Community snapshot: Town of Mount Royal
Nestled in the centre of the island of Montreal, Town of Mount Royal is known for its distinct urban design encompassing vast greenery and cosy residential neighbourhoods. Its layout is so unique, in fact, that in 2008 T.M.R. was designated a National Historic Site of Canada — partly for its strict adherence to the original plan for the garden city, which was created by Canada’s first landscape architect: Frederick Todd.
T.M.R. has many distinct features, including the design of its road network and the quality of its architecture.
“Arriving in the Town of Mount Royal, it’s immediately obvious that this is a town unlike any other,” said Philippe Roy, mayor of T.M.R. “It’s full of leafy, winding streets, varied buildings and wonderful gardens — both public and private.”
The town, which celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2012, is a welcoming, bilingual community, home to people from many different backgrounds. A majority — 77 per cent — of the town’s residents are comfortable conversing in both French and English.
In 2011, T.M.R. had a population of 19,503, representing an increase of three per cent from 2006.
“Our town is ideal for any person looking for an environment with access to great schools, quality services and recreational facilities,” said Mayor Roy. “Of course, the town’s central location and the commuter train that takes only minutes to reach downtown Montreal is a great advantage to many professionals. The quiet streets and friendly neighbourhoods make it an attractive community for all.”
The average age of T.M.R. residents is 42.2 years, somewhat higher than that of the Montreal median, which is 39.7 years. On the other hand, T.M.R. has a higher concentration of people under the age of 25 than Montreal.
Two-thirds of the town’s 5,265 families have children living at home, a number that has increased since 2006.
“Our population has increased because the town’s enviable location, services, financial situation, infrastructure and solid administration make it an attractive location for developers and buyers,” Roy said. “T.M.R. is also known for the quality of its green spaces.”
When flying over Montreal by plane, T.M.R. is distinguishable by the dense canopy covering its residential area.
“We like to say that we have 20,000 residents and 20,000 trees,” Roy added. “Residents have the best of two worlds; they’re connected to nature and yet they’re close to downtown and its vibrant life.”
When it comes to local services and programs T.M.R. leaves little to be desired, with its high-quality infrastructures and excellent financial health.
For instance, the town recently installed artificial turf on soccer pitches, and doubled the size of its municipal library.
“We’re also currently studying the possibility of building a sports complex with a new indoor pool,” Roy said.
T.M.R. prides itself on offering a range of services catering to the various needs of residents.
“We have a community nurse and a Daily Hello program to help the elderly and give them and their families a sense of security and well-being,” Roy said. “The town also has a public security department and among the many services (available) to residents is the home-watch service while owners are away on vacation, and the collection of their mail as well.”
Considering all of its attributes, it’s no wonder residents are proud to call T.M.R. home. Developers are seeking to build on its territory, but due to the mature nature of the community, there’s almost no vacant land available for development.
“However, there are quite a few condo projects in the town which are redevelopments of light industrial buildings,” Roy said. “The redevelopments are in the Bates/Ekers area and along Plymouth St.
“Condos for all types of buyers are being offered, including first-time buyers.”
The Villa Mont-Royal - Phase 2 development, for example, features 37 one- and two-bedroom units, from roughly 700 square feet, starting at $226,000. On the higher end of the scale is the Condos Odelya project, which offers luxury units from 1,900 to 3,900 square feet, priced from $550,000.
There are bylaws and regulations in place to ensure the very fabric of the community that makes T.M.R. unique is maintained and respected by the new developments.
“The town does not aim to restrict crea- tivity and originality by imposing solutions simply copied from the architecture of bygone days, but rather promotes the development of an architecture adapted to current needs in harmony with the specific character that constitutes our heritage value and the various areas of the town,” Roy stressed in an email. “T.M.R. is today universally recognized for the integrity of its achievement as one of the country’s most valuable examples of a planned city.”