The Urban Ecology Centre of Montreal, le Comité des Citoyens du Mile End, Car Free Mile End, the YMCA du Parc, and Reimagining St. Viateur (in collaboration with the Urban Planning Department at McGill) are happy to announce three neighbourhood street closures over the course of the summer (2010). In each case, the segment of St. Viateur Ouest from Jeanne-Mance to St Urbain will be transformed into a pedestrian zone closed to east-west vehicular traffic. The three dates proposed are July 17th, August 21st («Journées des bons voisins») and September 25th («Mile-End en mouvement : En ville, sans ma voiture»). Without resorting to an over-blown festival or party atmosphere, our goal is to enhance the most enjoyable aspects of the public space in our neighbourhood. Read more...

Mile-End car-free?!

It may sound like an impossible idea, and for all practical purposes it probably is; so you should know that we’re not so extreme a group that we would push to eliminate cars altogether. Instead, we’d like to put the focus on liveable public spaces and especially on the Street as a public space – for everyone!

All are welcome to participate. You may have to stop and reconsider the car for a moment; and consider how agreeable a neighbourhood street might be if cars were never a safety concern you had to worry about. We aim to help you envision a completely enjoyable and workable “Car-Lite” environment.

We will demonstrate the great many reasons why many forward-thinking people around the world have chosen to eliminate cars from their neighbourhoods and their lifestyle. Our wish-list of activities for the Mile-End ranges from public farmers’ markets to a full blown “active-transport festival”.