JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West
Many West Islanders love the outdoor market at the Marché de l’Ouest in Dollard des Ormeaux. And its indoor specialty food shops offer a wide variety of offerings that cannot be found anywhere else. So with that in mind, city officials last month held a public information session that focused on what the future of this popular commercial site would look like as demand for more residential housing in all corners of the West Island increases pressure to redevelop established areas.
“I would rather choose our destiny than to have it imposed on us,” Dollard Mayor Alex Bottausci told The 1510 West.
The city has not received any official plans to redevelop the sprawling 128,000-square-foot strip – almost three acres – along De Salaberry Blvd., but municipal officials outlined the city’s new proposed planning guidelines for the site. If these guidelines are adopted as part of the city’s new urban plan, which is currently being drafted, they would frame future redevelopment projects in this location.
It is those planning guidelines that were outlined at the public information session held June 19.
“If we do not do this, as we are working on our master plan, the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM) that is controlled by the City of Montreal, is working on their master plan,” Bottausci said, adding: “Their master plan calls for certain levels of density and other things that could happen on our territory if we do not come up with our own master plan.”
As part of the plan outlined by the city, the zoning for the site would be changed from strictly commercial to a mix of commercial and residential. In this way, residential development could be added to the location while specifically requiring that all the indoor commercial outlets as well as the outdoor market be maintained.
Keeping as much control as possible over the future development is the city’s aim. And it would allow Dollard’s new master plan to supersede recommendations made by the CMM, especially when it comes to the Marché de l’Ouest, the mayor explained.
“I want to hear from the community, and especially with the Marché. We want to make sure we capture everybody’s sentiments about this plot of land,” Bottausci said.
“I think this is a positive thing,” the mayor added. “It’s an opportunity for the community to get engaged and that’s exactly what I want. If we are able to draft a plan before them, then, essentially, our plan trumps their plan and they would move forward with something that we want.” he added.
“We all need to be reasonable, voice our opinions and collectively come together, design a plan and build something that makes sense for everybody. A plan designed by DdO residents for DdO. Something that makes sense to us,” Bottausci said.
The Marché de l’Ouest is owned by BTB Real Estate Investment Trust, a Montreal-based publicly-traded company that owns and manages properties across Canada. It opened in June 1982 and expanded in 2004. It underwent extensive renovations in 2016.
BTB REIT owns a total of 53 commercial and industrial properties in Quebec, including a strip mall on Sources Blvd. in Dollard, which includes a Pharmaprix and a Bank of Montreal; a commercial plaza in St. Lazare, and industrial buildings in Dorval and Vaudreuil-Dorion.