Nuns’ Island denizens resist densification
Following Wednesday’s piece about densification on Nuns’ Island, CBC attended a residents’ meeting about new residential developments, given the paucity of infrastructure on the island. There’s also more than a whiff of “we moved here because it was nice, and now other people are moving here and it’s not so nice.”
DeWolf 12:50 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
The infrastructure is an easy solve: more buses. When the REM opens, there will be a train to the rest of city every 2.5 to 5 minutes, so the real issue is getting people to the station. At the moment there are two bus lines running every 20-30 minutes, which is pretty unacceptable if you hope to attract more ridership.
There’s also a decent network of bike paths all over the island. With just a little more investment, especially in terms of making intersections safer and bit of investment in making road crossings safer (they’re a mess right now) you could have a situation where it’s extremely pleasant to travel to the REM station by bike. The proposed footbridge to mainland Verdun would help a lot too.
But I assume there’s also a cultural problem: Nun’s Island probably has a lot of residents who would turn up their noses at riding a bike or taking public transit. Maybe I’m being unfair, but it’s the impression I get when I go there.
Kate 12:54 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
The station needs a Dutch-style bike parking lot.
Blork 14:49 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
Infrastructure is more than roads and transport. I suspect the infrastructure they’re talking about involves things like water supplies, sewage, electrical grid, etc.
Blork 14:56 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
That said, the infrastructure project that I personally think would make Nun’s Island a fantastic place to live is if they connected rue Galt in Verdun (where it extends into the park) with Boul. Marguerite Bourgeoys on the island via a bicycle/pedestrian bridge.
Not only would that make the de l’Eglise Metro station WALKABLE to Nun’s Island residents, it would make the shopping on Wellington something that is easily reached on foot or bike. It would still be a bit of a hike for people on the far end of the island, but with improved bike paths it would make it a nice quick trip. (The current bike path between the island and the Metro is pretty nasty, as it runs alongside the autoroute and busy boulevards, etc.)
Kate 14:57 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
I saw some mention of schools. When the island was first being built up it was pretty much only apartment buildings. I don’t think anyone stepped in and said, wait, what about space for schools and clinics and stuff – much like an earlier Griffintown.