The swimming project in Montreal, in the heart of downtown, is a dream born in 2003 of committed citizens, supported by Earth Day. Today, the event of Grand Splash is an opportunity to revive this dream. But apart from jumping into the water in a symbolic way to tell elected officials that we want to have public access to the St. Lawrence River for swimming in Montreal, what can we do the rest of the day? year as an engaged citizen?
The important thing is to address the main stakeholders, that is to say thea Société du Vieux-Port de Montréal, the City of Montreal, provincially and federally, to share your opinion with them. Here's how.
Express your interest in swimming to the Société du Vieux-Port
The Société du Vieux-Port belongs to the Canadian Lands Company (SIC). This is the group that has the big end of the stick and continues to say that space is for navigation. That said, the mission of the Old Port is to “develop, manage and animate a vast urban recreational and cultural site”. The swimming offer in Montreal would fit so well with this mission! And if the Port of Quebec has made room for the Louise Basin, why not that of Montreal?
You can do like us and write directly to the SIC to encourage them to show vision! Contact Pierre-Marc Mongeau, vice-president of the SIC.
Getting into the municipal workings
The swimming project in Montreal, more precisely that of the port bath, is part of the Nature and Sports strategic plan of the City of Montreal, but does not appear in the budget. The city council will vote on it again in November. Until then, there are several ways to tell elected officials that you want to swim in downtown Montreal.
Push the project through public consultations on the new Montreal water strategy
Chaired by the commission on water, the environment and large parks, the public consultations for the new Montreal water strategy is a way to promote the project of access to the St. Lawrence River in the city center. Indeed, access to water allows us to better adapt to climate change, one of the focuses of the consultation. Julie Roy chairs it. She is one of the two representatives of the City who came to jump at the Grand Splash on June 30.
There are various ways to participate: survey, by short comment or by filing an opinion or brief.
Key dates for filing opinions and briefs
- August 24, 2023: information session. No need for any preparation. We come there to understand the preliminary stages of the new version of the strategy and to ask questions. At the end of this session, you will be equipped to share your opinion in the expected format.
- September 27, 2023: deadline for submitting opinions. This is therefore the best time to send your opinion in writing to the City.
- Week of October 2, 2023: public hearings. This will be the time to make yourself heard by presenting your opinion, previously submitted, to elected officials.
Ville-Marie Borough Council
Since the Old Port is located in the Ville-Marie borough, you can go to the Borough Council to share your wish to obtain a port bath. The council is made up of the district mayor (Valérie Plante who promised a port bath during the electoral campaign), 3 city councilors and 2 designated city councilors, including Vicki Grondin, one of the two elected officials who participated in the Grand Splash on June 30.
When to show up?
- Tuesday September 12, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday October 10, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday November 7, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday December 5, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.
How do I ask the borough council a question?
If you cannot participate, you can write directly to Vicki Grondin to share your interest in swimming in downtown Montreal.
municipal Council
The municipal council is made up of numerous elected officials (all those mentioned now) as well as Caroline Bourgeois, responsible for large parks, sports and leisure! It is to her that you can address your ambition to obtain a harbor bath in downtown Montreal.
When to show up?
- Monday August 21, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday August 22, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
- Monday September 18, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday September 19, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
- Monday October 16, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday October 17, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
- Monday November 20, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday November 21, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
- Monday December 18, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
- Tuesday December 19, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
How do I ask a question to the municipal council?
If you cannot participate, you can write directly to Caroline Bourgois to share your interest in swimming in downtown Montreal.
Review of budgets
Finally, there will be a vote on the budgets at the end of 2023 (November or December). It is the finance and administration committee which has the mandate to publicly dissect the budgets of all projects, for a week.
According to the columnist Richard Bergeron, following the City's spring 2017 study on a swimming area at the Quai de l'Horloge, the costs of developing a swimming pool would be 4 to 6 M$. The issue for the City could therefore be financial, but on the Quebec side, the development of the Louise basin was rather 1.3 M$ according to the 2022 operating report.
At this point, we are hopeful that the swimming project in Montreal, at the Old Port, will be presented by the large parks, sports and leisure committee, but it is also the time to ask questions, follow up and relaunch the elected on this subject.
Challenge the provincial and federal governments
We invite you to write to the deputies of the constituency concerned, both provincially and federally:
- Sainte-Marie–Saint-Jacques provincial district: Manon Massé
- Laurier–Sainte-Marie federal district: Steven Guilbeault, also Minister of the Environment.
Arguments to defend swimming in Montreal
The water is clean!
The water in the Jacques-Cartier basin is of excellent quality in dry weather, that is to say a period without rain at least 48 hours before sampling. According to data from the Aquatic Environments Monitoring Network (RSMA) of the City of Montreal, it met swimming standards (maximum of 200 CFU/100mL) in more than 96 % samples during the summer period, from 2003 to 2022.
After an episode of heavy rain, it would be enough to close access to the swimming area for a period of 24 to 72 hours, as at Verdun beach – the duration of closure varying depending on the extent of the overflow of the water networks. sewer.
Adapt to periods of intense heat fairly
Heat islands are mainly located in the center and east. However, the City only has three free public access points to natural bodies of water, all in the west of the island (Verdun beach, Cap-Saint-Jacques nature park and Bois-Nature park). de-L'Île-Bizard), and difficult to access by public transport.
Of the three access projects to the St. Lawrence River, one is still in the west (future Lachine riverside park), one is compromised by the potential presence of the copper redhorse, a species threatened with extinction ( East Beach) and the other is lagging behind, without the City wanting to reveal more (Promenade Bellerive park).
A tourist attraction
A port bath would not only allow residents of the south-central region to enjoy the joys of summer: it would also allow visitors to keep even better memories of the metropolis. What's more, a port bath fits right into the mission of the Old Port of Montreal Corporation, which is to “develop, manage and animate a vast urban recreational and cultural site”.
To finally abandon the security argument
Since the City will not move forward without a feasibility/safety study, it is important that it get started quickly. Remember that a port bath project at the end of the Quai de l'Horloge was abandoned in the summer of 2020. Installed in the St. Lawrence River, outside the protected zone of the Old Port, this bath project port was exposed to a strong current, unlike the Jacques-Cartier basin.
Main photo: View of downtown Montreal at the Grand Splash, June 30, 2023, by Julie Sabourin
About the author
Sophie Lachance
Sophie is responsible for communications and mobilization at Fondation Rivières. A writer with journalistic training, she is interested in environmental issues, particularly in terms of water management.
