Former Royal Victoria Hospital | One more step towards the new wig

Located at the foot of Mount Royal, the former Royal Victoria Hospital has marked the Montreal landscape for over a century. McGill University now wants to transform itself into a place dedicated to social and environmental research, without creating a “ghetto” of researchers. The public consultation will begin next week.

Florence Morin-Martell
Press

Built in 1893 by Royal Victoria, with its marble entrance. The old lift testifies to the many years that went by in the old hospital.

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Since the relocation of McGill University Health Center (MUHC) in 2015, the university has been working on a project called “New Wick”. Green roofs, common areas and skylights are planned. “We don’t want this to be a research ghetto,” says Pierre Major, the project’s managing director. The latter explains that this space is dedicated to research on public policy and sustainable development.

According to Pierre Major, more than 3,000 people will enjoy the place every day, which is expected to be completed by 2028. The room where the rows of beds were located will be converted into a study area. The parking lot in front of the entrance will also be replaced by a large green space.

The new wig will occupy 15% of the entire site. The rest will be in the hands of the Société québécoise des Infrastructure (SQI). The public consultation will begin on September 8 and will focus on site development, heritage protection and access to Mount Royal, among other things. The oldest parts of the hospital will be preserved and the post-war ones will be destroyed.

In total, New Vic will cost $ 700 million, of which $ 225 million will be invested by the university and $ 475 million by the Quebec government. “McGill has the financial potential,” Pierre Major assures. We also want to approach the federal government for contributions. ”

Many industries

Since 2015, the former Royal Victoria Hospital has received a number of occupations, from a reception center for asylum seekers to a place to welcome the homeless during Govt-19 epidemics. Asked if the location would pursue a similar business, SQI responded that it would prioritize “corporate needs and services to people” for buildings that are not part of the McGill University program.

Last June, Party Quebecois criticized the Legalt government for the project, accusing it of making McClellan the “dominant university in Montreal”. […] We are going to speak English. Higher Education Minister Daniel McCann responded that McGill was the only one to respond to the call for Quebec universities.

“Mountain in the City”

According to Gerrard Butt, a full-time professor at the University of Montreal’s School of Urban Planning and Natural Architecture, the main challenge is to ensure people have access to the site.

Marilyn Sarbonio, director of public affairs at Amis de la Montene, agrees. “We don’t want the site to be fragmented or have too many owners,” he says. We want it to be in the hands of the public authorities. ”

According to M^Me Occupied by the old hospital between Mount Royal and the city center, Sarbonio turned him into a “symbol of the cross”. Through the project, there will be the idea of ​​“down the hill in the city”.

In addition to the research space, Gerrard Potts presents the idea of ​​an international university campus. The proposal to create a space for foreign and Quebec students was made in an open letter Press, Signed by Frederick Marand, Jerome Lucier and Nicholas-Dominic Audette. “This kind of use will give the site a good look, and open up the land to the public and provide access to Mount Royal,” says the professor.

With Mary-Eve Morace, Press