COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT
A look at Bois-Franc in St-Laurent
As far as planned communities and contemporary urban developments go, there have been few projects as successful as the Bois-Franc neighbourhood in St-Laurent. Located west of Montreal’s downtown core and not far from the West Island, the Europeanstyle community consists of one large central park surrounded by townhouses, multi-unit homes and smaller green spaces.
From transportation efficiency to sustainable construction, the young development has received multiple awards since its creation in 1994, some of which go to the borough of St-Laurent and others to the major developers in Bois-Franc: Montclair and Sotramont.
The entire community has a warm and friendly feeling to it, which was the plan for Bois-Franc all along.
“The architecture allows for a certain degree of density, and residents really like that atmosphere because it creates true neighbourhoods where people know each other and interact on a regular basis,” said Alan DeSousa, mayor of St-Laurent.
The parks are another factor in establishing the small communityfeel that is so important to Bois-Franc residents.
“When people have beautiful spaces to gather in, they’re able to develop friendships. It’s great for everyone, but especially young families with kids; they have friends in the neighbourhood and their kids have safe places to play.”
In addition to having conveniently located public spaces, Bois-Franc is also a fairly walkable community, adding to its European flair. There are grocery stores, pharmacies, entertainment centres and important points of service all located on and close to populated streets.
A well laid-out neighbourhood lends itself to a heightened quality of life for residents, DeSousa said.
“Quality can often be an overused term, but in our case I think it means that people who live in Bois-Franc — and, really, St-Laurent as a whole — are able to spend more time with those closest to them rather than having to run long errands or commute great distances,” he said.
When people have beautiful spaces to gather in, they’re able to develop friendships. It’s great for everyone, but especially young families with kids ...
ALAN DESOUSA
The fact that many of the residents in Bois-Franc live and work in the area is a testament to that, he added.
Another defining factor of the neighbourhood is the diversity of its population.
Bois-Franc, much like the rest of the borough, is home to families from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. In fact, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Asian languages are just a few of the mother tongues that can be heard there on a daily basis, being used alongside French and English.
“People don’t get stuck in their own communities here; they all get together and talk and get along,” Mayor Alan DeSousa said. “The diversity is ever-present. It’s a cultural equilibrium of sorts.”
In terms of real estate, the community truly has something for everyone — especially for young families starting their lives together.
Whether you’re interested in townhouses, garden houses, homes near a lake, multi-plexes or condominiums, you’ll find it in Bois-Franc.
In order to minimize clutter and parking issues, each home or unit has an indoor garage, and all driveways are hidden on the sides of the buildings so as not to take away from the exterior of the home.
In addition, residents of Bois-Franc must agree to adhere to a number of rules for the purpose of maintaining the look of the neighbourhood.
“There’s a sense of style in Bois-Franc and, as a result of that, residents accept certain requirement under the Bois-Franc agreement that ensure they’ll maintain their homes abiding by the distinct architectural style,” DeSousa said.
“This applies to things such as fences, paint colours, and so on, with the goal being to maintain and reflect the vision of the original plan for the community.”
Pricing does vary in the neighbourhood, depending on what type of unit the buyer is seeking. For example, townhouses in the Square Kenneth Patrick project start at $659,500.
If you’re interested in this type of unit but at a lower price point, there are many options available, such as townhouses in the Square du Nordet development, which are priced from $398,900. On the other hand, if you’re in the market for a condo, units in Phase 3 of the Place des Nations project start at $299,900. And condos in the Terrasses des Equinoxes are priced from $320,500.
In addition to being well laid-out and beautifully designed, many of the award-winning developments in Bois-Franc are LEED certified for their eco-friendly and sustainable construction.
With more buildings planned in the future, including new phases of already successful projects, Bois-Franc is sure to grow even more in the coming years, with buyers from all over the world seeking to call the welcoming community home.