What if I told you this park was born from business and faith? Parc Saint-Clément stands here as a green lung. It is located in the eastern part of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. This area is known as Viauville.
Parc Saint-Clément opened in 1968. Its name comes from the local parish. The parish served the Catholic community. The land was donated by the Viau Company. A businessman and major landowner of this district made the donation.
More recently, Parc Saint-Clément has seen urban renewal. Condominiums designed by Dan S. Hanganu were built on its east side. The old Viau biscuit factory was converted just north of the park.
Now look around. Imagine children splashing in the wading pool. In the summer of 2018, the wading pool was redone. It now features different depths. A slide takes you right into the water. Animal structures squirt water adding to the fun. There is even a giant bucket that overflows.
See the playground? It has been noted that the paths are all falling apart. Some swings are missing or broken. The chalet looks ancient. The picnic tables show signs of having been set on fire.
The children do not seem to care. They still clamber over everything. They scale the tipsy-looking arched ladder. They climb the two play structures. They happily zip down the slides. The toddler climber has steep stairs. It also features crawl tunnels and four slides. The big-kid climber has monkey rings.
Parking is easy to find on Rue la Fontaine. The playground is partially fenced. However, it is open to the park. The playground is quite sunny just after noon. But there are plenty of trees around the edge of the sand. The wading pool is completely fenced and gated.
Parc Saint-Clément. It is more than just a park. It is a space shaped by history. It has evolved with the city. It offers a place for the community to gather. It provides green space amidst urban life.