“A park born from ashes” is an apt description for Boisu00e9 Steinberg. Imagine this post-industrial wasteland transformed into an urban park. The Boisu00e9 Steinberg is a green space in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhood. It sits south of Hochelaga Street between Viau and Dickson streets. The railway borders it to the north and east.
Boisu00e9 Steinberg spans approximately 95,000 square meters. The city of Montreal acquired it in 2022. Environmental groups see this park as a way to curb the Port of Montreal’s expansion. They also hope to limit industrial projects in the residential area.
The Boisu00e9 Steinberg’s history is rooted in a fire. The Steinberg food warehouse burned down. The company abandoned the land in the 1990s. The Ministry of Transport and Hydro-Quebec took over. Their initial plan was to build a transformer station. In 2022, the land was sold to the city. The city transformed it into an urban park.
From February to May 2019, Montreal held a public consultation. The goal was to discuss the management of green spaces. These spaces lie on the path of the old Grande-Prairie stream also known as Molson stream. Citizens were invited from the Assomption-Longue Pointe area. Representatives from the Ministry of Transport, Canadian National, Hydro-Quebec, and Ray-mont Logistiques also attended. Discussions focused on the sector’s development plan. A key concern was limiting disruptions from port expansion.
From 2020 to 2022, stakeholders defended their interests. This occurred amidst growing citizen pressure. Acts of vandalism targeted the Ray-mont Logistiques project. Environmental groups proposed nature parks. They aimed to connect the Riviu00e8re-Des-Prairies with the Saint Lawrence River. This would involve a series of parks and bike paths along the Molson River. A new name for Boisu00e9 Steinberg was proposed. This change would honor Montreal’s canalized rivers.
The Quebec government approved Ray-mont Logistique’s project. This involved building a container transfer area. It would facilitate transfers between trucks and freight trains from the Port of Montreal. The project was halted in 2020 by city regulations. It planned for 5,000 containers per day operating 24/7. Despite the problems, the work continued.
During consultations, Montreal proposed acquiring land. This would expand the roads around the port. The aim was to ease truck traffic to and from the Port of Montreal. In 2020, the city proposed expanding the link between l’Assomption Boulevard and de Souligny Avenue.
Facing public opposition, Montreal negotiated with Hydro-Quebec. The city aimed to acquire the Boisu00e9 Steinberg land for $27 million. Ray-Mont Logistiques sued Montreal for $373 million. This was due to permit delays and the city’s desire to acquire both properties. A partial resolution occurred in 2024. Montreal paid $17 million to Ray-Mont Logistiques. This compensated for project delays.
On November 9, 2023, the Canadian government approved the protection of Boisu00e9 Steinberg. It recognized it as an urban park and brownfield. Despite ongoing consultations for other parks, Boisu00e9 Steinberg gained protected status. Groups like Mob6600 continue to fight the Ray-Mont Logistiques project. They are concerned about truck traffic in the neighborhood.
Today, Boisu00e9 Steinberg stands as a testament to community action. It also highlights the importance of green spaces in urban environments. It’s a place where nature reclaimed its space offering residents a peaceful retreat.