Peter Black
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
peterblack@qctonline.com
Feb. 7, 2024
Two of the most barren streets in the city are to receive an intense greening over the summer.
The city announced a program on Jan. 26 to transform Rue Chabot and Ave. Plante to plant at least 90 trees along the busy streets that serve as connector to major arteries such as Rue Soumande and Boul. Pierre-Bertand.
The work, to begin this summer and undertaken by private contractors, includes, according to a news release, “demineralisation of permeable surfaces, increase in vegetated areas and biodiversity and improving the management and infiltration of rainwater.”
The work will entail reducing the width of roadways and shortening pedestrian crossings.
Coun. Marie-Josée Asselin, executive committee member responsible for sustainable development, said in the release, “Cities across the world are mobilizing to fight against heat islands and bring nature back to the city to benefit citizens’ quality of life, and Quebec is no exception. The particularity of these two projects is that they provide for a series of one-off interventions on certain favourable sections rather than a redevelopment of the street over its entire length.”
A video on the city’s website describes the process and philosophy behind the greening projects, which are part of the city’s 2023 Green Economy Plan.
The work on Chabot and Plante follows other recent greening projects in Vanier, on Ave. Champagne and Rue Beaucage.
Coun. Alicia Despins, who represents the Vanier district, said, “One of my priorities since [I first took office in] 2017 is increasing the canopy coverage of Vanier.”
She said there will be a presentation at the Feb. 19 Vanier neighbourhood council meeting for residents interested in learning more about the project.
The Vanier district has the second least canopy coverage in the city, behind the Saint-Jean-Baptiste district in the central core.
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Photo by Peter Black
A tree grows in Vanier – one of the rare trees currently found on Ave. Plante. The city will be planting 90 this summer on the street as well as on Rue Chabot.