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District Central : balancing reinvention and heritage
Using urban art, green spaces and signage as a catalyst for revitalisation? This is the major transformation underway in District Central, renowned for its legendary Chabanel sector. It's all made possible thanks to investments from the Fonds signature métropole in the deployment of the Signature Neighbourhood Action Plan led by the Société de développement commercial (SDC) District Central.
Known for its rich history in textiles and fashion, District Central is getting a makeover to become a more attractive and dynamic business hub while emphasising its industrial character.
"The neighborhood has a strong identity with an industrial and textile history that has marked the landscape and the people," notes Marc-André Carignan, Project Manager - Signature Development, SDC District Central. "Our mandate is to revive this heritage in a contemporary way to meet current needs."
This transformation is possible thanks to a $1 million grant obtained from the Quebec government's Métropole Signature Fund to stimulate economic, cultural, and social activity in the Montreal region. In the District Central, it allows for landscaping interventions to strengthen the territory's resilience through biodiversity, urban interventions to beautify and energize the space through furniture and public art, as well as signage interventions to guide passersby and commemorate the district's history.
Projetcts to discover
Already, several projects have been completed or are underway. For example, the mural 'Cocréer notre futur' was created at 1401, rue Legendre Ouest, owned by AEDN, by artists Amelia Hadouchi and Ankhone. The triptych evokes the past, present, and future of urban agriculture, one of the district's business hubs. The building is also home to the world's largest urban agriculture cooperative, the Centrale agricole.
Moreover, on the HS Properties building located at 9775 rue Meilleur, between Sauvé Ouest and Port-Royal Ouest, we find the mural 'De fil en aiguille' by local artist Fluke. "This work highlights local know-how and pays tribute to the fashion industry and its local creators,"explains Marc-André Carignan.
La Prairie Louvain is also well worth a visit. This 18,000-square-foot field of flowers grows plants used in the manufacture of dyes and textiles. It enhances quality of life and is a nod to the history of the neighbourhood, contrasting with the mineralised landscape. Pollinators come here to forage, and people who live or work in District Central come here for a stroll.
Other ‘signature’ outdoor spaces and green areas are currently being designed with property developers. "Together, we want to create rest and meeting areas that will offer workers a more pleasant living environment on a daily basis, while improving their sense of belonging to District Central," explains Marc-André Carignan.
For example, a semi-private park will be created at the corner of boulevard de l'Acadie and rue Sauvé, on the Simplex site. This space will focus on biodiversity and circularity, notably by integrating equipment that is no longer used by the company, such as scaffolding poles.
These achievements by the SDC District Central demonstrate how investments from the Métropole Signature Fund are enabling the revitalization of an industrial neighborhood. "The interventions link the past and the future while allowing the space to adapt to current expectations in terms of sustainable development and the attractiveness of a growing business hub,' says Marc-André Carignan. 'It's a new life we're giving to this urban space that will become a symbol of Montreal's economic and cultural vitality."
Written by Martine Letarte
This article was published in the online magazine "Les Affaires" >>
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