A Giant New Park & Carbon-Neutral Development Are Coming To Laval

• A giant new park is coming to Laval alongside a sprawling new mixed-use development that will include a research centre, offices, and residences.
• The city of Laval posted renderings of the project on its social media pages and website.
• Obstacles remain, however, before the development comes to fruition.
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

This morning, the City of Laval announced plans to build a new urban park and cultural hub on the island. The Carré Laval will soon have a large open space with a lake, real estate developments, sporting facilities, and a community centre. Laval city officials also announced that the Carré Laval will aim to be carbon-neutral to reduce the city's carbon footprint and environmental damage. 

Carré Laval is currently home to a 60-metre deep quarry that's being used for snow removal operations, according to Radio-Canada. The site is, in fact, contaminated and will be difficult to develop — a challenge that Laval city officials are more than happy to undertake. 

The Quebec Government has invested $10 million into the project, states Radio-Canada. The land is 4-million square feet, bordered by Highway 15 and Laval's major downtown boulevards. 

"Laval residents will find a diversified environment on a human scale where they can live, work and have fun seven days a week, winter and summer alike," says the official press release.

"This future space for innovation meets the desire, clearly expressed by residents on several occasions, to give Laval an innovative, distinctive, and inclusive hub that will promote prosperity in the city and draw talented people from all horizons."

There is no official timeline for when the project will be completed, but the Quebec Government's funding will run until 2024, according to the Journal de Montreal. 

Several attempts to develop the site have failed over the years, as groups found the site difficult to manage and decontaminate.

The project will completely revitalize Laval's commercial core and likely bring economic opportunity to the city. In recent years, the 3rd-largest city in Quebec has been the focus of tremendous development.

[rebelmouse-image 26886997 photo_credit="villedelavalqc | Instagram " expand=1 original_size="1080x1080"] villedelavalqc | Instagram

According to the Journal de Montreal, the Quebec Government's $10-million injection into Carré Laval will go towards the “decontamination, redevelopment, and upgrading of land in the sector." 

READ ALSO: The STM Published A Map Showing The Proposed Route & Stations On The Blue Line Extension

The city will invite companies and innovators to build research centres and commercial spaces. 

Carré Laval also has plans to be a liveable space, offering a car-free environment in the liveliest sector of downtown Laval. 

[rebelmouse-image 26886998 photo_credit="villedelavalqc | Instagram " expand=1 original_size="1080x1080"] villedelavalqc | Instagram

According to the press release, some of the key features of the Carré Laval project will include:

• "A car-free site to promote active mobility and public transit;"

• "A large urban park with a lake that can host cultural and sporting activities;"

• "Real estate projects and [a] nerve centre for innovation aimed at generating thriving and sustainable economic activity (research centres, collaborative spaces and startups, commercial offices and spaces);"

• "Companies investing in research and development in a distinctive site with leading-edge technology;" and

• "Presence of research groups, accelerators, and incubation hubs."

MTL Blog reached out to the City of Laval for comment and we'll update this article when we receive a response.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Carré Laval.