I distinctly remember walking over this footbridge that links St. Roch in Park Ex to Jarry Park and the tennis stadium on the other side of the train tracks. There’s a great view of the tracks and the Parc commuter train station. Now, though, the staircase leading up to the bridge has been destroyed. What gives?
June 24, 2008
7 comments
I hope they add a water slide to the end. That would be awesome.
Perhaps they intend to rebuild the stairs and it’s the classic public works pattern of do half the job now and then come back at some random (much) later time. (Which was the pattern for redoing the swimming pool area in Parc Kent: they started last fall and then did nothing for much of the spring and weren’t ready for that first heat wave we had in June.)
Very, very strange. I used to like walking up on that footbridge too – why on earth is one end destroyed? Oh well, I suppose teenagers can make out there at night.
You might want to put a Villeray category on this as well, as it spans Park-ex and Villeray (my side).
Kaï, we have the same swimming pool problem here; the outdoor pool in Jarry Park remains closed and under repair – this is a real problem given the current heatwave. Moreover, the biggest pool nearby in Petite Patrie, on Bellechasse west of Papineau, remains damaged by a major fire that severely damaged the high school there.
I think the tennis courts need the space.
This St. Roch Street footbridge was built and nicknamed “cardiac crossing” in Expos baseball stadium days. It also gave pedestrians in the ‘hood access to Jarry Park and its summer swimming pool.
After the installation of Tennis Canada’s megacomplex at its east end, necessitating a detour to the pool, and of a pedestrian railway level-crossing a block north around 2005, the bridge was less used. The concrete structure had deteriorated dangerously and rather than repair it the City demolished the east stairway.
I also miss the great view of city roofs and Mountain and healthy walks to the garden corner of Jarry Park and points east like Jean-Talon Market. Walking up and over the bridge was a spring, fall and summer joy.
If you like the St-Roch footbridge and want to be part of an event that will bring to light its past and open on discussion about its future (even if autorities want it to be demolished) you can go on that page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aimons-la-passerelle/176924025762940
The event will take place under the footbridge on may 27 at 1 pm.