River access in the Faubourgs: The issues and possible solutions put forth by the citizens' group AmiEs du courant Sainte-Marie (complet)

The area in the shadow of the Jacques Cartier Bridge is currently undergoing a major revitalization. Several major real estate projects are underway, notably on the former sites of the Molson Brewery, Radio-Canada, and the Porte Sainte-Marie. We could also add the transformation of the former Télé-Québec building. The latter will be part of the Quartier des Fonctionnaires (civil servants' district). Despite being close to the river, visual and physical access remains a major challenge in the area due to the presence of the Port of Montreal rail interchange and its nine railway tracks that separate us from the river. The railway configuration dates back to the time when port activities were centered around the Old Port. Although the Port's facilities are now located to the east, the CP and CN rail lines that serve it continue to run west of the bridge. Parc Jean-Drapeau has announced investments of nearly a billion dollars by 2030. This includes improvements to access to the riverbanks and the creation of riverside walkways. Due to the proximity of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, residents of the Faubourgs should be among the most numerous regular users of the park and a natural clientele for the active mobility circuits. Despite the width of the river that separates the city from Île Sainte-Hélène being less than 500 metres in this area, the path to reach the banks of parc Jean-Drapeau is approximately 3 km from the Craig Pumping Station Park. The citizen group AmiEs du courant Sainte-Marie has been reflecting on river access issues in the area since 2012. They have proposed several possible solutions (some ambitious) to facilitate and improve access. This Jane's Walk will highlight the issues and the group's proposals.