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Heritage, schmeritage >> City favours condos on historical site by DOMINIQUE RITTER
The people who brought us Le Sanctuaire (a mega-condo development in Outremont) are planning to erect 78 dwellings on a site that was only three years ago given the second-highest heritage recognition status by the federal government. Last Tuesday, the city's urban development committee approved the rezoning of the site for condos. "What we discovered is that our heritage has to be preserved, not just against pollution and encroachment, but against politics as well," lamented Dinu Bumbaru, director of programming for Heritage Montreal, a vocal opponent of the plan. Proponents of the project maintain that the new high-end development will discourage suburban sprawl and help develop the city's tax base. But Heritage Montreal insists that the site's integrity is more important. "Some of these people don't have a clue what their role in society is," said Bumbaru, referring to Bourque's Vision Montréal city councillors, who were responsible for the seven votes in favour of the rezoning. The two votes against were cast by opposition councillors. "If this project had been situated 150 yards to the west in Westmount, there would have been a public referendum. Has the city of Montreal done a credible public consultation? No." Louis Riel's dorm According to Heritage Montreal, the reasons for preserving the site are numerous. The building located there was erected in 1803 by the Sulpician Fathers, and it is considered of historical importance not only because of its architectural value but also because it housed the likes of Georges Étienne-Cartier and Louis Riel during the days it served as a seminary residence. In addition, the land surrounding the building--a plot of almost 300,000 square feet--has historical value as part of Mount Royal green space. From 1942 until this year, the property was under the control of the federal army and used as a base. In 1997, the Canadian government, wishing to sell the land, transferred it to the Canada Lands Company; now the Groupe Lépine developers have placed a deposit on the property. The development plans would see 69 homes erected, the existing building transformed into a nine unit condo--preserving only one original façade--and 125 of the 215 trees cut down. Bumbaru describes the Lépine plan as "sketches done on restaurant napkins" and the city's handling of the affair "amateurish." In an attempt to have the site integrated into Mount Royal park and preserved as green space, Heritage Montreal will be turning to the province to intervene in the matter. "The ministry of culture can issue a notice of intent to protect the site and freeze development for 12 months. That would allow for a proper consultation process," said Bumbaru, who hopes to see the province take a stronger stand on all Montreal heritage issues. "The thing that must be learned from this case is that the city is not doing its job properly."
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The historical significance of a 200-year-old site on Atwater flanking the mountain is to be reduced to a plaque on a wall, while a big-wig condo proposal has been given the preliminary thumbs-up from city council.