Youths from Centre Jeunesse Unie on Bloomfield seek funding for renovations
In his opening remarks during the February 3 meeting of the Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc Extension borough council, Mayor Jean-François Lalonde noted that the council was moving forward to authorize the construction of a new 26-unit social housing project in Parc Extension.
During the meeting, the councillors also adopted a proposed amendment to a zoning by-law to prevent the conversion of commercial spaces into housing on several streets within the borough.
Black History Month
As well, Lalonde noted that the borough is holding a number of special activities in February to mark Black History Month.
He and other members of the borough council were wearing green ribbons on their lapels to underscore the fact that the annual Journées de la persévérance scolaire (Hooked on School Days) are taking place from February 16-20.
“The construction of social housing on Acadie Boulevard directly addresses the needs of the Parc-Extension community,” said Lalonde. “By focusing on prefabricated construction, this project allows us to explore innovative solutions and accelerate the creation of housing.
New social housing in Parc Ex
“We are proud to see a promising initiative developing in the neighbourhood that will facilitate access to social housing for our citizens,” he added.
The borough council members approved plans for the construction of the three-storey building located a 7965 de l’Acadie Boulevard in Parc Extension. Led by the Monde-Uni housing cooperative, the project is part of the Quebec Affordable Housing Program of the Société d’habitation du Québec and aims for completion by the end of this year.
The building, designed using prefabricated modules, will primarily consist of studios and will offer a ground floor accessible to people with reduced mobility. The project also includes significant landscaping, which will cover nearly 68 per cent of the site, as well as the planting of six new trees.
Ground-floor conversions out
With careful planning, brick architecture and green spaces, the new building is designed to blend harmoniously into its surroundings and contribute to increasing the supply of quality social housing in Parc-Extension.
In keeping with the Montreal 2050 Urban Planning and Mobility Plan (PUM), the borough council authorized an amendment to the zoning bylaw to prohibit the conversion of ground-floor businesses into residential units on several commercial streets.
The measure aims to protect the supply of local businesses, particularly in the Villeray-East sector, located between Christophe Colomb Avenue and Saint-Michel Boulevard, where vacant premises and conversions are prevalent.
According to the borough, residential developments have been weakening the commercial fabric of the area. The ban also applies to other streets in the borough, including Liège Street West and Saint-Roch Street in Parc-Extension, as well as Legendre Street East and Émile-Journault Avenue in Saint-Michel, in addition to several other sections frequented by residents which were previously unprotected.
The measure does not affect existing ground-floor residential units, but prevents any new conversions. The borough hopes to preserve spaces intended for businesses, while maintaining complete and accessible living environments and supporting the economic vitality of neighbourhoods.
It’s worth noting that the regulatory change is considered a temporary measure, pending the results of a commercial consolidation study planned for 2026 and a more comprehensive review of land use in the borough.
Parc Ex youths seek funding
Also during the February borough council meeting, youths age 15 to 17 from the Centre Jeunesse Unie in Parc-Extension presented a funding request for the renovation of the kitchen at the Bloomfield Centre – a space they use daily for meals, snacks and healthy cooking workshops.
The kitchen has not been renovated for several decades and currently raises serious sanitation and functionality concerns due to its deteriorated condition. They maintained that their request drew attention to a striking contrast in the borough’s budget planning.
“While the city is investing approximately $460,000 in the renovation of the neighbouring park, the complete renovation of the kitchen – critical to the health and well-being of youth – would require an investment of roughly $20,000,” Richard Vachon, executive-director of the centre, said in a statement submitted to Nouvelles Parc Extension News.
A learning experience
Beyond the request itself, the CJU maintained that their initiative carried an underlying civic significance, as the youths chose to apply the principles of democracy, positive leadership and civic participation they learned at the centre by speaking directly before elected municipal officials in an institutional setting.
For many of them, addressing the borough council was their first experience engaging in a formal political forum. “We believe this initiative offers a compelling example of young people’s capacity to reflect critically, organize collectively, and advocate for issues affecting their community and daily living environment,” Vachon added.
