A tribute to women at the heart of the design

An international multidisciplinary landscape architecture competition (see information in French here) was the origin of the future Place des Montréalaises. Unveiled in 2018, the winning design features a vegetated slope which will repair the scar left by construction of Autoroute Ville-Marie.

Developed by the team of Lemay, Angela Silver and AtkinsRéalis, the concept includes three components: A floral meadow on the inclined plane of the belvedere, a mirror-piece paying tribute to 21 Montréal women, and a stairway enhancing the stained glass panels by Marcelle Ferron in the Champ-de-Mars metro station.

On one side of the Miroir des Montréalaises are the names of the 14 victims of the femicide at the École polytechnique, while the other side name seven women pioneers of the metropolis, from different fields and different eras:

• Myra Cree (1937-2005) – Culture and communications - A Mohawk Indigenous woman who was a leader in communications, in particular by becoming the first woman to be a news anchor on the Téléjournal program (Radio-Canada)
• Jessie Maxwell-Smith (1920-2000) – Education and social development - Little Burgundy teacher who helped ensure Montréal’s Black community had access to quality education.
• Agnès Vautier (1896-1976) – Sports and recreation - a player for the unbeatable Western Hockey Team in 1917.
• Ida Roth Steinberg (1885-1942) – Business and economy, business person, Hungarian-Jewish immigrant who founded the first Steinberg grocery store.
• Idola Saint-Jean (1880-1945) – Democracy and society - Québec feminist and activist for women’s right to vote.
• Harriet Brooks (1876-1933) – Science and education - first Canadian woman to become a nuclear physicist.
• Jeanne Mance (1606-1673) – Health and administration - Founder of Montreal.

Universal access 

Place des Montréalaises is a large-scale project that provides a new gateway to Vieux-Montréal for both the people who live and work in the area and the many tourists who visit each year. 

As a major pedestrian corridor, Place des Montréalaises offers the first universally accessible link between the Champ-de-Mars metro station and the area around city hall. The public amenities are designed to address the challenges of a highway-oriented area and promote active transportation. In particular, they will improve pedestrian safety by building a cover over the Autoroute Ville-Marie ramp, along with a slope and a walkway leading to Champ-de-Mars. A bike path also crosses the square, connecting two routes of the Express Bike Network (REV). 

 A place to meet people and reflect  

Place des Montréalaises is an ideal place to stroll through, relax, and discover. The square highlights urban landscapes and cultural heritage. Several design elements give the new site a unique character with deep symbolic meaning. At the heart of the square, the meadow on the slope is filled with ever changing flowers in bloom. It offers lovely views of the city and Marcelle Ferron’s glass structure.

A fascinating audio-visual experience 

Explore the site while listening to a series of women recount the history and symbolic meaning of the square. To listen to the 8 audio clips (in French only), simply download the free Portrait Sonore app available at Google Play or App Store.

Work timetable

Work began in spring 2022 and will end in spring 2025. For more information, see the project page.

Enhancing the Champ-de-Mars area 

In the heart of downtown and Vieux-Montréal, the Champ-de-Mars area is the site of several projects. They include new designs for Place Vauquelin and Square Viger, restoration of city hall and its site, construction of CHUM/CRCHUM and modifications to adjacent streets, preservation of Place Marie-Josèphe-Angélique and the creation of the new Place des Montréalaises.