In Parc-Extension, where every square metre of public space is cherished, a quiet revolution is underway — and it’s happening in the back alleys.
Often overlooked and underutilized, these narrow laneways that crisscross residential blocks are being reimagined as safe, shared community spaces. Once mainly the domain of parked cars, delivery trucks, and hurried shortcuts, the alleys of Parc-Extension are now becoming safe corridors for children, cyclists, and neighbours to mingle and play.
This transformation is part of a broader initiative by the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension (VSP), which is deploying a “traffic calming” strategy designed to improve the quality of life in high-density urban areas. The plan zeroes in on reducing transit traffic, slowing vehicle speeds, and enhancing pedestrian and cyclist safety — goals that are particularly resonant in a neighbourhood as populated and dynamic as Parc-Extension.
The logic is simple: make the laneways less attractive to through traffic, and more welcoming to the people who actually live there. To achieve this, the city is selectively closing one of the entrances to certain alleys using creative physical barriers. Think less “roadblock” and more “urban gardening” — with installations like large planter boxes, flexible safety bollards, and concrete bells to mark the transformation.
This year, two Parc-Extension alleys are set to receive this safety makeover. One lies between Ogilvy Avenue, Jean-Talon Street West, Stuart Avenue and Wiseman Avenue. The other runs between Saint-Roch Street and the same trio of avenues. These particular sites were not chosen at random. They were identified through public consultations, resident feedback, and an evaluation of key safety criteria: proximity to schools, daycares and parks, the presence of young families, the width of the alley, and the volume of vehicular traffic cutting through.
Parc-Extension, home to one of Montreal’s most diverse and youngest populations, is especially suited for such an initiative. With limited access to green space and a constant pressure on public infrastructure, the transformation of back alleys into community-friendly microspaces represents more than just a traffic plan — it’s a step toward reclaiming public space in a neighbourhood that needs it most.
As children pedal their bikes more freely and neighbours stop to chat in the middle of once-car-dominated lanes, the alley becomes more than a shortcut — it becomes a living part of the community fabric.
By rethinking the purpose of its laneways, Parc-Extension is quietly setting a powerful example for other neighbourhoods. In a city grappling with urban density and climate challenges, sometimes the smartest moves begin not on the boulevards, but in the alleys.
