Building development is in progress
The much-anticipated renovation of Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont is set to begin, with a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of the project on Thursday. The renovation, scheduled to commence in summer 2025, aims to have the first patient by 2035-2036, according to Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé.
One of the initial steps of the project will free up the site for the future hospital, where employees currently park. To address the immediate need for parking, a multi-level parking lot is being constructed, with a total cost of $65 million - a decrease from the anticipated price of $89 million. Santé Québec President Geneviève Biron attributes this cost decrease to the current market being more responsive to such projects.
The multi-level parking lot, reserved for hospital staff vehicles, is expected to be completed by spring 2027. To mitigate congestion towards and from the parking lot, a traffic light will be added on boulevard Lacordaire. Concrete barriers have been installed to prevent lights from disturbing the neighbourhood, and light studies have been conducted to ensure that light from the parking lot does not exceed limits.
The architectural concept of the multi-level parking lot takes the landscape into account. The side facing a residential neighbourhood will not exceed the height of neighbouring houses. The land for the multi-level parking lot is part of the "ancient streams core," identified as having biodiversity potential. To preserve this, the CIUSSS plans to green the site of the new hospital once the work is completed, including planting trees along the adjacent residential zone.
Politicians, healthcare professionals, and patients have been raising concerns about the dilapidated state of Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont for years. Last June, the facility faced a water leak that forced the transfer of patients to another unit. In a separate article, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont was reported to have been left without most of the elevators in a pavilion due to a power outage. The construction of the multi-level parking lot will adhere to the standards of the arrondissement, ensuring a safe and efficient solution to the hospital's parking needs.
Despite the challenges, the renovation of Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont represents a significant step forward for the community. With the first patient expected in less than a decade, the hospital is poised to serve the people of Montreal for years to come. The call for tenders for the hospital's own construction project has not yet been launched, but with the groundbreaking of the multi-level parking lot, the renovation process is well underway.
