Les Amis de la montagne supports the objectives of this vision and look forward to seeing the resulting project, which would represent positive action in the fight against climate change and be consistent with the ambitious objectives set by the Montreal administration in terms of ecological transition. 

As early as 2018, Les Amis de la montagne participated in the consultation process led by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM) on the future of access routes to Mount Royal. Since then, the organization has been campaigning for its recommendations to be incorporated into the Accessibility Vision for Mount Royal and any resulting redevelopment project.

Drawing on their experience and intimate knowledge of the mountain, Les Amis have set out five conditions to ensure the success of the redevelopment of Camillien-Houde Way. This is the basis on which the benefits of this redevelopment for nature and citizens can be assessed. 

1. The new park road must enhance the biodiversity of the ecological network of the Mount Royal Heritage Site

If the City's desired legacy is to be a lasting one, along with the natural environments that surround it, the vision for the pedestrian promenade must be based on mechanisms deployed on an ongoing basis to ensure the sustainable management of the spaces created. We submit the following recommendations:

• Make enhancing biodiversity on the route a priority by setting real objectives linked to the ecological value of the developments.
• Adopt an ecological and functional rainwater management approach to slow flows during heavy rainfall events.
• Allocate the necessary resources and provide recurring budgets for the long-term maintenance of facilities and naturalized areas (control of invasive species, management of climatic hazards, etc.).

2. The "mountain experience" offered to users of Mount Royal must be optimized

The vision for Camillien-Houde must contribute to the protection and promotion of the mountain's iconic presence, its landscapes, its views and its visual relationships with other distinctive elements of the metropolitan landscape, as set out in the Mount Royal Protection and Enhancement Plan, the Mount Royal Landscape Atlas and the Mount Royal Heritage Site Conservation Plan. To this end, we recommend that particular attention be paid to the following actions:

• Highlight the views from the mountain and its relationship with the distinctive elements of the Montreal landscape, such as the river and the Monteregian Hills.
• Encourage a slow, winding ascent and contemplative discovery of the mountain, inspired by the vision and legacy of Frederick Law Olmsted, rather than sporting feats.
• Highlight the natural and distinctive features of this section of the park, such as the Camillien-Houde pass, rocky massifs and streams.

3. The project must ensure that uses coexist in a way that is both respectful of the site's purpose and safe for citizens

Access to the Mount Royal Heritage Site and its natural surroundings comes with a great deal of individual and collective responsibility. Expanding the park means extending its uses to new areas. The vision for Camillien-Houde must encourage the adoption of a culture based on respect for the site's conservation and contemplation mission. Here are our recommendations:

• Provide for uses that are compatible with the mountain's spirit of discovery and anticipate the coexistence of these uses through judicious and safe development.
• Ensuring harmonious coexistence between uses by managing authorized activities while respecting the mission of Mount Royal Park.
• Plan educational programming and an awareness-raising campaign to encourage the public to make the new spaces their own and adopt environmentally responsible behaviour.
• If an area is to be dedicated to cycling, plan the layout so as to moderate the downhill speed of cyclists to ensure the safety of pedestrians, wildlife and the cyclists themselves, for example by creating a winding lane, using textured materials, building raised pedestrian crossings and creating chicanes where necessary.

4. The project must be part of an overall vision for accessibility to the Mount Royal Heritage Site and the optimization of mobility throughout the city

Mount Royal welcomes millions of visitors every year. The iconic site is a magnet for Montrealers and tourists alike, who come to enjoy its natural surroundings. The redevelopment of Camillien-Houde is an opportunity to help make the mountain universally accessible, user-friendly and safe. 

For the project to help achieve these aspirations, it must make equitable access to the mountain a priority and be part of an overall vision of accessibility for the heritage site, as recommended by the Table de concertation du Mont-Royal. We therefore propose the following recommendations:

• Adopt an accessibility vision for the Mount Royal Heritage Site aimed at improving the quality and distribution of entrances to spread visitor traffic, accelerating the adoption of active and public means of transportation to considerably reduce the use of cars on the mountain, and protecting, highlighting and extending the mountain's impact on the city to enhance biodiversity and increase the area's resilience to climate change.
• Ensure that the project ties in with local and regional mobility networks, including the soft and active mobility network in the City of Montréal's forthcoming Land Use and Mobility Plan and the green and blue belt network set out in the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal's Metropolitan Land Use and Development Plan.
• Provide universal, user-friendly, safe year-round access to and within the park and between its various attractions, in particular the Camillien-Houde lookout and the Smith House and Beaver Lake areas.
• Improve public transit services from the east side of the mountain to meet the diverse needs of users by considering alternative transportation systems such as shuttles to and from the heritage site. 
• Update the Smith House parking lot redevelopment project planned for 2024–2026, ensuring that it is optimally aligned with the objectives of the Camillien-Houde redevelopment project. 
• Include in the plans for redevelopment of Camillien-Houde the establishment of a new reception and service centre in the vicinity of the white house at the corner of Mont-Royal and Parc avenues. 
• Plan to link the redevelopment to the existing network of trails and complete the ring road so as to limit the creation of informal trails and their negative impact on the area's natural environment.

5. The redevelopment of Camillien-Houde Way must be an exemplary project that reflects the shared commitment of the public authorities and the community 

In recognition of the importance of Mount Royal and its three summits, the Quebec government declared the 750-hectare Mount Royal Heritage Site for its historical, cultural, built, natural and popular value. The site includes some of Montreal's founding institutions, as well as beautiful natural spaces and parks, and numerous landmarks from the First Nations' rich history of land stewardship, the legacy of which gives the site its iconic value and identity. 

Its unique and exceptional features mean that it can aspire to recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this context, the vision for the redevelopment of the route, which may coincide with the 150th anniversary of Mount Royal Park, must be an exemplary one. We therefore recommend the following :

• Subject the implementation of the vision for Camillien-Houde to best consultation practices and involve all of the mountain's stakeholders, particularly the institutional and associative members of the Table de concertation du Mont-Royal.
• Ensure that the broad vision for the redevelopment of the thoroughfare contributes to the community's collective aspiration to have Mount Royal recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Establish criteria for assessing the achievement of the project's objectives relating to: 
  • Consultation of mountain stakeholders in the planning process;
  • Protection of natural habitats and landscapes;
  • Enhancement of the mountain experience;
  • User safety;
  • The mountain’s accessibility.