10 Proposals for the Future of Remembrance / Camillien-Houde
- September 04, 2018
In light of the pilot project interrupting car transit traffic on the Remembrance / Camillien-Houde roadway, Les amis de la montagne has made 10 proposals that we share on the online platform hosted by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM).
The OCPM invites the community to give its opinion on the project currently underway. It is in this context that we invite you to read and vote for or against proposals.
1. Turn Remembrance / Camillien-Houde into a Safe and Scenic Roadway for All
Les amis de la montagne calls for the repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde as a scenic roadway that ensures the safe cohabitation of all users: pedestrians, bicycles, cars and buses. Redevelopment choices should take into account the principles of the international Vision Zero road traffic safety movement and induce safe behaviours on the behalf of all users. Repurposed as a scenic roadway rather than a rapid transit route, the Remembrance/Camillien-Houde axis would first and foremost favour the mountain experience. Revised signage would highlight the destinations accessible by this road at the heart of Mount Royal such as Beaver Lake and Pavilion, Smith House, access points to Olmsted Path and other trails in Mount Royal Park, cemeteries, belvederes, Mount Royal ring road and Cavalry.
This vision also includes the significant improvement of public transit to these popular destinations on the mountain as well as a considerable reduction in the number of parking spaces in Mount Royal Park in favour of the re-greening of these asphalted areas. Parking lots close to the park—at the former Royal Victoria, Montreal General Hospital and Université de Montréal, for instance— would be made available to visitors on the weekend and during the park’s busy periods. A shuttle service to the park could be provided from these parking lots, from which new pedestrian links would be developed leading to key park destinations. These new parking and park access options will require adequate communication and signage.
In this vision of mountain accessibility via Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, all circulation from one side of the mountain to the other would be maintained, although road redesign and reduced speed limits would result in fewer cars on the roadway and put an end to rapid transit over the mountain.
In our mind, this vision will achieve many of the accessibility goals identified in the City of Montréal’s Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
2. Allowing All Users to Share the Road Safely
The repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien Houde into a scenic roadway, as proposed by Les amis de la montagne, must adopt the principles and practices recommended by the international Vision Zero road safety movement, which aims to ensure safe and user-friendly cohabitation between pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, motorists, etc. Consequently, the proposed repurposing should include specific road redesign and reconfiguration and traffic calming measures, an awareness program on a road sharing code of conduct, and the necessary strategies to achieve compliance and the ultimate objective: safe and user-friendly travel in the exceptional public spaces at the heart of the mountain.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
3. Enjoying a Pleasant Experience in Public Transit Year-Round
To encourage the general public to use public transit to get to the heart of the mountain, Les amis de la montagne recommends the creation of user-friendly waiting areas and bus shelters that are spacious enough to accommodate a large number of users and whose aesthetic harmonizes with the surrounding landscape. Adding real-time bus arrival digital displays will minimize the inconvenience or risks of waiting at night or in the winter. Finally, heating bus shelters in wintertime would be a valued improvement.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
4. Maintain Access to Attractions and Services from Both the East and the West
The current pilot project (and parking arrangements) segments and compartmentalizes the various activity sectors in Mount Royal Park, thereby reducing access between destinations at the heart of the mountain. To avoid such a loss of accessibility in the permanent repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, it will be essential to design a road system that allows free-flowing vehicular traffic between parking areas at Beaver Lake and Smith House and that also allows visitors to arrive from the east and depart to the west (or vice versa).
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
5. Offer Incentive Parking Near Mount Royal Park
To meet additional parking needs during peak periods such as weekends in Mount Royal Park, Les amis de la montagne recommends that the City offer additional parking options nearby – at the former Royal Victoria, Montreal General Hospital or Université de Montréal, for instance. A shuttle service to Beaver Lake and Smith House could be offered from these parking lots, from which new pedestrian links would also lead to key park destinations. These new parking and access options will require adequate communication and signage.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
6. Display Parking Availability at Park Entrances
To facilitate parking in Mount Royal Park and limit unnecessary traffic on Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, Les amis de la montagne recommends that the availability of parking spaces in the park’s parking lots be posted on real-time digital display panels installed on Mont-Royal Avenue at the foot of Camillien-Houde Way and on Côte-des-Neiges Road at the foot of Remembrance Road.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
7. Design a User-Friendly, Safe and Inviting Crossing of the Mountain
Based on Les amis’s observations, the current pilot project segments and compartmentalizes the various activity sectors in Mount Royal Park, thereby reducing access to preferred destinations.
To avoid such a loss of accessibility in the permanent repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, it will be essential to configure the roadway so as to allow visitors to arrive from the east and depart to the west (or vice versa).
Les amis de la montagne calls for the repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde as a scenic roadway that takes into account the principles of the international Vision Zero road traffic safety movement and encourages safe behaviour on the part of all users. Repurposed as a scenic roadway rather than an expedient transit route, a repurposed Remembrance/Camillien-Houde axis would first and foremost favour the mountain experience in this sector, providing access to destinations at the heart of Mount Royal such as Beaver Lake and Pavilion, Smith House, access points to Olmsted Path and other trails in Mount Royal Park, cemeteries, belvederes, Mount Royal ring road and Cavalry.
Despite the decrease in the number of cars and the end of rapid transit on the mountain, this vision of accessibility in the heart of the mountain via Remembrance/Camillien-Houde enables all types of traffic—pedestrians, cyclists, cars, buses, etc.—from one side of the mountain to the other.
In fulfilling this vision, most of the accessibility goals set out in the City of Montreal’s Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan will be achieved.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
8. Document Air Pollution Levels around the Mountain
Within the context of this pilot project, it would be interesting to study the vehicular traffic and greenhouse gas (GHG) ratio on the periphery of the mountain in order to quantify the effects of the interruption of car transit on air quality. The potential of using geomatics to explore this issue should be assessed.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
9. Deploy a Global Environmental Improvement Strategy
The pilot project targets only one thoroughfare on the mountain. A comprehensive strategy for improving the environment throughout the city would need to be developed and deployed to achieve such goals as improved air, water and soil quality, and reduced noise pollution, with a view to generating a positive impact on the quality of life of citizens.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
10. Activities in Harmony with the Spirit of the Place
Les amis de la montagne stands by its conviction that Mount Royal Park must remain true to its primary role as a public space for relaxation, contemplation and access to nature. We must avoid the overabundance of supervised activities and organized sports activities that impede the accessibility and spontaneous enjoyment of the site. All activities on the mountain, including along Remembrance Road and Camillien-Houde Way, should have as their primary goal to showcase the natural and cultural assets of Mount Royal and to raise visitor awareness of the conservation challenges faced by this heritage site. Visitor experience must remain rooted in the spirit of the place.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
Back The OCPM invites the community to give its opinion on the project currently underway. It is in this context that we invite you to read and vote for or against proposals.
1. Turn Remembrance / Camillien-Houde into a Safe and Scenic Roadway for All
Les amis de la montagne calls for the repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde as a scenic roadway that ensures the safe cohabitation of all users: pedestrians, bicycles, cars and buses. Redevelopment choices should take into account the principles of the international Vision Zero road traffic safety movement and induce safe behaviours on the behalf of all users. Repurposed as a scenic roadway rather than a rapid transit route, the Remembrance/Camillien-Houde axis would first and foremost favour the mountain experience. Revised signage would highlight the destinations accessible by this road at the heart of Mount Royal such as Beaver Lake and Pavilion, Smith House, access points to Olmsted Path and other trails in Mount Royal Park, cemeteries, belvederes, Mount Royal ring road and Cavalry.
This vision also includes the significant improvement of public transit to these popular destinations on the mountain as well as a considerable reduction in the number of parking spaces in Mount Royal Park in favour of the re-greening of these asphalted areas. Parking lots close to the park—at the former Royal Victoria, Montreal General Hospital and Université de Montréal, for instance— would be made available to visitors on the weekend and during the park’s busy periods. A shuttle service to the park could be provided from these parking lots, from which new pedestrian links would be developed leading to key park destinations. These new parking and park access options will require adequate communication and signage.
In this vision of mountain accessibility via Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, all circulation from one side of the mountain to the other would be maintained, although road redesign and reduced speed limits would result in fewer cars on the roadway and put an end to rapid transit over the mountain.
In our mind, this vision will achieve many of the accessibility goals identified in the City of Montréal’s Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
2. Allowing All Users to Share the Road Safely
The repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien Houde into a scenic roadway, as proposed by Les amis de la montagne, must adopt the principles and practices recommended by the international Vision Zero road safety movement, which aims to ensure safe and user-friendly cohabitation between pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, motorists, etc. Consequently, the proposed repurposing should include specific road redesign and reconfiguration and traffic calming measures, an awareness program on a road sharing code of conduct, and the necessary strategies to achieve compliance and the ultimate objective: safe and user-friendly travel in the exceptional public spaces at the heart of the mountain.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
3. Enjoying a Pleasant Experience in Public Transit Year-Round
To encourage the general public to use public transit to get to the heart of the mountain, Les amis de la montagne recommends the creation of user-friendly waiting areas and bus shelters that are spacious enough to accommodate a large number of users and whose aesthetic harmonizes with the surrounding landscape. Adding real-time bus arrival digital displays will minimize the inconvenience or risks of waiting at night or in the winter. Finally, heating bus shelters in wintertime would be a valued improvement.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
4. Maintain Access to Attractions and Services from Both the East and the West
The current pilot project (and parking arrangements) segments and compartmentalizes the various activity sectors in Mount Royal Park, thereby reducing access between destinations at the heart of the mountain. To avoid such a loss of accessibility in the permanent repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, it will be essential to design a road system that allows free-flowing vehicular traffic between parking areas at Beaver Lake and Smith House and that also allows visitors to arrive from the east and depart to the west (or vice versa).
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
5. Offer Incentive Parking Near Mount Royal Park
To meet additional parking needs during peak periods such as weekends in Mount Royal Park, Les amis de la montagne recommends that the City offer additional parking options nearby – at the former Royal Victoria, Montreal General Hospital or Université de Montréal, for instance. A shuttle service to Beaver Lake and Smith House could be offered from these parking lots, from which new pedestrian links would also lead to key park destinations. These new parking and access options will require adequate communication and signage.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
6. Display Parking Availability at Park Entrances
To facilitate parking in Mount Royal Park and limit unnecessary traffic on Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, Les amis de la montagne recommends that the availability of parking spaces in the park’s parking lots be posted on real-time digital display panels installed on Mont-Royal Avenue at the foot of Camillien-Houde Way and on Côte-des-Neiges Road at the foot of Remembrance Road.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
7. Design a User-Friendly, Safe and Inviting Crossing of the Mountain
Based on Les amis’s observations, the current pilot project segments and compartmentalizes the various activity sectors in Mount Royal Park, thereby reducing access to preferred destinations.
To avoid such a loss of accessibility in the permanent repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde, it will be essential to configure the roadway so as to allow visitors to arrive from the east and depart to the west (or vice versa).
Les amis de la montagne calls for the repurposing of Remembrance/Camillien-Houde as a scenic roadway that takes into account the principles of the international Vision Zero road traffic safety movement and encourages safe behaviour on the part of all users. Repurposed as a scenic roadway rather than an expedient transit route, a repurposed Remembrance/Camillien-Houde axis would first and foremost favour the mountain experience in this sector, providing access to destinations at the heart of Mount Royal such as Beaver Lake and Pavilion, Smith House, access points to Olmsted Path and other trails in Mount Royal Park, cemeteries, belvederes, Mount Royal ring road and Cavalry.
Despite the decrease in the number of cars and the end of rapid transit on the mountain, this vision of accessibility in the heart of the mountain via Remembrance/Camillien-Houde enables all types of traffic—pedestrians, cyclists, cars, buses, etc.—from one side of the mountain to the other.
In fulfilling this vision, most of the accessibility goals set out in the City of Montreal’s Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan will be achieved.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
8. Document Air Pollution Levels around the Mountain
Within the context of this pilot project, it would be interesting to study the vehicular traffic and greenhouse gas (GHG) ratio on the periphery of the mountain in order to quantify the effects of the interruption of car transit on air quality. The potential of using geomatics to explore this issue should be assessed.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
9. Deploy a Global Environmental Improvement Strategy
The pilot project targets only one thoroughfare on the mountain. A comprehensive strategy for improving the environment throughout the city would need to be developed and deployed to achieve such goals as improved air, water and soil quality, and reduced noise pollution, with a view to generating a positive impact on the quality of life of citizens.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.
10. Activities in Harmony with the Spirit of the Place
Les amis de la montagne stands by its conviction that Mount Royal Park must remain true to its primary role as a public space for relaxation, contemplation and access to nature. We must avoid the overabundance of supervised activities and organized sports activities that impede the accessibility and spontaneous enjoyment of the site. All activities on the mountain, including along Remembrance Road and Camillien-Houde Way, should have as their primary goal to showcase the natural and cultural assets of Mount Royal and to raise visitor awareness of the conservation challenges faced by this heritage site. Visitor experience must remain rooted in the spirit of the place.
Click here to comment on or vote for this proposal.