It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that the borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro unveils to the population the results of the first stage of the Connexion project, which will lead to the eventual development of the defining identity of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, which will be in the central sector of the borough (known as Îlot Saint-Jean).
The results presented are the sum of a great collaborative, creative and inclusive approach that began in 2020, and that involved the citizens of the community, as well as the employees and elected officials of the borough, leading to the concerted elaboration of a strategic vision for 2020-25 of Pierrefonds-Roxboro's future defining identity.
"I am extremely pleased with the results of this participatory process, which not only demonstrates our borough's willingness to pursue development efforts in all areas of activity but more importantly, it shows that we are taking care to hear the opinions, ideas, and concerns of our citizens, in addition to considering what is beneficial to them. This collaborative step was essential to the development of a representative and meaningful strategic vision, as we present today. This connexion project will certainly distinguish Pierrefonds-Roxboro as a living environment in the years to come, by creating a unique, unifying, dynamic and human-scale destination! The kick-off of this strategic vision includes the construction of the Aquatic and Recreational Complex and a public square," said Pierrefonds-Roxboro Borough Mayor, Dimitrios (Jim) Beis.
Defining identity
The particular geography of the borough establishes the "central sector" as an important junction point between its western and eastern parts. Considered as the "defining identity " of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, the Îlot Saint-Jean benefits from a strategic location regrouping residential, commercial, and institutional functions.
The sector has significant potential for development, to become a living space adapted to the entire population of the borough, according to the principles of sustainable development.
Considering the population growth and the growing needs in services and facilities of the citizens residing on our territory, it appeared essential to the administration and the elected officials of Pierrefonds-Roxboro to set up a vision that would allow to frame the development of the territory, taking into account several important factors, such as the demography, the geography of the territory, the population growth and the growing needs, the infrastructures already in place, the ecological transition and the Ville de Montréal 20230 vision.
An inspiring vision based on meaningful citizen participation
It is thanks to five participatory workshops conducted in collaboration with the professional firm Atelier Urbain that the Connexion project emerged. The collaborative process brought to light a vision, values, and strategic pillars, within which we find a series of courses of action that could be implemented by the borough over the next few years in this future pole.
The Connexion Project
As stated in the strategic vision document, connections will emerge from where we have demonstrated resilience. The main goal of the Connexion Project is to: Connect people, water, nature, habitat, and mobility for a sustainable identity core that reveals the strength of its people.
The following are examples of goals and courses of action as outlined in the Connexion Project's strategic vision:
• Live on a human scale: prioritize a scale of proximity, concentrate the supply of shops, services, and institutions, and attract the population to live there.
• Facilitate active mobility: develop an active mobility network, improve public transit services, and optimize public space dedicated to vehicles.
• Dialogue with the water: improve access to the river, offer opportunities for recreational activities related to water, and highlight water in the design of public spaces.
• Enhance nature: create a green network, reduce the ecological footprint of interventions, and provide facilities to promote the biodiversity of flora and fauna.
Production of a development guide for the Îlot Saint-Jean sector
The next step consists in the realization of a development guide in a perspective of layout planning of the borough's defining identity over the next decades. Following a call for tenders by invitation and the analysis of the candidacies by a selection committee, the specialized firm BC2 was chosen to design this guide. This document will not only provide a visual representation of what the Îlot St-Jean sector will look like, but will also provide a clear foundation for future development work.
The development guide is scheduled for delivery in February 2022.
