Ave. du Mont-Royal Will Soon Be Pedestrian Only & Here's What's Planned For This Summer
Avenue du Mont-Royal will be pedestrianized this summer, between Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Fullum, for the second year in a row. The street will be car-free as of June 18.
The pedestrian strip's new design is intended to be a space where pedestrians and cyclists in Montreal can coexist, complete with "large-scale artistic installations [...] meeting points and animations" that will be set up from July 2 to September 6.
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La Société de développement de l’avenue du Mont-Royal enlisted the help of different artists for seven new garden installations on the promenade, according to a news release.
A new round of garden installations
The garden installations for this summer are:
Roseraie: an immense wall-to-ground garden painting, which will envelop pedestrians "in the intense beauty of roses" (by Isabelle Duguay and Julian Palma).
Jardin nocturne: a nocturnal garden laden with fireflies and foliage (by Érick Villeneuve and Jean Beaudoin)
Jardin du solstice: a "relaxing oasis inspired by the beaches of the French Riviera" with striped umbrellas, seating and lighting under the trees for those hot summer nights (by Manuel Baumann and Stéphanie Leduc)
Gardin picnic: Three large tables covered in a canopy of greenery and lit with dim evening lighting
Le jardin de vent: Like a "pollinating corridor," it will spread out on the Avenue between the different gardens (by Émilie Proulx and Sacha Bulliard)
Cactus Garden: Planted in three stages — a mirage, an oasis and a snake — in the "Far East" of the Avenue (by Signature Design Communication)
Food Garden: For plant-lovers, this garden includes a "mediation component" for urban gardeners — the area will include mature trees, market garden wreaths and a pergola, where workshops will be offered for free (by Biovercité)
A new 'Slow Zone' pilot project
The Slow Zone pilot project will authorize two-wheeled vehicles or those on wheels without motors — such as bicycles, skates, scooters or rollerblades — to circulate on the avenue, but slowly and at the same pace as pedestrians.
From July 2 to September 6, four duo bikes will criss-cross on the avenue between Wednesday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They'll pick up all passengers for free, without reservations, but priority will be given to seniors and people with physical limitations.
Montreal's longest open-air sidewalk sale
La foire commerciale de l'été will also be coming back at the end of the summer, between August 26 and 29.
Montrealers can expect to enjoy great street food and sales before the summer winds down.