Meadowbrook
May 17, 2008 by neath
Golf course/green corridor in the west end of the city, actually Cote Saint Luc, Montreal West, and Lachine, that is being lusted upon by developers. They would like, don’t hold your breath, to build houses there. Also of concern is that Trudeau airport is considering altering existing flight paths that could result in planes flying directly over Meadowbrook. Les Amis de Meadowbrook is a group that wants to preserve this wonderful green corridor and there is tons of good information on their site.
Here are some images from a walk I took in the north end of Meadowbrook two weeks ago.
This map shows the relationship between Meadowbrook and the Falaise Saint Jacques, one of the 10 Ecoterritories on the Island Of Montreal, even if that is meaningless to the Tremblay administration. A = the south end of Meadowbrook and B = the west end of the Falaise Saint Jacques. As the crow flies this is no more than a twenty minute walk.
Some groups such as Les Amis de Meadowbrook, Green Coalition, and Heritage Laurentien, have suggested that a green link be made here as part of a larger network or green corridor that could surround the city. It would be particularly useful for cyclists. Heritage Laurentien, led by Patrick Asch, is, in fact, working on the idea of a green belt that connects the Lachine Canal (C), Lachine Rapids, Angrignon Park (D), Douglas Hospital, the Falaise Saint Jacques and Meadowbrook on the same network.
The site features, among other things, the only still open/active section of the Little Saint Pierre river that flowed down and through Turcot Yards before emptying in the Saint Lawrence in Verdun. So there is a strong historical precedent for following this natural path.
Developing Meadowbrook is only about greed. You are talking building housing beside a very busy railyard where the sounds of shunting activities are already quite noisy for some residents of the east side of the golf course and uncertainty about the airport would make it a place for would-be homeowners to avoid. Still, developers seem to work on the principle that if you build it someone will buy it and actually move in.
It’s all about perspective, isn’t it. I hope Meadowbrook is preserved. From your excellent photos it looks like a lovely place to walk.
Urban areas need all the green space they can get, especially when this includes railways (and I can see there are many tracks on your map) and light industry / trading estates. They’re also important as wildlife corridors. With a recent biodiversity report out showing things are not good at all, these corridors are crucial;
http://environmentdebate.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/the-theft-of-biodiversity/
It might be possible to create a bike route between the southern end of Meadowbrook (marked A on the map above) and the bike path along the Lachine Canal, to which there is access from avenue Saint Pierre/Dollard, just by the Highway 20 marker on the map. There is already a pedestrian underpass under the train tracks on rue des Erables. (Rue des Erables is known as Broughton Avenue as it passes through Montreal West.) That underpass is right by the two small green rectangles above the Highway 20 marker.
Excellent idea. I wonder which would be the most likely route, road blocking notwithstanding.
http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/03/17/what-are-you-doing-driving-on-my-street/
The barriers on Broughton were never intended to block pedestrian or bicycle traffic, just car traffic down, and up, the hill. With many new housing units being built on Avenue Emile-Pominville, one can anticipate a significant traffic problem in the future even if one dismisses it now as no more than Montreal West elitism.
Ahh, ok, very easy to jump to one sided conclusions, isn’t it? That truly is a horrible McVillage being built down there.
You did a great job of showing how beautiful Meadowbrook is. It’s amazing how many people in Montreal don’t even know that it exists. This is surprising considering that it is the only significant green space left in the west end of Montreal.
Les Amis de Meadowbrook is working with The Green Right of Way Movement, a coalition of community groups including the Green Coalition. Patrick Asch of Heritage Laurentien has a plan to link up the green spaces from the Lachine Rapids Park, Angrignon Park, Douglas Hospital, and the Falaise St. Jacques. It is a tremendous opportunity that can’t be missed. This is our last chance.
We need to start getting ideas on how to link up these areas. We have one suggestion #3 above, how create a bicycle path from the south end of Meadowbrook to the Lachine Canal bike path. We welcome any suggestions from you cyclists out there. Please support the Green Right of Way Movement (Le Droit de Passage Vert). We need your support to make this plan work.
Man, I hope the development of this lovely area doesn’t go through.
Seems like only yesterday I used to come out this way in the winter time to cross country ski. You could see deer darting away through the trees on occasion too.