ouest-de-lîle PPU boulevard des Anciens-Combattants

[nephersir7]

Le PPU du boulevard des Anciens-Combattants a été mis en place pour encadrer la vente des terrains excédentaires de l'hôpital Sainte-Anne. Ces terrains ont été donnés à la Ville dans le cadre des mesures compensatoires liées au transfert de l'hôpital de la juridiction fédérale à la juridiction provinciale

https://www.ville.sainte-anne-de-bellevue.qc.ca/medias/files/Séances d'informations publiques/2019/180065_PPU-BoulevardAnciensCombattants_20190403_Consultation.pdf

CE_ODJ_LPP_ORDI_2019-06-12_08h30_FR.pdf

[LexD]

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/west-island-gazette/special-planning-program-details-vision-for-seniors-village

Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue council recently adopted a Special Planning Program (SPP) for 5.2 hectares of undeveloped land bordering Anciens-Combattants Blvd. and adjacent to Ste-Anne Hospital.

The vision is to turn the area into a seniors’ village.

The land in question was transferred to the town a part of a deal negotiated with the previous Quebec government following the transfer of the hospital from federal to provincial jurisdiction in 2016.

Mayor Paola Hawa said that because the town owns the land, it was able to put a detailed SPP in place, making its vision clear, before a developer purchased the property. That was not the case with the development of privately owned land in the northern sector. The town’s SPP for the sector did not align with the promoter’s vision and legal proceedings were launched.

Last month, town council awarded a contract to the JLL commercial brokerage firm. Hawa said it was important for an expert in commercial real estate to handle the sale. The final sale is predicated on the developer presenting a plan that aligns with the SPP.

The SPP’s 40 units per hectare aligns with the densification requirements for what is called a TOD (transit-oriented development). The TOD designation is given to residential developments located within one kilometre of a transit hub. In this case, the village would be near the Exo commuter train station.

The development will include around 700 units, with buildings ranging in height from four to 10 storeys.

“It’s exciting,” Hawa said of the SPP process. “It’s an innovative rethink of what a seniors’ residence should look like. We are so used to seeing rectangular, soulless boxes. That’s not what we wanted. Seniors have contributed to society their entire lives. Now it’s time for them to enjoy. It’s about respect.”

The plan is to have different types of dwellings to suit the different needs of the community, be it independent living for the 55+ crowd or a chronic-care unit, with 10 per cent of the units flagged for low-income residents. Each building will have a distinct look. There will be a footpath through the village park and sidewalks wide enough to accommodate two wheelchairs side by side.

The West Island is home to a growing senior population looking for options when it comes time to downsize, but who want to stay in the region. The hospital-adjacent location is a bonus, because Ste-Anne hospital specializes in geriatric care.

Hawa said during the creation of the SPP, they had input from the West Island health authority and Ste-Anne Hospital, as well as private-sector health providers.

“What is great is that there will be a medical clinic (on site),” Hawa said. “We want to create a synergy between the village and the hospital.”

The village might even get agriculture students from the nearby McGill University Macdonald campus involved.

“There will be a community garden,” the mayor said. “The students could help set up garden projects.”

The possibility of traffic congestion is often a concern when new developments are introduced. Hawa said a traffic study was done and that there will be two access points to the village, off Anciens-Combattants — one will be an existing road north of the hospital, which was used during hospital renovations.

Negotiations are underway to purchase the land from McGill University at the extreme north of the property. That would allow for a second access point, at the intersection with a stop sign, directly across the street from the fire station. The idea would be to make them one-way roads, with the road to the south becoming the entrance, and the road to the north the exit.

“The challenge was to be creative and innovative, but remain realistic,” Hawa said. “You can come up with the best plan in the world, but if you can’t find a promoter who is interested, it won’t work. We want the promoter to think ahead. Don’t build for the year 2020. Think about what the world will look like in 2040.”

Hawa estimated the sale of the land to be completed by autumn 2020, with shovels in the ground by spring, 2021.

[go_habs_go]

Excellent initiative! Nice to see some thoughts and respect given to a segment of our population that is often overlooked.