Today, we are looking at an exceptional development that redefines the use of public space in Montreal: Irma-LeVasseur Park.

Enthusiastically adopted by Outremont residents, this project was born from a logistical challenge: the land earmarked for the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Service Centre's (CSSMB) new primary school was not large enough to provide the 10 square meters of recreation space per student required by the Ministry of Education. The solution? A hybrid and ecological park-school.

At the start of the school year, a sign appeared on the padlocked fence, announcing that the park-school is "exclusively reserved for the school" between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays.

The land selected for the new CSSMB primary school was originally intended for residential construction. But it was not large enough to offer the recreation space required by the Ministry of Education (at least 10 m² per student). Montreal therefore came to an agreement with the CSS to build a schoolyard inside a park. A "fairly unique" arrangement, the City acknowledges.

The park-school occupies about a quarter of the 18,500 m² of Irma-LeVasseur Park. The remainder, still under construction, is scheduled for delivery this fall.

This public park, doubling as a schoolyard, hides a third function: retaining rainwater from the school and surrounding streets. Surface infrastructure was chosen over underground options "in order to reduce the ecological footprint [...] and limit construction costs and delays, but also to raise awareness" among the population regarding water management issues, notes a borough document.

Irma-LeVasseur will therefore be one of Montreal's largest floodable parks.

Project Details and Partnerships

This concept required close and unusual collaboration between several public stakeholders.

• Partners and Promoter: The City of Montreal is acting as the promoter, in direct collaboration with the Outremont borough and the CSSMB.

• Project Timeline: The school area is already active and occupies a quarter of the site's 18,500 square meters. The rest of the park, still under construction, will be delivered this fall. Note that the schoolyard space is exclusively reserved for students from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.

• Allocated Budget: As part of the overall revitalization of the MIL Montreal sector (an overall investment of tens of millions of dollars), the development of the neighborhood's public spaces and parks benefited from specific envelopes nearing 5.7 million dollars for the initial revegetation phases.

The Exceptional and Unique Aspect of Irma-LeVasseur Park

Irma-LeVasseur Park represents a true breakthrough in the way urban space is designed, as it is the only project in Greater Montreal to combine these two specific functions: a closed institutional recreation yard and a public stormwater management infrastructure.

With Montreal having reached an agreement with the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Service Centre (CSSMB), this hybrid concept was born out of a space constraint transformed into an opportunity.

While the schoolyard occupies a quarter of the land (reserved exclusively for students on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.), the entirety of the site's 18,500 square meters acts as a giant retention basin. This architectural marriage between the Ministry of Education and the City's engineering services is an unprecedented arrangement that redefines the pooling of public spaces.

Attendance Statistics

The integration of the primary school ensures a guaranteed and constant baseline of attendance for the park.

• Daily Attendance: Upon its full opening, the school space will welcome hundreds of students every day (typically between 400 and 600 children for a primary school of this scale). In the evenings and on weekends, the site opens up to the thousands of residents of the new MIL Montreal and Outremont neighborhood.

• Community Impact: In addition to meeting the government standard of at least 10 m² of recreation per student, the park becomes a formidable open-air laboratory. Younger generations grow up directly observing how ecological infrastructure works. The site encourages an active lifestyle while raising community awareness about climate issues.

The decision to merge these two needs (educational and climatic) on a single plot of land generates considerable financial benefits.

The park is part of the vast redevelopment of the MIL Montreal sector. While the development of parks in this sector benefits from budgets exceeding 5.7 million dollars, pooling costs between the City (for the park) and the CSSMB (for the school) helps optimize taxpayer money.

Irma-LeVasseur Park is not just a green space or a schoolyard; it is also one of the most important floodable parks in the metropolis.

• Financial and Economic Impact: By opting for surface water retention infrastructure, the City has significantly limited the costs and delays associated with building underground infrastructure. This model also reduces pressure on the municipal sewer system, thereby preventing costly back-ups for neighboring residences.

• Social and Educational Impact: The park will welcome hundreds of young people daily, promoting physical and mental health. Furthermore, its visible design serves as an educational tool to raise awareness among citizens and students about the challenges of climate change and water management.

In conclusion, Irma-LeVasseur Park is not just a beautiful green space; it is a unique model of land efficiency in Quebec. By layering recreational, institutional, and ecological functions, Montreal is paving the way for future real estate and urban developments in the province.