4.13
Décarie / Cavendish / Jean-Talon West
General goals
- Intensify and diversify activity in the area
- Improve road access and public transportation to the
various parts of the area
- Improve the image of the main thoroughfares and allow
for a more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly environment
- Mitigate environmental nuisances
Planning issues
This economic area, served by the Namur and De La Savane metro stations, is underused and characterized by a destructured urban fabric, varied site coverage and building bulk, disparate urban functions and numerous parking lots. The areas around the metro stations, Rue Jean-Talon Ouest and Boulevard Décarie, as well as the Hippodrome site and its retail area, offer substantial potential for redevelopment and an intensification of employment activities. Certain sites, just west of the train tracks and belonging to Canadian Pacific, also have potential for residential and economic activities.
However, development of the section west of Boulevard Décarie is problematic. The railway infrastructure, the expressway corridors and the discontinuity of the road network, particularly Cavendish, limit access to many parts of the area. The Cité scientifique, the Borough of Mont-Royal’s industrial park, the Hippodrome site and the residential area of the Borough of Côte-Saint-Luc – Hampstead – Montréal-Ouest along Cavendish are not easily accessible. In addition, the City will have to provide sufficient water and sewer infrastructure to enable construction on the Hippodrome and Cité scientifique sites.
As part of the proposals regarding the commuter train network, the City calls for a new station near the Namur metro station, which would facilitate intermodal connections.
The area also experiences environmental nuisances generated by heavy traffic on the Autoroute Décarie. Retail stores, businesses, the snow disposal site and other urban activities generate substantial movements of workers, customers and freight that generate automobile and truck traffic. Thus, the area is not pedestrian- or cyclist-friendly. The poor organization of public space, along with architectural and urban integration problems along the main thoroughfares, contribute to a negative image.
