New Mont Royal loop road delayed until 2013

The future is looking good, but it is taking its sweet time getting here.


The "Ceinture Mont Royal" loop road around Mont Royal is a great idea, and is supposed to be completed for 2011. (A "ceinture" is a belt)

Well, now it's planned for completion in 2013.

Better late than never, but we are waiting... and waiting... for access to the beautiful northern side of Mont Royal.

Easy access to Mount Royal in 2013 ...

Everything comes to those who wait. The city of Montreal was inaugurated in May Park Third Summit of Mount Royal. But the work has been delayed. The inauguration of the summit will finally Outremont in 2013, together with that of sections four and five of the way of the mountain belt.

Two components of a project of particular interest Outremont, since it is a beltway for easier access to the park from the north-west. But also the development of the wooded St. John the Baptist.

"In the summer of 2013, visitors will have a panoramic view of the north of the island. This is the northern flank of Mount Royal we want to highlight, "said Alan De Sousa, Head of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks to the City of Montreal.

"The public tender was launched on July 6 for the fifth and final phase of the project," he adds.

A beltway

It must be said that the need was real. Currently, visitors arriving by Outremont have no convenient access to the northern slope of the mountain. And for good reason: the land in question are private and belong to the University of Montreal and Cemetery Our Lady of the Snows.

* It will take until 2013 before the opening of the summit Outremont, where access will be facilitated with the unveiling of the Third Summit of Mount Royal.

A situation that has changed for the summer 2013. "The future ring road winds up the north side of the mountain, crossing the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges and along the University of Montreal," says Alan De Sousa. Both of these institutions grant the City the management of 23 hectares in total.

The beltway is an extension of the type of experience offered by the Olmsted Road, located in the Parc du Mont-Royal. Ultimately, it will connect the main peak at the top of Outremont, to join the Olmsted Road along Park Avenue.

The wood Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the spotlight

Finally, the wooded St. John the Baptist will be given a makeover. Until now, the oak forest, unique in Montreal, is relatively unknown to visitors.

"In the summer of 2013, visitors will have a panoramic view of the north of the island. This is the northern flank of Mount Royal we want to emphasize. "- Alan De Sousa, Head of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks to the City of Montreal

A situation deplored Friends of the Mountain, by the voice of his communications director, Gabrielle Korn. "This wood has a really significant ecological value. It includes native species such as white trillium, for example, "said she.

It is therefore natural that the association supports both the proposed beltway and enhancement of woodland, led by the City of Montreal.

But still it provides remain vigilant. "We will ensure that the work be done in accordance with the exceptional natural heritage site, grade Gabrielle Korn.

Can you see the difference in the trails between this picture and the one at the top?

This picture shows a road/trail going inside the cemetery to link the trail with the Beaver lake/maison smith area of Parc Mont Royal.

It is nice to see some news about the progress for this important quality-of-life project.

We first reported on this in 2008 when the city sought public input on this project.

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What about a real off-road mountain bike trail?

In related news, in 2007 the city started consultations on creating an actual gen-u-wine mountain bike trail in Parc Mont Royal. Problematically, the mountain bikers wanted access to the same Bois St-Jean-Baptiste as was coveted by the planners for the Ceinture trail. As well, Les Amis de la Montagne is dead set against any non-protective activity in this forest that could disrupt the natural ecology, although that exact thing has been going on for years under the radar.

Read more about mountain biking on Mont Royal at our report from 2007 here.

Absolutely zero progress has been made on the mountain bike trail issue. And we are very disappointed and fed up.

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Anyway, if you want to see the north summit / bois de st-jean-baptiste, you can go there today and hike it, and see it before they "amenage" it to 21st century design standards.