A hundred residents came out to a public consultation on the sale of Fleming Park in order to allow the construction of a seniors’ residence. (Photo: Genevieve Allard)
Project for seniors’ residence in a municipal park
In Town of Mount Royal, with nearly 20% of its 19,400 residents over age 65 and only two seniors’ residences, the need is growing for the construction of a third. Fleming Park, situated along Brittany Avenue and close to the Metropolitan Autoroute, is the choice location for the project that elicited many reactions from area residents.
For this reason, nearly one hundred residents came out on May 23rd to a public consultation related to the project that would see Fleming Park, which belongs to the municipality, sold to allow for the construction of a seniors’ residence.
The Town of Mount Royal studied the possibility of selling the grounds of Fleming Park, because of concerns that seniors would leave the municipality to live elsewhere, in the borough of Outremont for example. Mayor Vera Danyluk mentioned that urban development is at maturity, meaning that vacant spaces are rare.
The first part of the meeting was devoted to a presentation. The mayor indicated the special nature of such a consultation. "It is unusual enough for a city that is proud of its green spaces that we talk about selling a park," she said.
Danyluk also pointed out the purpose of the public consultation was to discuss the possibility of selling the grounds and that if such a decision were made, it would only be done to build a seniors’ residence. "We have two residences [Douglas and Vigi-Santé] which are apartments and a hospital complex respectively,” she said. “We need something in between.”
The meeting ended in a secret vote by residents who were present. 48 voted in favour, 32 against, and one person abstained. If the council decides to go forward with the project, zoning will be changed to allow the construction of a dwelling for autonomous and semi-autonomous seniors and a series of procedures will be put forward. "We will not be ready to sell the grounds before July," said Danyluk.
The type of dwelling would probably be pyramidal style and more than seven floors, allowing housing for 100 people. The project would take at least 18 months to complete, if all goes according to plan.
(Translated by Michael Beigleman)
Fleming park
-16th largest park out of 24 in Mount Royal with 44,388 square feet
-Bordered by Côte-de-Liesse in the north-west and Brittany Avenue in south-east
-Located almost opposite Ernest-B-Jubien Park, four times larger and much more developed in terms of recreation equipment.
-Rockland Centre is in the same area and is accessible by foot or bus.
(Source: Ava Couch, director general of the Town)
par Geneviève Allard 
Steven Guilbeault - Chronique environnement
Richard Cléroux - Le fouineur politique
