St-laurent borough is diverse and active
A hub for schooling, arts, community and employment
The borough of St-Laurent was originally a stand-alone city founded as the Parish of St-Laurent in 1720. In 2002, it merged to become the largest borough of the city of Montreal, covering 43 square kilometres. The borough has a population of 93,842 and is one of the most diverse areas in all of Quebec with about 165 ethnicities, including French, English, Jewish, Romanian, South Asian, East Asian, Arab, Italian and Greek, represented.
Schools: St-Laurent has two CEGEPs: Vanier College and its French counterpart Cégep de St-Laurent. In addition, the borough has several other educational institutions, including Lauren Hill Academy, a high school on Côte Vertu Blvd., Cedarcrest School on Muir St., Gardenview School on Brunet St. and the St. Laurent Adult Centre on Place Lafortune W. Both Cedarcrest and Gardenview elementary schools offer French immersion programs. Lastly, the Centre de formation professionnelle Léonard-De-Vinci specializes in professional training.
Culture: The St-Laurent Museum of Art is located on the campus of Cégep de St-Laurent. Additionally, the borough’s new library, the Bibliothèque du Boisé, is scheduled to open in December. The library will be lo- cated on Thimens Blvd., and will be nearby the borough’s arena, community centre and Marcel-Laurin Park.
The community centre offers several facilities, including multi-disciplinary rooms, three large community rooms that can be joined into one, an amphitheatre, common area, large kitchen and an area for community volunteer organizations. Among the activities that take place at the centre are art exhibitions, recreational programs and day camps.
Recreation and sports: The borough’s Department of Culture, Sports, Leisure and Social Development provides residents with recreational, athletic, artistic and community-based activities on a regular basis. A list of the programs offered is released twice a year, in April and August, in a document called L’Agenda. The publication is sent to all St-Laurent residents and the same information is available on the StLaurent website as well.
Aréna Raymond-Bourque on Thimens Blvd. offers skating and hockey sessions and hosts special events. It also serves as a meeting place for clubs. The St-Laurent Y Centre offers classes and programs seven days a week, including aquatic activities, karate and gymnastics. In addition, the Y also offers community programs specifically designed for children, youth and seniors.
Plans were announced in 2011 to build a sports complex. The facility will be roughly 14,500 square metres in size and include a 25-metre swimming pool, a wading pool, an indoor soccer field and a gymnasium.
Convenience: St-Laurent has a multitude of public transportation services throughout the borough: one bus terminal, two métro stations and three commuter train stops. In addition, the borough is served by major autoroutes, including the Laurentian Autoroute and the TransCanada Highway. There are several commercially concentrated streets, including Décarie, Marcel-Laurin, Henri-Bourassa, Côte-Vertu and Cavendish Blvds. These streets offer stores, restaurants, shopping centres, entertainment centres and services.
Economy: Second only to downtown Montreal, St-Laurent is the next-largest employment hub in the greater metropolitan area, with 4,900 businesses and 106,000 jobs. The borough also has one of the largest industrial sectors in the province. Many large corporations have offices in St-Laurent, including BristolMyers Squibb, Glaxo Smith Kline Inc., Air Canada and Bombardier Aéronautique.
Health care: The CLSC serving St-Laurent is located on Sainte-Croix Ave. It offers several medical services, including a walk-in clinic open seven days a week.