro-urban voters in the future.