Residents hope Prince-Arthur Street redesign will help revitalize area

Construction on Prince-Arthur Street has officially wrapped up aftertwo years of work and nearly $4 million invested in revitalizing the area.

The new design, unveiled on Friday, is meant to be even more pedestrian-friendly, with the road being closed to both cars and cyclists between Avenue Laval and St-Laurent Boulevard.

Cathy Wright, wholives just off Prince-Arthur Street, told CBC she likes the new look and hopeitwill attractnew life to the neighbourhood.

"I think we need to restore the vibrance that we had 30 years ago, where artists used to come here and do caricatures and display their artwork," she said. "How can we do that? Start inviting the schools to participate."

Changes to the design of the street include more green planter boxes, new stone work andsometerrassesbeing positioned in the middle of the street.

GeorgeLemontzogoluhas been a waiter for 15 years and works on the street.Hewasn't convinced the decision to place customers in the centre of the thoroughfare was a good one.

"I'll be honest with you, at the beginning it was weird for us and the customers, too," he said. "The customers have no chance but to accept the new reality of the street. So it seems to be getting better."

However, he still worries about the potential for accidents, which could see trays of food splattered all over the new stone work, and the customers.

Plateau-Mont-Royalborough councillorChristineGosselinsaid she's already starting to see the effects of the redesign taking shape, drawing more foot traffic to the area.

"I'm happy about the way peoplecome at all times of the day to sit on these benches to chat. I see people playing checkers, eating lunch chilling out and that's the first step to rejuvenating."

Currently cyclists are not allowed to ride their bikes along Prince-Arthur Street with new signs posted advising people to walk their bikes through the busy pedestrian area.

The borough says one way to solve the problem of people disobeying the signs would be to add a designated bike pathon Pine Avenue just one street north.

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