[This article has recently been updated]
Montreal's infrastructure is nothing to brag about, especially when you see how dilapidated certain areas are. But at least there's always one place that looks great no matter how old and worn out it gets: Old Montreal.
The historic buildings, the narrow streets, the tiny shops and of course, the cobble stone streets. It's what gives Old Montreal its distinct character. The cobblestones are a unique feature that was kept for a reason, it's part of our patrimony.
Plus it's not like the regular paved streets are that smooth anyways, at least the cobblestones streets don't have potholes.
But now the city of Montreal has decided to get rid of the cobblestones on Saint-Paul Street.
Luckily there's no reason to panic, this is only a temporary measure, and a very necessary one.
A lot of repairs need to be done on Saint-Paul street and Old Montreal did not want local businesses to suffer, so the repaving was done to reduce dust and noise caused by the construction. The goal is to make the area more attractive and accessible to tourists while the repairs are being done. It's all part of an initiative called PRAM.
Some money has even been set aside to help out the businesses that might be suffering because of the construction. The money can be used to help beautify the store fronts, improve access, pay for promotional ads, and even to build websites for the shops who don't have one yet.
Once the work is done, the second phase of the project begins. The city will be widening the sidewalks, getting rid of 150 parking spots, and later they will be repaving the middle part of the street with 'new cobblestones'. However the details on the finishing touches are not yet clear.
What do you think of this plan?
