Rabouin speaks up against Hydro substation
Projet head Luc Rabouin has spoken up against the plan to put a Hydro substation on the Grande Bibliothèque block.
Rabouin leaves himself an out, as reported by La Presse, saying that if that location is determined to be the only possible one, efforts will be made to limit its negative impact on the area.
Rabouin has to know that the options are limited. The new substation must be close to the existing installation on Berri below Sherbrooke, in a tightly built up perimeter with not so much as a decrepit church that could be sacrificed.
Nicholas 17:52 on 2025-05-09 Permalink
What’s more important in a secular, humanist society: a decrepit church in a city of a thousand or a (potential) park? I think we all know what the answer will be.
Kate 19:05 on 2025-05-09 Permalink
Except there isn’t a decrepit church available within the perimeter, which is something like 500m. I would put the Notre Dame de Lourdes church on the chopping block but I don’t think, even now, that it would be countenanced.
It’s been suggested here before that the CÉGEP du Vieux-Montréal which – despite the name – I don’t believe was ever located in Old Montreal, could be moved, and its building – one of the most hideous in the city – torn down. Isn’t likely to happen either.
Or we could sacrifice Émilie-Gamelin park, Carré Saint-Louis, or the currently uninhabited Bibliothèque Saint‑Sulpice, or Institut des Sourdes-Muettes.
A promising building would’ve been the St Louis de France church on Roy, but it was taken over by an evangelical group some time ago and is probably in more vigorous use than most Catholic churches here now.
Kevin 20:02 on 2025-05-09 Permalink
I really dislike this type of game, where people approach an issue as if it has never been looked at before and so we must all go back to first principles.
No. Stop acting like a child and do the research to present an informed opinion.
Kate 09:38 on 2025-05-10 Permalink
Sorry, Kevin. Just thinking aloud. I’m almost certain the talk is just talk, and that the substation will be built right there on the disused piece of land at Berri and Ontario, but politicians have to show us they don’t like it.
P 10:39 on 2025-05-10 Permalink
I’m out of the loop on this thing, but big is this substation going to be? The current one isn’t *that* big, is it? Is there not room for both a park and substation?
Is the old gare d’autocars still empty? Is that not a spot they could use.
I keep seeing this whole debate mentioned once in a while, and it rubs me as a “mountain out of a molehill” type thing. Parks are nice. But we need the substation. Sometimes you gotta make those sacrifices. I hate it and I wouldn’t he happy about it if I lived there, but is this a battle worth fighting? Honest question.
P 10:39 on 2025-05-10 Permalink
how big*
Kate 11:13 on 2025-05-10 Permalink
The city wants the space on the east side of Berri for social housing, so the substation can’t go there.
The photo accompanying the La Presse story shows very clearly how the library landscaping ends at a well‑defined border, leaving a large square of unoccupied space down to Ontario.
DavidH 12:31 on 2025-05-10 Permalink
@Kate, that border is the driveway to the underground BANQ parking garage (an unnecessary parking that should have never been built to begin with). To this day, I still don’t understand why the city allows that paved path to exist rather than make all parking users go down Savoie street. When a rare car user turns from Berri to use it, it halts all traffic and people on the bike path and sidewalks never expect them. It only happens once or twice a day but is totally dangerous and unnecessary. It seems the only point of that paved path is to bypass the streetlight at Ontario.
The northern part of that lot is never used as anything but a pathway. It’s green but it’s not really a park. If Hydro could limit themselves to that space, I think everyone would be happy.
Kevin 12:33 on 2025-05-10 Permalink
Kate
Ah, I wasn’t clear. I was referring to Rabouin, and others who do this on multiple issues (eg. vaccination) not you.
Orr 16:36 on 2025-05-10 Permalink
My wife, who uses a walker or a cane, depending on the day, greatly appreciates the BANQ’s underground parking and doesn’t believe it to be unnecessary.
DavidH 13:30 on 2025-05-11 Permalink
Good point.