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Sainte-Thérèse Island Masterplan
By : Stantec
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 17th edition
Discipline : Landscape & Territories : Grand Winner
Categories : Special Awards / Landscape + Water : Gold Certification
Categories : Urban Design / Urban Design Plan : Platinum Winner
The master plan for Sainte-Thérèse Island has been developed to position the island as an island ecotourism park and a major destination for the Eastern Archipelago on a metropolitan scale, as early as 2035. The park has therefore been conceived from a systemic approach, i.e. from a perspective of sustainable development, celebration of local memory and reconnection of communities with this unique environment. It is a planning tool that proposes bold objectives that are the result of multidisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts, public authorities, organizations and local stakeholders, including the Mohawk community. To ensure that the plan was in keeping with the singular characteristics of the environment, the latter was analyzed from several angles, leading to a final proposal combining urban design, urban planning, landscape architecture, architecture, history, archaeology, biology and the environment, agronomy and mobility.
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Eventually, the entire island will offer an immersive experience to a wide variety of visitors, from school groups to nature lovers, all with universal accessibility in mind. Everyone will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the essence of the place through one-off events and animated educational activities via a friendly, active trail dotted with interpretive panels.
The project positions itself as a pioneer in improving ecological health, since it has not only been thought through in such a way as to mitigate any effect it might pose on the environment, but also since it will lead to the creation and protection of habitats for wildlife and plant species. It will counter the fragmentation of ecosystems by establishing a link with Greater Montreal’s green and blue network, thereby strengthening local and regional ecological connectivity. The project has been designed to re-establish the close relationship between the river and visitors. Materials used for furniture and signage will be sourced from sustainable sources, while local resources such as sound or little-deteriorated wood will be reclaimed for manufacture and refurbishment. Finally, the existing and expected effects of climate change have been considered in setting out the guiding principles, including the preservation of natural environments that promote territorial resilience.
The proposal, intrinsically innovative, stems from a collaborative approach: after a site visit held with the partners, a workshop was organized to develop a vision and planning principles. A follow-up committee was formed to ensure that the progress of the mandate, which was continually adjusted to the issues raised, was presented at key stages. It was therefore an iterative process, where adjustments were not only welcome, but also desired. The Mohawk community was invited to express its views, so that it could contribute to the project and improve it according to its concerns and needs. In fact, the action plan accompanying the master plan proposes that they take an active part in the deployment of interventions.
The project will be registered with the Ministry of the Environment.
Since the project is part of a sustainable development approach and aims to improve the quality of life of communities, it is a convincing example of the importance of urban design for the harmonious development of the territory.
Collaboration
