Plaza St-Hubert: rough edges on the work
TVA notes some glitches in the finishing work on the northern half of Plaza Saint-Hubert although it’s unclear what this has to do with the death of a passerby in a construction accident a few weeks ago. Nick from Café Crème is quoted with the sour observation that the city’s faster to put in profitable parking meters than garbage cans.
mare 09:38 on 2019-09-24 Permalink
Speaking of garbage cans, I have a client there who showed me the newly installed garbage cans in front of his shop. They’re “open concept”, maybe so the garbage collectors can see if they need to be emptied. The inside bins are made of steel wire though, so they leak all the fluid garbage people throw in them, Half empty coke cans, ice cream, whatever. So after just one week the new spiffy sidewalk pavers around the garbage cans are already ugly, stained and sticky. Maybe it will improve when the awning is going to cover them (installation scheduled for October) and less rain will wash through them, but still, it didn’t look good. He was not happy.
He was happy however with the fact that real estate prices were soaring in the neighbourhood and “that will improve the ethnicity of the shoppers”. His words. I almost ditched him as a client there and then, especially since he’s a second generation immigrant himself.
Spi 12:25 on 2019-09-24 Permalink
I’m surprised to learn that the awnings are going back up so quickly. Shouldn’t they wait a bit and give a chance to more business/building owners to fix up their storefronts now since it’s more easily done. Some have already done so.
Bill Binns 14:25 on 2019-09-24 Permalink
I was just up there yesterday afternoon. I realize it’s not done yet but I would describe it as “bleak”. St Hubert may be a case study to convince the city that healthy mature trees must be saved at all costs. They are literally irreplaceable (unless you wait 30-50 years). I’m sure the city will crow about how many little spindly saplings they plug into holes in the sidewalk as they wrap up the project. Hopefully a few of them will survive long enough to someday provide shade to citizens currently in kindergarten.
CE 15:47 on 2019-09-24 Permalink
I just biked there today and was struck by its bleakness as well. The trees made a huge difference (you could really see it when there were still trees at the southern half). I also felt like the light coloured paving stones added to some of the bleakness but maybe they’ll look better after they’ve aged somewhat. I really hope they put some benches in when they install the rest of the street furniture, they really liven up a space.
Kate 22:08 on 2019-09-25 Permalink
It really is bleak. I saw the contrast in July when the difference in vibe between the southern section, where the trees were still untouched, and the northern half, absolutely treeless, was striking.
This city really does play a game of handwaving the 50 or more years it takes for a tree to grow to a good, shady size.
mare 07:55 on 2019-09-26 Permalink
After 50 years a tree would have become too big there, but it is very empty now. The awnings and 200 trees (yes, that many on just those two blocks) will make a big improvement. My source says they probably won’t plant the trees now, as originally planned, afraid too many will perish in the winter or get damaged when the awnings are installed. So we’ll have to wait until the spring to see how small the trees really are.