Citizens to participate in plan for transformation of eastern Lachine
Public input sought to build innovative, ecologically sound neighbourhood
Transforming what is called the Ecoquartier Lachine-est into an innovative, ecologically sound neighbourhood is taking a next step in development. Public input is required.
For more than a year, experts from here and abroad, along with developers and elected officials, have been studying ways to create a harmonious sector with schools, services, a community centre, sports centre and residential units to house up to 10,000 people.
Citizens are invited to join a Zoom public consultation on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Zoom meeting has the capacity to welcome 500 participants. The admission process will begin at 6:30 p.m.
The borough of Lachine, Montreal and Concert’ action Lachine are working with the think tank Atelier Lachine-est to bring the plans to the virtual public domain.
“We want people to share in the excitement and ask questions about how we plan to build a neighbourhood where people will want to raise their families,” Mayor Maja Vodanovic said. “We want an ideal city. Why not? We’re starting from scratch.”
One question that comes up frequently is why there are already residential units being built in the eastern part of Lachine. Vodanovic said that the development of between 450 and 500 units was approved by the previous administration and was a done deal by the time she was elected mayor in 2017.
The 60-hectare ecoquartier is delineated by 6th Ave. to the west, the Du Canal commuter train station to the east, Victoria St. to the north and the Lachine Canal to the south.
A long list of subjects will be addressed during the Thursday Zoom consultation, including rapid transit — a tramway is being discussed — and parking and garbage management.
Vodanovic said they are considering common, underground parking lots and garbage and composting depots, which would rid the streets of parked vehicles and rows of garbage cans and composting bins.
The mayor said one major preoccupation in this time of climate change is water management. The current water system in Lachine sees sewage and surface runoff sharing the same sewer pipes. When a heavy rainfall occurs the pressure on the pipes can be such that valves must be released and both sewage and rain water are expelled. The idea is to have separate pipes for runoff and sewage and to install what is called a water square — Denmark and Amsterdam both have functioning water squares — which would act as a catchment basin. When the rain subsides, the runoff would be slowly absorbed into the separate water pipe system. This plan requires the sector’s water flow to be mapped and a water-square location flagged before streets are laid out and buildings constructed.
“It’s no longer just something we’re just talking about,” Vodanovic said. “Now we’re starting on a Special Planning Project (SPP). Once an SPP is in place, there is money attached to it.”
The Office de Consultation Publique de Montreal (OCPM) has already held one public consultation and another will take place next spring, after which the SPP will be adopted.
Here is the link needed to access in the Thursday public consultation: www.eventbrite. ca/e/billets-lancement-atelierlachine-est-105440834374.