Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce unveils its vision for Parc Mackenzie-King

MONTRÉAL, June 30, 2023 /CNW/ - Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is unveiling its vision for the redevelopment of Parc Mackenzie-King. Located in the district of Snowdon, Parc Mackenzie-King is a gathering place and an important space for the local community. The measures announced today are aimed at creating a space that meets the needs of residents, while protecting the park's biodiversity.

Overview of the project

Following a citizen consultation carried out in the spring, which sparked interest among residents, a committee of experts tabled a report at the borough council meeting in June 2023. The report featured several recommendations for the redevelopment of Parc Mackenzie-King. In light of these recommendations, Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa's administration today announced its intention to implement all the committee's proposals, and go even further by including greening and biodiversity protection initiatives in the project.

Protection and enhancement of the Boisé Dora-Wasserman

The Boisé Dora-Wasserman, located in Parc Mackenzie-King, is one of the largest green spaces in the Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood. In recognition of its importance, the borough will take steps to enhance and protect biodiversity in the Boisé Dora-Wasserman. In addition, it will expand the Boisé by greening the residual areas that border it. Finally, a water garden – an ecological stormwater management infrastructure – will be added on the Boisé site to facilitate stormwater runoff in a sustainable and ecological manner.

Enhancement of relaxation areas

Parc Mackenzie-King is a gathering place for several local communities. To offer park users an improved experience, the borough will enhance the relaxation areas by:

-  Renovating the park chalet.
-  Improving both the relaxation and recreational areas.
-  Upgrading the park's residual materials management equipment.

A new multisport field

From the perspective of ensuring territorial equity, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce will install a new synthetic surface on the multisport field at Parc Mackenzie-King. This new synthetic turf will meet the demands of the CDN–NDG soccer associations, which have long advocated for the addition of a second synthetic field in the Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood. This addition will help meet the growing demand for quality sports infrastructures in the borough, and promote the development of emerging sports, such as rugby, ultimate frisbee and flag football. It bears recalling that the only existing synthetic field in Côte-des-Neiges, located at Parc Martin Luther-King, is not sufficient to meet the community's sporting needs. The development of a synthetic field at Parc Mackenzie-King will serve to add 90 hours of available play time per week in Côte-des-Neiges.

Striking a balance between sports practice and environmental protection

In an effort to offer a pleasant and green environment to park users while ensuring the safe practice of sports, several measures will be taken prior to the installation of the synthetic surface.

• The call for tenders to complete the installation of the synthetic multisport field will require the use of organic backfilling materials.
• Natural-grass clearance zones will be retained around the field.
• The borough will plant trees around the field in order to provide players with shaded areas and help reduce heat island effects. While waiting for the trees to be tall enough to provide shade, pergolas will be installed around the field.
• During periods of extreme heat, the borough will notify residents about the precautionary measures to adopt to limit the health risks.

Finally, to compensate for the mineralization of the multisport field at Parc Mackenzie-King, Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce will demineralize an equivalent surface in the borough within five years.

"The challenge, in this regard, amply illustrates the broader challenge facing an entire generation: That of ensuring a just and inclusive ecological transition. Today, our administration has chosen to build bridges between all current and potential users of the park by correcting a historic deficit in terms of quality sports infrastructures in Côte-des-Neiges. For months, we have worked extremely hard with a multidisciplinary team from the borough to put forward a solid project that will allow local youth to practice sports while also improving Parc Mackenzie-King and protecting its biodiversity," said Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa.

"Access to quality sports infrastructures throughout Montréal is a core concern for our administration, because it promotes equity between neighbourhoods. All Montrealers deserve access to quality sports facilities. The city is pleased to provide financial support to the borough so that it can develop a multisport synthetic field in an area where there are significant needs. Like other synthetic fields developed in Montréal in recent years, the new field at Parc Mackenzie King will integrate innovative techniques and materials that meet current environmental requirements and reduce heat island effects," added Caroline Bourgeois, vice-president of the executive committee responsible for sports, large parks and recreation for Mount Royal, Parc Jean-Drapeau, Espace pour la vie and the Est de Montréal.

"During the pandemic, confinement measures really helped limit the spread of the virus. That said, they also created more serious indirect problems in the long term, not least in relation to physical activity and its benefits. Not to mention sedentariness, mental health, obesity, social isolation, street gangs, drugs, and the list goes on. This will create other problems in the long term. Youth and the general public in Côte-des-Neiges need space in which to move, have fun, and forge friendships. A synthetic soccer field will allow them to do all that over a longer period during the year. All you need to do is look at the attendance figures at the Parc Martin Luther-King field," said Dilshad Rizvi, the person responsible for soccer development in Côte-des-Neiges for the CDN-NDG soccer associations.

The redevelopment of Parc Mackenzie-King is made possible thanks to a subsidy received in 2021 under the city's outdoor sports infrastructures program (PISE).

SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Arrondissement de Côte-des-Neiges - Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Source: Lisa Cerasuolo, Chief of staff, Office of the mayor of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Cellphone : 514-581-5288, [email protected]; Information: Media relations, Ville de Montréal, [email protected]