Westwalk DDO - 8 à 12 étages

One more aside (that belongs in the densification discussion): when will the single-family home dwellers realize that they aren’t stuck in traffic, they are traffic? Because they’ve chosen to live in the suburbs on a meandering cul-de-sac, they’ve given themselves no choice but to drive — solo, in a three-ton SUV, natch — to get anywhere else.

[Disclaimer: I live in a SFH in a suburb. I don’t complain about traffic, I do complain about where we chose to live! Oh, and poor road planning, ie, Antoine-Faucon]

5 « J'aime »

Le projet s’appelle Westwalk

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFToCASdTs/BT92FbpYTb941ZXp8i-dDQ/view

5 « J'aime »

That’s… horrible.

Brunswick-Davignon Block wasn’t the best name either. :joy:


I like that they put emphasis on walkability. But while 700m is reasonable for a lot of people, young and old, and quite pleasant in say Outremont or Ahuntsic, on des Sources it’s a though sell. For now I think people will opt for the bus and cars, until that segment of des Sources becomes less hostile to pedestrians.
4 « J'aime »

[the walk] on des Sources it’s a though sell. For now I think people will opt for the bus and cars

NGL the real tough sell would be to wait up to 35 mins for a bus to do what’s otherwise a 15 min walk (700m sounds short, I think its actually a bit over 1km to the actual station). The walk will for sure be annoying between dealing with a crumbling sidewalk, the elevation for the overpass, and the overall length, but it definitely beats waiting for a bus in any case.

I’d be interested in studying the possibility of somehow sticking a bike lane on sources, between say salaberry and hymus. If its pleasant to bike down then many may consider biking down sources to get to the REM, especially if finding car parking is diffucult (it will, with only 500 spots). Plus people who live on/near salaberry benefit; just bike down salaberry to sources then down sources to the REM, ezpz

I think it’ll depend on the individual’s tolerance for braving the environment. Crossing a highway on foot, even in pleasant weather just sucks because of the emissions, the noise, the vibration, etc. I used to walk 15 mins to the 470 along Pierrefonds when I’d miss the 205 and it sucked because there is no protection from the elements and its loud. By contrast, I had no problems walking on cool summer nights from the 376 stop when its peaceful. Plus, I don’t know many people that walked medium-long distances anywhere in the West when the bus was an option, even if it was mildly inconvenient to wait.

Most people who took the bus in the West-Island were more than happy to plan their lives around it rather than walking. So I suspect that when going to the REM, the bus will usually be the option because they’ll just wait for the next bus at home. When going back home after the 225 isn’t running and you just missed the 209, I could see people braving it. As for biking, I honestly don’t expect it to be a big factor, especially if they only have 20 spaces to lock up. Plus I see no chance that the mayors give up a lane on one of the few crossings of the 40 until a new overpass is built or they build a dedicated crossing, which I can’t see being likely.

1 « J'aime »

Yeah you’re right, I guess it kinda depends on the individual. There’s definitely many who will prefer waiting over walking, but I think you might be overstating people’s willingness to wait – after all, the vast, vast majority of people living here don’t bother with neither the bus nor with walking, they just drive everywhere even if it’s only 5-10 min away. My best guess is this is precisely because most find waiting half an hour to go somewhere unreasonable.

Most people who took the bus in the West-Island were more than happy to plan their lives around it rather than walking.

Well… I would argue that that’s only really true for the 470 since for most of the day it caps out at around one bus every 15-20 mins, while with every single other bus, you’re looking at one every 30 mins. I could see some people being fine with waiting for the bus to go and just walking back home as you mentioned, but I reckon the majority will get sick of the stress of having to work around a half-hourly bus every time they want to go outside and just buy a car after a while (if they can’t/don’t want to walk). At least in my case, the half-hourly schedule is maddening and I’d have long deserted transit if I could afford a car.

2 « J'aime »

The problem on the three main West Island crossings of the 40 is the down ramps. Not every pedestrian or cyclist hits the “beg” button, but even if they do (and the lights are flashing), cars don’t often stop. The odd car that does stop risks getting rear-ended on these terribly designed overpasses. These risks, for both peds/cyclists crossing as well as drivers, are especially bad where there are double down ramp lanes to the eastbound Service Road.

5 « J'aime »

That is true, I completely forgot about the problem with crossing the ramps on Sources. Walking down Sources on the other side of the road (without the double lane to eastbound), I dont even bother with the beg lights, I just wait until there’s enough clearance between cars for me to dash across (worst case, the light’s gonna turn red on hymus at some point, which introduces a gap between cars I can use to cross).

It kinda makes me wonder, with how all of the exo1 stations have either tunnels or other solutions to cross the highway and/or tracks despite only seeing heavy use like 6 hours a day, why aren’t we doing the same for the a40 REM stations (or, at least Sources and Fairview)?

3 « J'aime »

Residents can voice objections to densification plans

West Island municipalities must consult and reach consensus when it comes to tabling urban plans.

A developer is proposing to be build a high-density residential project on St-Jean Blvd. in Dollard-des-Ormeaux. Some nearby residents, however, hope to block a rezoning process through a public register at city hall on Jan. 19. The site to be redeveloped had previously housed a restaurant and a tire store. 3612stjean.com

It’s a new year but the push for residential densification remains a planning concern across several West Island suburbs, particularly with the arrival of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) stations and potential transit-oriented development (TOD) projects.

Despite cynicism or apathy, citizens are provided opportunities to speak out through official means, such as a public consultation or register process, although the desired outcome for some might seem an uphill battle.

In Dorval, residents are invited to fill out a 15-minute online survey until Jan. 20 to help steer the city’s urban planification consultation process for select sectors deemed to have potential for redevelopment or repurposing.

Dorval had imposed a development freeze on a triangle area between Highway 520, Highway 20 and 55th Ave., as well as select lots on Herron Rd., Dorval Ave., Montreal-Lachine Rd. and the Bell and Novartis properties on Bouchard Blvd. that would require zoning changes for future projects. The city will hold some workshops this month, then draft a preliminary vision by March with the aim of presenting a final planning program for these sectors around June.

How many citizens will speak out remains to be seen. The usual civic activists will be front and centre, but it’s likely that the updated planning guidelines, and the consultation process in general, won’t meet everyone’s expectations. Still, Dorval needs to address concerns raised, from traffic or calls for affordable or social housing to be included in any multi-unit projects, before tabling a consensus vision.

Meanwhile, there are upcoming registers at Dollard-des-Ormeaux city hall for two high-density residential projects that require some spot zoning amendments.

A Jan. 18 register is being held to deal with a request to authorize the construction of two apartment buildings at 35-37 Brunswick Blvd., a project to replace a three-storey residential building of 149 units that was demolished following a fire in 2021. The promoter wants to build 250 units, a building of six floors fronting Brunswick Blvd. and one of three storeys at the rear of the property near existing single-family homes. A traffic study deemed the impact of additional traffic from this project is insignificant.

It’s noted the arrival of a REM station (Sources in Pointe-Claire) will fall within a radius of one kilometer of this project. Dollard also notes it does not have a bylaw concerning affordable, social and family housing.

This project will be deemed approved by qualified voters if fewer than 269 sign a register next Wednesday.

A proposed 272-unit residential project on St-Jean Blvd. that sets to redevelop lots that once housed a restaurant and tire store is facing backlash from nearby residents who are gearing up for a Jan. 19 register, which requires 446 signatures from qualified voters to block it. While the project backs onto Morningside St., there will be no vehicle access to it. Part of the project will reach nine storeys. The city notes the Fairview-Pointe-Claire REM station falls within a radius of 1.2 kilometres of this high-density project, which is expected to encourage public transit, cycling and car sharing.

Deborah Ancel, a local resident who sits on Dollard’s traffic committee, is open to the general idea of residential development at this site, but she is opposed to the scale of the proposed project, including shortcomings with setbacks and parking.

“It’s probably one of the closest properties Dollard has to the new REM train. It’s hugely valuable for something like a residential project,” she said.

“The issue is the scope of the project,” she added. “The developer is building four buildings on the property. There is going to be a four-storey condo lined up facing the houses (on Morningside).”

A flyer is being distributed in the Elm Park and Westminster neighbourhoods to encourage residents to sign the register next Thursday.

Input — or backlash — from West Islanders has resulted in changes being made to proposed redevelopment projects in recent years, ranging from the debate of single-family homes over townhouses at the former Walton Ave. strip mall in Pointe-Claire, to the large-scale plans to revitalize the former Merck Frosst campus located between Brunswick Blvd. and the Highway 40 service road in Kirkland.

However, mixed housing options are in demand, as aging West Islanders want to downsize while young families might seek starter homes.

1 « J'aime »

You can tell that’s Kramberger instead of Alison Hanes, because the tone of his piece is practically encouraging residents to go out and vote against these projects.

6 « J'aime »

I’m really confused about how a medium density project between Saint-Jean and Morningside, at a walking distance of a bunch of commerce and CF, and with the potential to be super accessible by bus and bike (waiting for bixi and bus network redesign) is too big in scope.

Citizens give Pointe-Claire a standing ovation as townhouses rejected

That was wild, it would have been possible to have aout the same number of units, keep commercial space, and have nice park.

3 « J'aime »

TBF, the renders we’ve seen for the project going up at the Goodyear location show that it will be pretty imposing over Morningside and the houses just across the street. But that said, I honestly don’t think average residents should have that much control over how land is used; if there were houses and mature trees across the street from them, then yeah, I can see opposition to knocking them down to build a four-story condo in a complex going up to 12 stories. But the residents of Morningside bought their houses facing a large fence and the back wall of commercial buildings, they can’t expect it to stay that way forever.

1 « J'aime »

I for one don’t understand how people can be so fundamentally opposed to ANY development anywhere. The “You can’t impose high density on the suburbs!” people just fundamentally don’t want to see any changes to their area. Point finale. There is no convincing. What Kramberger is doing is framing those who oppose in a heroic light, while casting a shadow on those who are either indifferent or in favour.

If this was about traffic, the argument would be about reducing the parking minimums or advocacy on behalf of the STM. If it was about health or school infrastructure (as the Save the FV forest people claim from people I know who are in it), then we’d be talking about increasing capacity in schools or expanding the Lakeshore General. It is just about I don’t want it, and I will cling to any argument in my favour in bad faith as if there were no existing solutions to the negative externalities it could bring.

In total fairness, the bar in DDO seems to be generally higher to force a referendum to these projects (400 or so vs the 26 around Sunnybrooke) but still, this is where we need leadership from the province to override the municipalities where public consultations have just become a roadblock to anything.

4 « J'aime »

6/14/2023
Demolition is set to begin!!





6 « J'aime »

6/21/2023



9 « J'aime »

7/15/2023
Demolition is pretty much completed





5 « J'aime »

9/16/2023





4 « J'aime »

10/21/2023
Crane is up!

8 « J'aime »

11/19/2023
Second crane is up!




10 « J'aime »