An industrial area near downtown Montreal could get a new urban beach

Montreal's Wellington Pool may soon trade its industrial crust for something a little more luxurious. Under a new proposal, the area bathed in the unwavering glow of Farin's Five Roses sign will be divided into three new zones over the next decade and a half: one for creative workplaces, one for leisure as an urban beach, and another as a spark of economic activity.

The driver behind the transformation is the Canada Lands Company, a Crown corporation that turns underutilized federal property into community assets. They run landmarks like the Montreal Science Center and Montreal's Old Port, and are now turning their attention to a mostly vacant site with a flour mill as the only reminder of its laborious past.

A view of the proposed Wellington Basin beach.Courtesy of Canada Lands.

The Office of Consultation in Montreal (OCPM) launched a series of public consultations in early 2020 targeting the wider Bridge-Bonaventure sector, which includes the basin. Feedback resulted in a mixed-use district plan that identified three functional areas:

• Artisan District: An area with jobs to support the local arts scene.
• Pools Beach: The urban beach replaces the old industrial waterfront to become a new attraction for locals and tourists.
• Innovation cluster: With a focus on economic revitalization, the sector hopes to attract startups and technology firms.

Along with the theme areas, the project plan includes approximately 2,800 new housing units to accommodate approximately 4,200 people, with diversity and affordability in mind – 1,000 units are envisioned as affordable or social housing with long-term price control.

A map showing the Wellington basin in relation to other plans for the area.Courtesy of Canada Lands.

Spanning Mill Street, Bridge Street, Peel Basin and the REM network, the project includes sustainable elements such as three new parks and a carbon-neutral district heating network, embracing aspects of the area's industrial past.

Ahead of the redevelopment, Lands Canada engaged with a cross-section of the Montreal community—municipal authorities, institutions, government departments, private sector players, scientists and local residents—to weave the basin back into the fabric of the surrounding neighborhoods. Like Old Port, Griffintown and Pointe St. Charles.

“This is the result of a great effort to transform a strategic site close to the city center and many neighborhoods and create a plan to integrate it into the community,” said Pierre-Marc Mongo, Vice President of Real Estate. Canada Lands Company.

Subject to municipal approval, the next steps will include selecting developers for the affordable housing projects, beginning environmental cleanup and laying the groundwork for new infrastructure. If all goes according to plan, the first properties will be on the market by 2025.