Community snapshot: Villeray
When you think of cosy, vibrant and artistic communities on the island of Montreal, PlateauMont-Royal and the Sud-Ouest borough tend to come to mind. But make no mistake about it, Villeray is no slouch in this category.
One of the communities that make up the Villeray–St-Michel– Parc-Extension borough, located northeast of the city’s downtown core, Villeray is home to a population of 44,000 inhabitants from all walks of life and many different backgrounds.
“There are people who have lived here their whole lives,” said Anie Samson, borough mayor,
“The community has developed so nicely
over the last several years.”
Anie Samson
“and then you have a whole new influx of residents, too. The community has developed so nicely over the last several years; it’s extremely diverse and it really is like a little village.”
Among the many new inhabitants of Villeray are several families with children, and young professionals. In fact, families with kids now make up 57 per cent of the population.
“Of course they’re coming here; it’s one of the best places on the island!” Samson said. “We have great schools and everything is conveniently located around us.”
The neighbourhood is also well served by public transit, providing easy access to other parts of town.
In order to cater to the growing demographics in Villeray, the borough is investing in appropriate developments and services.
“We’re paying a lot of attention to our parks, green spaces, and public areas — ensuring clean streets and a heightened attention to detail throughout the whole neighbourhood,” Samson said.
“We’re very sensitive to security in the streets and things like snow removal. We give priority to the services that will enhance the lives of our citizens.”
The borough is also about to begin construction on a new library, which is slated to be ready by 2015, and a cultural centre to host shows and exhibitions.
The response from residents regarding these new plans and services has been great, Samson said.
“People are proud to live here and they’re increasingly taking wonderful care of their proper- ties and becoming more engaged in the community. There’s a true spirit of togetherness here.”
Villeray has a handful of commercial arteries including JeanTalon Blvd. and St-Hubert, De Castelnau and Jarry Sts.
“People love visiting these streets because there are a lot of great restaurants, cafés and boutiques, and it’s all woven together,” Samson said. “The way our commercial areas are set up is really reminiscent of a small village; it adds to the tone of the community.”
Among Villeray’s green spaces is Jarry Park.
Established in 1925, Jarry Park is one of the largest parks on the island of Montreal, and was only acquired by the city in 1945. The park’s baseball diamond was home to the Montreal Expos for many years, beginning in 1969. The venue now contains Uniprix Stadium, which hosts many annual events, including t he Rogers Cup, which attracts international tennis stars and draws huge crowds of spectators. The park also includes walking paths, small bodies of water, natural vegetation and urban wildlife.
In terms of housing, the vast majority — 75 per cent — of residents in Villeray are renters. There is, however, a healthy mix of different types of dwellings.
“We try to ensure that everyone’s needs can be met so we have co-ops, condos, apartments, and duplexes,”Anie Samson said.
The Villeray Condominiums development on Lanaudière St. is offering buyers units starting at 950 square feet for $249,900 (see story below for details).
The project has been extremely well received by buyers, and was 90- per-cent sold at the time of this writing.
“There isn’t much land here for new housing developments, but there are a few,” Samson said. “We’re also doing neat projects like converting old industrial buildings into residential dwellings.”
The thing about Villeray, she added, is that once you come here, you’ll want to stay.
“We have such a distinct identity. People like to compare Villeray to the Plateau, but we really stand by our uniqueness; we don’t need to be compared to anywhere else. We’re perfectly content with who we are as a community.”