SAINT-LAURENT, QC, Feb. 19, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Saint-Laurent is delighted with the National Urban Design Award won today by the firms civiliti, LAND Italia, Table Architecture and Biodiversité Conseil for the Master Plan of its biodiversity corridor. This award, one of the most prestigious in Canada's design sector, is organized jointly by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. The Saint-Laurent Administration is all the prouder that this special jury prize was awarded in the "sustainable development" category, a concept that has guided all its decisions for more than 15 years.

Quotation

"All our congratulations to the firms civiliti, LAND Italia, Table Architecture and Biodiversity Conseil for this National Urban Design Award! It is rewarding this initiative launched several years ago that highlights our efforts as a sustainable municipal territory. Its objective is to bring our residents back into contact with nature and for us all, to better adapt to climate change. The biodiversity corridor, a genuine green, blue and social infrastructure, will enable Saint-Laurent residents to get around and enjoy themselves while living alongside nature, in an urban context that was originally heavily paved. It is also an award that is in line with our tradition of innovative and ecological architecture, with many Saint-Laurent buildings LEED-certified, such as the Bibliothèque du Boisé, the only LEED Platinum-certified library in all of Canada."

Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint-Laurent

Highlights

As it may be recalled, this very ambitious project, which commits Saint-Laurent for more than 20 years, is the only one of its kind. In fact, eventually, the corridor will cover an area of approximately 450 hectares, passing through industrial, commercial and residential sectors. The innovative vision of this project was developed within the framework of a master development plan presented on May 22, 2019 by the above-mentioned firms. It has already attracted the attention of international specialists, as it was presented in China in November 2019 at the 5th edition of the Wuhan Design Biennial.

The 180-page Master Plan required nearly a year's work by the four firms that were selected following a national multidisciplinary landscape architecture competition. Its originality lies notably in the fact that it combines landscape architecture, urban architecture, the environment, biodiversity, ecology, culture, art and social development.

The corridor will link Saint-Laurent's existing biodiversity centres, such as the Parc Marcel-Laurin woodland, the Cavendish - Raymond-Lasnier - Beaulac - Poirier woodland, the Bois-de-Liesse and Bois-de-Saraguay nature parks and the Ruisseau Brook. It will restore their connectivity through facilities that encourage the movement of flora, fauna and humans.

The first phase is scheduled to begin this year with work around the Borough's municipal workshops, at the intersection of Boulevard Cavendish and Boulevard Poirier.

Related link

Saint-Laurent biodiversity corridor development plan  
Announcement of the Winners of 2020 National Urban Design Awards

About the Borough of Saint-Laurent

Having celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2018, Saint-Laurent is one of the 19 boroughs in Ville de Montréal. As sustainable development is at the heart of all its decisions, the Borough declared itself a "sustainable municipal territory" on January 8, 2019. Its population of over 100,000, is one of the most multicultural: 81% of its residents are immigrants or have a parent born in another country. Located at the crossroads of Montréal's main highways with great accessibility to public transit, the Borough extends over 42.8 square kilometres in area. More than 70% of its territory is devoted to industrial and commercial activities. With 4500 companies and 110,000 jobs, it is in fact the second largest employment pool on the island of Montréal. It also boasts one of Québec's main industrial and technological centres. And last but not least, with its two libraries, its Centre des loisirs (recreation centre), its new Sports Complex, its arena and some 50 parks, Saint-Laurent offers a wide range of services in many fields, such as culture, sports and recreation. In this way, the Borough ensures a high quality of life for the families and businesses within its community.

SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Arrondissement de Saint-Laurent

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