Pigeon Hole Park, slated to disappear
The little green space informally known as Pigeon Hole Park – named after the old automated parking structure that used to stand there on Notre‑Dame at St‑Jean – has been landscaped over the last few years but is not public land, and is scheduled to be built up with condos soon. Some people want to save it as a bit of necessary parkland.
SMD 22:40 on 2021-04-30 Permalink
I was just there yesterday and marveled at what a necessary oasis it is.
DeWolf 11:25 on 2021-05-01 Permalink
It’s a lovely place but because the development fits within the existing zoning parameters, there is no legal means to block the development – and the city has no leverage to get the developer to modify its plans. Part of the property is a parking lot. It would have been nice if that portion been developed while leaving the existing park as it is.
Apparently it was Gérald Tremblay who sold off the land for a pittance.
DeWolf 11:31 on 2021-05-01 Permalink
Incidentally, I wish more people would follow the urban development forums we have (MTLUrb and its more progressive counterpart, Agora MTL) because community opposition to certain projects always comes way too late. It’s usually in response to coverage from mainstream media, which are never the first to break the news about upcoming developments.
Pigeon Hole Park was a private initiative, billed from the get-go as a “parc éphémère,” so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it is finally being developed. But if the neighbours hadn’t waited until the absolute last minute to launch a campaign to save it, they could have maybe had some success in getting the city to do something to mitigate its loss.
It reminds me of the petition to block the hotel being built next to the Chinatown gate. The campaign began only after the building was already under construction. I’m not sure why those activists waited years after the development proposal was filed with the city to start their campaign.
JaneyB 14:18 on 2021-05-01 Permalink
@DeWolf. Thanks for the info on those forums. I somehow knew nothing of them until now!
DeWolf 15:27 on 2021-05-01 Permalink
I strongly recommend Agora over the other one… no ads and a better atmosphere.
david288 22:32 on 2021-05-02 Permalink
MTLURB is – by far – the one where you’ll learn more about what’s actually going on. Actual real estate and development professionals are on there, and it’s very very active.
david288 22:47 on 2021-05-02 Permalink
In fact, I’d also add one more think about Agora MTL – It’s a very hardcore conservative gang that posts on there. Very frequently, the attitude is to identify development, and find the ways that it doesn’t comport with the look of a neighborhood, the way that it increases use/density/traffic, the various ways it could be blocked, etc.
I’m very surprised Chris DeWolf is recommending it, and look forward to hearing more from him on why (started it?) but, generally, so far, it seems to be more where you go to gripe about a project, or if you’re banned from MTLURB, rather than an affirmatively interesting place to exchange info about how our city is growing and what we can contribute, and so forth.
Jessie 11:38 on 2021-05-03 Permalink
Citizens should not have to go on obscure forums to learn about real estate that is THIS huge and controversial. The city and dev were both shady in their discretion…. trees have already been taken out when the culture minister has not even given her final ok come on!
denis.lafronde@gmail.com 22:17 on 2021-05-17 Permalink
@david288 Si je peux avoir une réponse tard à cette interrogation. Mtlurb retire tous les projets concernant les pistes cyclables et les trottoirs élargis, sous prétexte qu’ils sont controversés (et ils sont progressites selon vous?). À cause de cela, la plupart des membres contributeurs sérieux (ceux qui vont éplucher les CA) sont partis. Les nouveaux projets sont plus souvent sur Agora et l’activité sur Mtlurb a beaucoup baissé, rien à voir avec il y a un an. Il n’y a jamais eu de promoteurs ou de pros de l’immobilier actifs dans toutes les années que j’ai lurké là, un ou deux quelques fois par année, ça n’apporte pas grand chose.
Vous exagérez beaucoup l’opposition à des projets sur Agora. Vous parlez d’exceptions pour un ou deux projets controversés, sur des centaines. La quasi-totalité des projets sont enthousiastes. Il n’y a pas d’engueulade entre les membres. Il n’y a rien de conservateur à connaître les outils démocratiques de la ville à mon avis. Il n’y a rien de progressif à penser qu’on ne devrait jamais bonifier un projet et laisser faire n’importe quoi. On fait ça depuis les 50 dernières années! Beaucoup plus d’employés de la ville ou d’architectes sont actifs sur Agora.
Voilà les raisons pour moi.