While pedestrians across Montreal keep slip-slidin’ away on the remnants of last week’s ice storm, city officials are busy planning changes to Montreal’s road network. Chief among those changes is the planned conversion of three streets into pedestrian-only areas. Montreal already has a total of 53 permanent or temporary pedestrian-only streets, Radio-Canada reports. The latest additions will bring the total to 56.
The three new pedestrian-only streets are:
- Gilford Street between Saint-Denis and Rivard on the Plateau;
- Decelles Street between Décarie and Sainte-Croix in Saint-Laurent;
- Masson Street will become “Place Masson” between 5e and 6e Avenue in Rosemont.
The three locations were carefully chosen for their combination of functionality, urban charm and proximity to essential services.
Gilford Street connects directly to the Rosemont metro station and is one of the Plateau’s most emblematic landmarks due to its diagonal direction, which goes against the Montreal street grid. It’s the Plateau’s mini-Broadway, and it features beautiful examples of the typical Plateau architecture, as well as beautiful gardens, flower pots, cafés and restaurants – especially in summer.
Decelles Street is one of Saint-Laurent’s busiest pedestrian arteries, connecting Côte-Vertu metro station to nearby Vanier and Saint-Laurent CÉGEPs. It also borders a park and is just a stone’s throw away from the local library.
The future Place Masson, right in front of the historic Saint-Esprit-de-Rosemont church, is located at the heart of Rosemont’s commercial district and should be a very pleasant summer hangout place indeed!