This article written in french by Stéphane St-Amour was automatically translated using AI
Last monday, the architectural renderings of the future Cultural Infrastructure were unveiled, accompanied by the ceremonial groundbreaking.
This $150 million project, executed in design-build mode for the first time in Laval, is the largest cultural development of the past decade in Quebec.
Two Institutions
“For me, it’s the realization of a dream we’ve collectively pursued,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer, paying tribute to Laval’s cultural community, which initiated this ambitious project about 15 years ago.
The City decided to incorporate the Great Library project into the long-requested Professional Artistic Creation Centre (PACC), creating the headquarters for Laval’s cultural scene in the Montmorency sector. The building will be located along Boulevard de l’Avenir, between Collège Letendre and the Université de Montréal campus, just a stone’s throw from the metro station.
This complex, spanning over 250,000 square feet across four floors, will feature, among other things, an auditorium, an art gallery, a dance studio, event spaces, and artist residences.
“This is not a luxury, but a necessity and a driving force for downtown development,” emphasized the mayor, describing a “strong cultural hub” that will transform this area into a “true crossroads of creativity and gatherings for all.”
Ecological Approach
In addition to the $44 million already announced by the Ministry of Culture and Communications, another $6 million comes from the Green Economy Plan 2030 of the Ministry of the Environment.
Notably, this four-story building with a green rooftop aims for LEED Gold certification, and its mechanical systems are designed to reduce reliance on non-renewable energy, using geothermal and solar energy.
“The architectural brilliance and technological innovations in energy efficiency make it a model for sustainable development and public infrastructure design,” said Dario Montoni, president of Groupe Montoni, the firm responsible for the project.
Additionally, to address climate change, a sponge park concept will ensure better rainwater management, contribute to groundwater recharge, and support biodiversity, the City noted.
Montoni, who won the project bid, highlighted that they have assembled a specially dedicated team for the design and construction, including Atelier TAG and NEUF architect(e)s in consortium, Martin Roy & Associates, BCA Structural Consulting Services, Équipe Laurence, Pelletier & Associates Consulting, and Projet Paysage.
Managed by ROCAL
In his speech, Christopher Skeete, Minister for the Economy and the region of Laval, praised the perseverance of Laval’s artists and artisans who “never gave up” on the idea of such a place “for exchange and inspiration in our community.”
With this cultural infrastructure, the city-region will acquire “a major asset that will strengthen our economic and tourist vitality,” he added.
Mario Borges, president of the Regroupement d’organismes culturels et d’artistes lavallois (ROCAL), commended the “boldness and vision” of the municipal administration “to invest in culture, anchoring it at the heart of the modern city Laval is becoming.”
For Borges, the Professional Artistic Creation Centre, which ROCAL will manage, will allow its members “to create in optimal conditions, promoting the visibility of their works on local, national, and international scales.”
Notable Absence
The event was held under a tent in the inner courtyard of Espace Montmorency, a flagship MONTONI project, in front of a large crowd, including about ten municipal councilors.
Interestingly, the councilor of the host district and staunch promoter of the project, Alexandre Warnet, was absent. Last Friday, it was revealed that Warnet, elected in Laval-des-Rapides, is under investigation by the Quebec Municipal Commission for unjustified expenses reimbursed to municipal councilors.
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