REM addresses TMR’s concerns – Back in October of 2018, Town of Mount-Royal residents were up in arms concerning the new REM station that could see over 500 of the networks’ trains running daily through the center of their town. The line will send trains through TMR about 20 hours per day, coming from Deux-Montagnes, Mascouche, Trudeau airport and the West Island. During the rush hours, trains will pass every 2.5 minutes, 6 hours per day and at other times every 5 minutes from 5:00AM to 1:00AM. Residents were concerned about noise and the tracks dividing the town. TMR Mayor Philippe Roy had suggested they entrench the tracks and even cover all 1.8 kilometres of it.
REM addresses TMR’s concerns
At a press conference today, those concerns were addressed – with the REM taking a big step forward in helping to resolve the issue. Although the 1.8 kilometres first suggested by Mayor Roy came up short, the REM did agree to cover a 150 metre section between the two road bridges (Graham and Cornwall) at the center of town and make it into a new public space – facilitating movement from one side of the railway track to the other.
It’s a great day for Mount Royal. Successive municipal governments have dreamed of uniting the eastern and western sectors of the town center for several decades. With this public square, we are literally creating a new citizen space in the heart of Mount Royal. We intend to integrate it as well as possible into our garden city and make it an extraordinary place, said Roy.
REM is the starting point of a new transportation
The arrival of the REM is the starting point of a new transportation paradigm based on increased travel capacity and fluidity,” explained Harout Chitilian, Executive Director of Corporate Affairs and Development of CDPQ Infra. “This type of transformation also represents an opportunity for the municipalities. The collaboration between Town of Mount Royal and CDPQ Infra is an excellent example, where we were able to seize an historic opportunity and create urban developments integrated above a century-old railway track that split in two the core of Town of Mount Royal.
TMR will contribute to the initiative by investing $6.5 million. As for CDPQ Infra, adjustments were made to the project and they have found a way to keep their share of the costs at $6.3 billion. The details of the agreement include:
– The Creation of a park between the Graham and Cornwall bridges.
– The junction of the public space is planned to be in front of the entrance of the future Mount-Royal station at Graham bridge, to create a sense of harmony and fluidity.
– Removal of the walkway planned for the intersection of Lazard and Jasper avenues (the walkway has been removed from the reference project due to the challenges of integrating it and because of the opportunity to create more effective connections a little farther east).
– The new space will be more strategically located in relation to the main streets and the Town’s core.
– During the construction period and up to the opening of the permanent lines, a temporary walkway will be installed at the intersection of Lazard and Jasper avenues in order to maintain access to the area.
– CDPQ Infra will continue to be the owner of the park and be responsible for maintaining it over the coming years.
– The Town of Mount Royal will be responsible for developing the park; different development scenarios can be envisioned (park, square or plaza) to optimize integration with the Town’s core.
It will become a public space, and I think all citizens will be very happy with this, Mayor Roy concluded. This is a first step, and it opens the door to recovering other sectors of the tracks.”
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