history of the canal & revitalization plan
From project proposal:
Lachine canal was built by 1824 to open southwest of Montreal Island to St. Lawrence River by bypassing the Lachine rapids. By the 1840s however, the primary function of the canal had shifted from being a bypass to a booming area of industrial development and growth in Canada.
With Montreal’s population increasing by four times from the mid 19th century to the beginning of 20th century, in addition to the continual growth of industrial development along the canal during this time, working-class neighborhoods densely populated the areas and factories surrounding the canal. By the second half of 20th century, most factories had moved overseas or further into the suburbs. Moreover, the introduction of bigger ships for transportation meant that the canal had to be enlarged for the 3rd time, but instead of enlarging it, the city of Montreal favored the new St. Lawrence Seaway plan and shut the canal down as an industrial site and transportation hub it had once been.
The canal became obsolete and neighborhoods exhausted and jobless. After two decades of manufacture and production, the toxic waste dumped into its water had heavily polluted the canal.
For this project my main interest is in the post-industrial redevelopment plan for the canal. After the loss of the canal as an industrial site and the subsequent devastated working-class neighborhoods, the city started redeveloping the canal, trying to revitalize it and give it a new image reflecting the city’s healthiness as opposed to the waste, smoke, smell and industrial waste it once exposed on the surface. Despite major efforts in cleaning up the canal, the water is still very contaminated with tons of waste, toxins and garbage gathered along its bottom. What was once on the surface still remains beneath.
The canal has taken a new shape and form to visually represent itself, attracting new sectors of economy and demographics by promoting healthy activities and life styles such as biking, kayaking, fishing, jogging, housing, dining, and shopping. However, tangled in the rapid and enormous transformation of the canal and surrounding areas, are the old working-class neighborhoods, old homes, houses and social spaces. I will be focusing on the physical and social space that is the accumulation of what resides and what has changed in this neighborhood. I will investigate how the city, by changing this public space, has aimed to vastly impact its image in regards to its health and vitality. Moreover, I will research how this change is impacting the neighborhood; whether it is embracing the canal’s history and culture or respecting its current demographic.
In order to promote a healthy lifestyle and landscape along the canal, one must address and investigate its transformative processes, looking at whom they concern, and whom they leave behind.
Lachine canal was built by 1824 to open southwest of Montreal Island to St. Lawrence River by bypassing the Lachine rapids. By the 1840s however, the primary function of the canal had shifted from being a bypass to a booming area of industrial development and growth in Canada.
With Montreal’s population increasing by four times from the mid 19th century to the beginning of 20th century, in addition to the continual growth of industrial development along the canal during this time, working-class neighborhoods densely populated the areas and factories surrounding the canal. By the second half of 20th century, most factories had moved overseas or further into the suburbs. Moreover, the introduction of bigger ships for transportation meant that the canal had to be enlarged for the 3rd time, but instead of enlarging it, the city of Montreal favored the new St. Lawrence Seaway plan and shut the canal down as an industrial site and transportation hub it had once been.
The canal became obsolete and neighborhoods exhausted and jobless. After two decades of manufacture and production, the toxic waste dumped into its water had heavily polluted the canal.
For this project my main interest is in the post-industrial redevelopment plan for the canal. After the loss of the canal as an industrial site and the subsequent devastated working-class neighborhoods, the city started redeveloping the canal, trying to revitalize it and give it a new image reflecting the city’s healthiness as opposed to the waste, smoke, smell and industrial waste it once exposed on the surface. Despite major efforts in cleaning up the canal, the water is still very contaminated with tons of waste, toxins and garbage gathered along its bottom. What was once on the surface still remains beneath.
The canal has taken a new shape and form to visually represent itself, attracting new sectors of economy and demographics by promoting healthy activities and life styles such as biking, kayaking, fishing, jogging, housing, dining, and shopping. However, tangled in the rapid and enormous transformation of the canal and surrounding areas, are the old working-class neighborhoods, old homes, houses and social spaces. I will be focusing on the physical and social space that is the accumulation of what resides and what has changed in this neighborhood. I will investigate how the city, by changing this public space, has aimed to vastly impact its image in regards to its health and vitality. Moreover, I will research how this change is impacting the neighborhood; whether it is embracing the canal’s history and culture or respecting its current demographic.
In order to promote a healthy lifestyle and landscape along the canal, one must address and investigate its transformative processes, looking at whom they concern, and whom they leave behind.
Myst condo development
Money Talks
The revitalization plan unofficially started in mid 1970s through the transformation of Stelco Metal Works building into residential complexes. The official plan was publicly announced in 1997; and up to 2004, the city spent over 100 million dollars to improve the neighborhood and overall urban environment. This money was spent in cooperation with various stakeholders and private enterprises with their main intentions being to attract a large numbers of projects, funded by private sectors to start making profit from the unoccupied spaces along the canal. These projects included businesses and shopping centers, as well as residential developments.
While publicly on the websites of Province of Quebec, Parks Canada, and the City of Montreal it is noted that these developments will enhance the space while being deeply rooted in Montreal's history, identity and built to be integrated with the working-class neighborhoods; the main goal remains to be profit. In order to make the most amount of profit it is suitable for these development plans to build in order to attract the wealthy, and leave the working-class out of picture.
Just to give an idea of the money spent and made, a lot of 24 acres owned by Canada Lands for $18 million can bring the total investment through selling of the lots to private builders, up to $240 million with a series of mixed use developments in the next 10 to 12 years (source).
To start digging and exposing various layers and factors at play behind the redevelopment plan, I picked a condo development out of many, across Eclusiers Park: Myst Sur Le Canal. I first came upon the site when I was designing a genocide memorial in Winter 2013. Below is a picture taken by me in the winter phase and one in the summer phase of the construction.
The revitalization plan unofficially started in mid 1970s through the transformation of Stelco Metal Works building into residential complexes. The official plan was publicly announced in 1997; and up to 2004, the city spent over 100 million dollars to improve the neighborhood and overall urban environment. This money was spent in cooperation with various stakeholders and private enterprises with their main intentions being to attract a large numbers of projects, funded by private sectors to start making profit from the unoccupied spaces along the canal. These projects included businesses and shopping centers, as well as residential developments.
While publicly on the websites of Province of Quebec, Parks Canada, and the City of Montreal it is noted that these developments will enhance the space while being deeply rooted in Montreal's history, identity and built to be integrated with the working-class neighborhoods; the main goal remains to be profit. In order to make the most amount of profit it is suitable for these development plans to build in order to attract the wealthy, and leave the working-class out of picture.
Just to give an idea of the money spent and made, a lot of 24 acres owned by Canada Lands for $18 million can bring the total investment through selling of the lots to private builders, up to $240 million with a series of mixed use developments in the next 10 to 12 years (source).
To start digging and exposing various layers and factors at play behind the redevelopment plan, I picked a condo development out of many, across Eclusiers Park: Myst Sur Le Canal. I first came upon the site when I was designing a genocide memorial in Winter 2013. Below is a picture taken by me in the winter phase and one in the summer phase of the construction.
digital graffiti
For my project I decided to a 3 part series digital graffiti. Digital graffiti as I have called it here, can also be described as an architectural collage, conceptual collage, or photo manipulation. Regardless of the name, it is all done inside Photoshop. Below is a map by me done a few years back using the same technique (which seems surprisingly somewhat relevant to the topic now).
The objective behind the digital graffiti is to expose different narratives behind the picture, or surface of things in a playful, creative and at times humorous manner. In this way I was able to visualize some of the mental images and artifacts that otherwise would have been very hard to realize.
The objective behind the digital graffiti is to expose different narratives behind the picture, or surface of things in a playful, creative and at times humorous manner. In this way I was able to visualize some of the mental images and artifacts that otherwise would have been very hard to realize.
"I want to analyze the relationship between the human body, the body of someone who lives here, and the social body and the body of the architectural and spatial forms around that body" (Wodiczko, Public Address 87).
To go to the next page, hit the button below or click on "Digital Graffiti Project" button in the top right hand side and choose "Swimming in Dirty Waters"
*background image for the top header is a concept map i did in 2008 (link)
*background image for the top header is a concept map i did in 2008 (link)