A section of Larivière Street will become Montreal’s first “sponge street” in the Sainte-Marie district, an area where several residents have repeatedly seen their homes flooded in recent years.
Posted at 5:03 p.m
On one side of the street that is already closed to traffic on Rue De Lorimier, pond-like retention basins will be created to collect rainwater from areas upstream.
“In this corner of the island we are at the foot of a hill, in a natural basin,” emphasized Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante when presenting the project on Tuesday. “Heavy rainfall and extreme weather events are becoming more common, we have had a lot more of them this year. »
For this reason, in addition to improving its water and wastewater networks, the city of Montreal is also working on improving surfaces, adds the mayor.
“No zero risk”
Will Sponge Street improve the situation of citizens who have been affected by flooding in this area for several years?
“It will help to improve the situation, but it is not a sponge road that will solve the problem, that is impossible,” answers Ms. Plante. Even if we replace all the aqueducts across the city, flooding or other impacts of climate change cannot be prevented. Torrential rains are a new reality. We need to use different tools to achieve the best performance, but there is no such thing as zero risk. »
Many citizens claim that the city’s aging sewers cause flooding because they cannot absorb rainwater. Citizens of the Sainte-Marie and Hochelaga districts, who had to carry out extensive work after water damage and can no longer insure their homes against abandonment, also filed a request in March last year for approval of a class action lawsuit against the city.
Last year, the city received 920 claims from flooded residents following the torrential rains of September 13, the fourth highest number of claims to the City of Montreal in the last 20 years. The city rejected all claims, saying the rains were of exceptional intensity.
After torrential rain on May 29, 2012 (70 millimeters in 30 minutes), the city of Montreal received 3,717 complaints but did not pay compensation to anyone. Around a hundred owners sued the city.
The Rue Sponge project involves the installation of a water pipe under the Parc des Royals, adjacent to Rue Larivière, to channel heavy rainfall from the top of the hill to the retention basins below.
The cost of the work is estimated at 5.9 million, including repairs to the neighboring park’s skateboard park and dog area.
Citizens in the area will also be consulted on the amenities to be added to the project, which should have a cultural connotation.