Montreal's plans to overhaul Peel Street welcomed by some, panned by others

Alain Creton,  who has owned Chez  Alexandre et Fils on Montreal's Peel Street since 1977, says it's about time the city overhauled the busy commercial artery where his restaurant is located.

As traffic rushed by Tuesday and pedestrians slipped and slid their way down the icy, narrow sidewalk, Creton told CBC News the Plante administration is on the right track with its $108-million plan to make Peel a northbound one-way street between René-Lévesque Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street.

That will allow for bike lanes, wider sidewalks, more trees and urban furniture.

"All of my restaurant friends and myself, we are ready to co-operate with the city of Montreal to make sure everything goes fast," he said.

"We want the city to be beautiful, and we want to be a part of it."

He said while some people are complaining about the bike lanes and the loss of parking, and the construction will be disruptive while it is underway, the renovations make sense. 

"It's going to be beautiful," he said.

Creton said his restaurant is looking into offering valet parking, but there is plenty of parking in the area, and he's not concerned about the loss of some curbside spots.

Opposition pans 'lack of consultation'

In a Tuesday announcement, Montreal says construction is expected to begin in 2023 and wrap up by 2025. The project will be done in tandem with the reconstruction of Ste-Catherine Street between Peel and Mansfield streets.

However, Ensemble Montréal, the city's official opposition, said in a statement that Mayor Valérie Plante is "once again" launching a project without having "honestly consulted" merchants or residents. 

It is "even more scandalous" that merchants are learning of all this "at the last minute," the statement says.

"The redevelopment of Peel Street is a major project that will be in the works for many years, which will have an impact on merchants who are already struggling to recover from the work downtown and the COVID-19 pandemic," Coun. Alba Ramos, the opposition's active transportation critic, elaborated in an email.

Plan will improve street, says Projet councillor

Active transit is just what Montreal has in mind for Peel Street, and there has been consultation, said Projet Montréal Coun. Sophie Mauzerolle, who is responsible for transportation and mobility on the executive committee.
 
"In fact, local merchants have been consulted on the concept over the past few years to ensure that their concerns and needs are heard," she said.
 
Peel Street's bike path will be part of the Réseau express vélo (REV), a nearly 200-kilometre network of express lanes that has sections on major streets, including Bellechasse and St-Denis streets and Souligny Avenue.

Peel will complete the axis from the Lachine Canal to De Maisonneuve Boulevard, allowing "cyclists to travel in complete safety," said Mauzerolle.
 
She said a similar project on St-Denis Street has improved the busy artery's attractiveness without hurting commercial activity. She said the Peel Street makeover is "worthy of the 21st century."  

The city's design includes space for terrasses, or outdoor patios, for restaurants, and there will be room for delivery vehicles, tourist bus drop-offs and short-term parking.

In the city's statement, Plante says the project "is perfectly in line with our vision, which aims to make the downtown area the most beautiful and greenest in North America."

Plan will kill Peel Street, merchant says

While the plan may sit well with some business owners, others are displeased with the plan to replace parking with bike lanes and wider sidewalks.

Paul Teboul, who founded L'Uomo Montreal, a men's fashion store, more than 40 years ago, said the city is always willing to listen but ultimately does what it  wants — and in this case, it's against  the wishes of some merchants.

Teboul said Peel is an elegant street with restaurants, connecting to the fine hotels on Sherbrooke, and tourists want to experience that elegance, not a street with bicycles.

He also said his customers rely on parking, and he's concerned they'll stop coming if they can't park.

"It's going to affect our business," he said.

He said this plan will kill Peel Street.

"It's frustrating. We don't know what to do, but we are obliged to follow what they decide," said Teboul.