by PATRICK LEJTENYI

The dozen-plus small parks in Centre-Sud were the subjects for some debate last year. First it was thought that many of them would be the sites of new affordable housing, as part of the city administration’s much-vaunted Opération 5,000 Logements. Resident groups opposed the move, however, saying that the project was ill thought-out, considering the lack of greenspace in the neighbourhood already. Now, it seems that at least five of the parks will be saved and revamped, thanks to a resident-based initiative called Parcs vivants.

“This project allows residents to participate in the life of the parks, to allow them to plant flowers or plants or even start small gardens,” says Estelle Servanin, the project chief at Éco-quartier Saint-Jacques. “There are resident committees for each park who have organized things like socio-cultural activities, picnics and guided historical tours.”

There is history to these parks indeed: many were created in the wake of the infamous “Week-end rouge” of November 2–3, 1974, when arsonists torched several buildings during a firefighters’ strike. The empty lots were turned into parks by the city in 1977. The city tried to justify last year’s failed attempt to convert the parks into housing in part by the charge that the parks were being used more by prostitutes and junkies than residents. But that doesn’t stand up, residents say, and furthermore, getting rid of the parks wouldn’t have solved any of the neighbourhood’s problems.

“Hey, I’ve found used condoms on my balcony,” says Roberto Calcagni, who lives at Lafontaine and de la Visitation, and serves on the committee overseeing the nearby Parc de la Fabrique. “The parks actually alleviate the problem. I’ve seen people shooting up in the parks, but I’ve also seen them shoot up in people’s doorways and alleys.”

Calcagni is happy that the city has finally decided to save the parks from construction, especially considering that there are a number of empty, unused lots ripe for development. He says that his park is on track for renovation dollars, although he didn’t know the exact amount, nor when the city would deliver. He hopes to install stools, a fountain and a pathway, improve the lighting and maybe put up either a mural or vines on the concrete wall bordering the park. He’d also like to see some wild berries planted.

“In the short term, though, the parks were saved, and I’m happy,” he says. “The fact that they’ll be improved is a bonus.” One of the keys to the project’s success, Calcagni notes, is to micro-manage the parks. He’d like to see the city take as hands-off an approach as possible. “Things tend to get to get out of hand when they get too big and too bureaucratic,” he says.

In the meantime, Servanin will be working to get further projects in various states of development off the ground. “We’re asking the city for money to continue the project through 2003,” she says. “But this is driven by the residents. We helped them and supported them, and went to the city with the ideas they gave us.” :