Project description

About the area 

The Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood, which covers a total of 95 hectares, is located near the Namur metro station and includes the former racetrack site. The area is bordered to the east by the lots bordering Avenue Victoria to the south and west by the railroad rights-of-way of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), and to the north by the municipal boundary with the town of Mount Royal and Rue Jean-Talon Ouest.

Benefits to the community 

• Between 18,500 and 20,000 housing units, including 7,500 to 9,000 units on the former racetrack site. More than half of the housing units will be off market.
• Shops and businesses
• Approximately 14 hectares of green and public spaces, including a central park and a green belt 
• Accessible and connected public and active transportation networks
• Green infrastructure and water management (such as valleys, rain gardens and/or water squares)
• Civic hubs to meet community needs (such as schools, community centers, libraries, sports facilities and health care).

Stages of the project

Resident consultation

The future Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood is a major component of the Namur-De la Savane strategic planning sector, which has been part of the Schéma d’aménagement et de développement de l’agglomération de Montréal (Montréal land use planning and development concept) since 2015. A number of studies, analyses and public consultations have been carried out to define the area’s development orientations since then.

In 2019, a public consultation led by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) enhanced the vision, preliminary orientations and enhancement principles that were identified. In 2021, a comprehensive plan was submitted for consultation with key project stakeholders. A public consultation was also held to determine needs in terms of facilities and public spaces.

A new partnership was established in May 2023 with the creation of the Groupe d’accélération pour l’optimisation du projet de l’hippodrome (GALOPH). The city, the governments of Québec and Canada, and the housing, real estate, community and social economy sectors came together to develop a business plan for this ambitious urban project.

Master plan for development

The city adopted its master plan for the development of the Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood in December 2024. This document is the result of several years of planning, analysis and consultation with various stakeholders. It embodies the vision for the future of the area and proposes five major development orientations:

• An inclusive and resilient neighborhood where the health of people and nature is at the heart of decision-making
• Generous parks, green spaces and public areas that can be appropriated by the community, contributing to optimal water management and biodiversity
• A mobility network where the most vulnerable users are prioritized and where active, collective and shared modes of transportation are favoured
• Shared community facilities that complement one another to meet the needs of a diverse population 
• A diversity of urban functions and housing typologies within a compact, complete and human-scale living environment that is conducive to the creation of a carbon-neutral neighbourhood

Key milestones achieved:

• Adoption of the draft master plan and a proposed amendment to the city’s planning program: April 2024
• Public consultation on the master plan : Spring 2024
• Consultation report and amendments to the master plan based on the opinions that were solicited: Fall 2024
• Public consultation on the draft by-law amending the city’s planning program as set out in by-law 04-047 with respect to detailed planning for the Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood: November 2024
• Final adoption of the master plan for the development of the Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood

Next steps

The adoption of the master plan for the development of the Namur-Hippodrome neighbourhood in December 2024 was a pivotal moment in the next planning stages for the area. This major milestone will allow the urban project to get underway, particularly with respect to bringing in the first real estate development projects.